Big Sky National Monument - Stonewall, TX

Lyndon Johnson is not a president often associated with the Antiquities Act. In his term, he enlarged four existing national monuments and established another two, most of which he did only at the behest of others. The exception to this is Big Sky National Monument. Set close to his ranch in Stonewall,Texas, Lyndon used to load VIPs into the back of his Lincoln Continental and go careening across the open prairies that would one day become the monument. He’s quoted saying that he loved seeing the faces of those unfamiliar with the Texas sky, crushed under the weight of it. And admittedly, there is something magical about the skies over the Lone Star State, something countless have commented upon. It’s in every song and story the state has to offer, the wide panorama of open sky that ensures storms can never sneak up on you, that teaches you from an early age how small you are in the world. It’s only fitting that a state obsessed with size would be blanketed by an equally big sky. Previ

The Texas Llama Fair - McAllen, TX

Way down in south Texas there is a shockingly large population of Peruvian immigrants. Leaving the high, cool Andes for the hot, southern plains they brought with them their songs and stories, along with their llamas, alpacas, and guinea pigs, all of which they celebrate every spring at the annual Texas Llama Fair. Half livestock show, half carnival and funfair, the Fair is a strange and exhilarating hotspot of Texas-Peruvian fusion that is not to be missed. Come and feast on llama backstrap, llama brisket, llama chili, llama tacos, llama sausage, llama burgers, ceviche, pachamanca, and cuy, among the more traditional fair fares. But be warned, careless wanderers of the stalls and petting zoo have been known to meet the angry, crooked beaver teeth and spit of a hot and territorial llama. 

Practicalities:

The Texas Llama Fair occurs every year in the McAllen Fair Park, running from March 29th to April 22nd. While most exhibitors accept cash and credit cards, most of the fair stalls only accept tickets which can be bought at kiosks throughout the fair.


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