Fort Worth: The best of both worlds

By: Juliana Gutierrez

     The train moved at a steady pace as we passed by dry pastures that looked golden under the bright winter sun. The train's horn sounded loudly, announcing its way through small ranches by the side of the rail. 

     I did not know what to expect before going to Fort Worth. I only knew it was somewhere near Dallas, Texas. As I saw the country scenerie and cows, I thought that maybe it would be more of a cowboy town than a city. Still, I was eager to discover what this place had to offer.

      To my surprise, I was received by a city that had both aspects: urban centers with tall buildings and the warmth of the South with a country heritage.

     Excited, I grabbed brochures at the Fort Worth train station and asked a couple of questions about how to move around the city and how to get to the famous Stockyards. 

     I did not expect that our professors would leave us on our own with the task of discovering the city,  do interviews and complete a treasure hunt. I felt a little nervous at first, never before had I been in this city and yet, here I was, with an assignment in my hand and only a few hours to complete the task.

     I felt better by knowing that my classmate, Rasheeda Kabba, would be my teammate and I would not be left alone in Fort Worth. With brochures in my backpack and pen and paper on my hands, I decided that I would not be afraid and that I would not only finish the assignment but enjoy discovering the Texan city.

     We hopped on a free trolley that took us to Fort Worth's downtown. I multitasked between taking pictures, writing notes and doing some interviews--there was no time to waste. I certainly did not expect to see so many tall and modern buildings, which mixed between leafless trees, beautiful parks, monuments and historical buildings: all in once place. 

    Fascinated by the architecture, I took pictures of the many buildings in the downtown area. We decided to have lunch at a downtown restaurant. Although it was in the middle of this urban area, the restaurant served traditional southern cuisine such as fried chicken and waffles and chicken potpie.

     When we finished our meal, we went to the trolley stop to hopped on to go to the Stockyards. I was amazed by how well the transportation system worked: the trolley had arrived just at the time it was supposed to.

     Fifteen minutes later, the trolley conductor signaled us and we hopped off the bus. We walked for about two blocks, not being sure whether we were walking in the correct direction. And then we suddenly saw it: the big sign suspended in the air that read: Fort Worth Stockyards.

     "We made it!" I thought. We continued walking and I noticed that the street was no longer paved but it was made of bricks. I could listen to country music on almost every corner and the characteristic smell of cattle impregnated the air. 

     On the sidewalks, there were golden bronze stars with names in the middle. I later found out that these were people who had made a significant contribution to the Stockyards and to Fort Worth. 

     There were also many shops on the sidewalks. They mostly sold leather belts, cowboy hats, belts and many cowboy-related items. I continued to take pictures of the bricked buildings with country architecture. I also took pictures of sculptures, the shops and even a longhorn cow people could pay five dollars and have their picture taken with it. 

     We had the experience to see the world's only live cattle drive, which I thought was very interesting. With the assignments still in my mind, I continued to perform interviews in the place that is known as Cowtown. I was impressed by how nice people were in this city. They all agreed to being interviewed and I could instantly feel their Southern warmth as soon as I started talking to them. I was thrilled that they had provided me with such interesting answers and facts about the Stockyards. 

     By the time we had to go back to the train station, I was already feeling tired after a long and exciting day of multitasking. Back on the train, I reflected on everything I had just seen, heard, smelled, sensed and learned.

     Despite our tight schedule, going to Fort Worth and learning about this unique place was definitely an enriching experience. I did not only got to go the 'city of cowboys and culture', but I actually got the chance to discover this place and interact with locals, learn about the history, culture, transportation system, attractions, accommodations and cuisine of Fort Worth. 

     As for my personal opinion about Fort Worth, it most definitely has the best of both worlds: the perks of a urban city and the warmth of the South. 

Photo by: Juliana Gutierrez

 Photo By: Juliana Gutierrez

For more information about Fort Worth, visit: http://www.fortworth.com  and http://www.fortworthstockyards.org