And Texas is large enough that there are big cultural differences from one part to another.

In Chicago you are closer to Texarkana Texas than it is to El Paso Texas.

Slammr (imported) wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:43 pm Where in Texas? I'm originally from Texas. Although I don't live there now, most of my family does, and I regularly go back, even though I always undergo a little culture shock, because Texas is almost like a foreign country when coming from Oregon, where I live now.

I'm headin' to Austin. Dippin' a toe into the south rather than diving head first into it. I do however, plan to find someplace to go shooting on a range. I know I'm planning to gorge myself on meat and BBQ.

Sweetpickle (imported) wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:56 pm And Texas is large enough that there are big cultural differences from one part to another.

In Chicago you are closer to Texarkana Texas than it is to El Paso Texas.

Not that I'd know what the difference between Texarkana and El Paso is. The only time I've ever heard of El Paso is Old El Paso brand fajitas in the UK.

punkypink (imported) wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:12 pm I'm headin' to Austin. Dippin' a toe into the south rather than diving head first into it. I do however, plan to find someplace to go shooting on a range. I know I'm planning to gorge myself on meat and BBQ.

Good choice. Austin is probably one of Texas' most cosmopolitan cities. It's the last place I lived in Texas, and I really liked it. I left Austin in 1986, though, and it's really grown since then. You might check out the River Walk in San Antonio, if you happen to go there. It's not too far.

Slammr (imported) wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:30 pm Good choice. Austin is probably one of Texas' most cosmopolitan cities. It's the last place I lived in Texas, and I really liked it. I left Austin in 1986, though, and it's really grown since then. You might check out the River Walk in San Antonio, if you happen to go there. It's not too far.

Oh yes I'd heard lots of good things about Austin. Also, they'll be having the F1 race next year, so I may nip out to the track that's being built to have a look. I'll be hooking up with a friend who's in New Brunswick and she drives so maybe we can make it to San Antonio. Tho I'm slightly wary of San Antonio. That girl in Macy's who harressed a customer for being trans? That happened in San Antonio.

punkypink (imported) wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:12 pm I'm headin' to Austin. Dippin' a toe into the south rather than diving head first into it. I do however, plan to find someplace to go shooting on a range. I know I'm planning to gorge myself on meat and BBQ.

If you'll be in Austin, you should visit the Salt Lick BBQ restaurant (http://www.saltlickbbq.com/), a short drive out of the city.

Caith721 (imported) wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:34 pm If you'll be in Austin, you should visit the Salt Lick BBQ restaurant (http://www.saltlickbbq.com/), a short drive out of the city.

Awesome! thank you. I'll note that down. Why's it called Salt Lick?

I'd highly recommend Stubb's BBQ ( http://www.stubbsaustin.com ). Austin is a pretty cool place but be carefull on 6th street late at night. I highly recommend going down to San Antonio which is only about an hour and a half south. The riverwalk and the Alamo are really cool. I don't know if you know any Texas history but a major battle was fought for independence from Mexico there and about 189 Texans were masacred there by the Mexican army. It's a very somber memorial and a great museum for Texas history.

As for the riverwalk in San Antonio, I actually preferred it at six in the morning. And then I used to know where to eat a really good Mexican breakfast early in the morning for a lot cheaper price than anywhere in town too. I'm weird, I know. That was twenty years ago.

Sweetpickle (imported) wrote: Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:56 pm In Chicago you are closer to Texarkana Texas than it is to El Paso Texas.

Some of those little geographical tidbits are surprising. I was at a conference in Toronto and went to a presentation on Colombia. One speaker noted that we were closer to Colombia in Toronto than we were to Vancouver.