Thursday, September 17, 2009

Kansas State Fair

We decided to attend the Kansas State Fair today. I mean, I'm a sucker for the Texas Fair...or should I say the fair food at the Texas State Fair lol. Anyway, we decided to go today. Hero was taken to a veterinary hospital for boarding and we made our trek. It was a 50 mile drive to Hutchinson, KS. I should admit that, when living in Gunter, the drive to the fair never seemed long; however, I was dreading this drive, probably because I knew it would be filled with nothing but open pasture (see end of post**). Well it was, we got a bit lost once we made it to Hutchinson, but with the help of the iPhone, we made it to the fair. I kept looking for the big things (ie The Texas Star or Big Tex-type things) but I never saw them. We parked, paid and walked in. There were a few things that reminded me of the Texas Fair, the numerous food booths, the smell of cow/pig/goat/etc crap, the ever-present "Carni" requesting you play "their" game ("First one is FREE!") and, well, the exhibitions. However, it was much smaller. I felt like I was at a "shopping mall" carnival on steroids, add-in livestock, beer and a few "retailers"...Hello Sham-Wow! Ok, it sorta fulfilled my addiction to the Texas State Fair. Yes, I admit it, I love the fair...primarily for the food and weather that comes just after the fair, haha. To me, it's like the gateway to a very short fall (in TX), so I always look forward to it. The Kansas State Fair, however, proved to be just a *bit* different. First of all, I didn't know I would find that many toothless people in one place...no disrespect, but I know if I had a tooth (let alone TEETH) missing, I wouldn't be smiling SO big (good for them!). Also, I've never seen a booth at the TX State Fair selling cigarettes...well we saw some today, it was weird. Oh and only one place served sausage on a stick and TWO places served roasted corn-on-the-cob...HELLO? (Ok our annoyance) The only other issue I took with this fair was...in the "PRAIRIE PAVILION" that housed cattle and milking cows...there was a concession stand that sold.........HAMBURGERS!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT THE HECK! It's like a slap in the face for those cattle...some of which were delivering calves! Sorry, but I took issue with that, granted not a major one but I felt it was a bit, too much...sadistic?


Ok, ok...so this fair gratified a bit of my mild infatuation with the Texas State Fair. I only wish we had pictures. However, Seam left our camera on some weird setting that made ALL of our pictures OVEREXPOSED! Ok, well, some weren't but who needs to see goats and pigs in the petting zoo, geez. By the way, should you be planning to attend the Texas State Fair this year...PLEASE, have a corn dog for me. Do not let me know you had it or describe it to me, just eat one for me! They're just not the same here, then again...nothing is.




**AMISH PEOPLE LIVE HERE! Again, no disrespect BUT I've never actually seen an Amish community. So, on our way home, we continuously saw these warning signs...

...I kept thinking, would it be super disrespectful to drive down those roads AND take pictures? Yeah, probably so, which I understand. However, I'm fascinated and, a bit, jealous. I'm not familiar with the lifestyle, at all, but it would be interesting to experience/see it. Hmmm, maybe I'm alone in that lol.

4 comments:

kcc said...

If there is an Amish restaurant around there.....EAT THERE! They are fantastic. We always eat at the Amish restaurant when we are in Indiana....

Keelie said...

I am laughing so hard! the part about "no teeth..good for them!" OMG! Hysterical. and the sadistic selling of hamburgers infront of the cattle. That IS pretty harsh.

Surprisingly, my first time to the state fair was 2 years ago. I love it for all the same reasons you described, namely the unofficial beginnning of fall weather in TX.

I will go and have a dog for ya. I also heard they are having the fried butter this year. WHooHOO!

I could totally see you wearing a black hat and riding in a buggy. Maybe that's why you ended up in Kansas after all...to meet your Amish fate

Kendra said...

If I had been in the car instead of Seam, you an I totally would have driven down those roads and taken pictures. Well, until we were told to leave.

klg0816 said...

HAHA! I would like to experience the Amish lifestyle but probably for only 2 minutes. I need TV. As for the corn dogs...PLEASE ENJOY IT and when you eat it, let out a big MMMMMM, in my honor of course. LOL.

Kendra...when you guys come up here in Jan...we will go. It's a must for me, sad to say I MUST see the Amish people. Hmmm...I wonder if they even let cars down the road? Ehhh, we'll take Seam's it's all wheel drive LOL.