Oh, Thy Rivalry (Or, Why Thy Rivalry?)!
Houston and Dallas' rivalry goes way, waaaaaaaaay back. And that's quite the norm, isn't it? There seems to often exist a natural rivalry inclination when two substantial cities are housed by the same state (Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, anyone?). I have also observed that Americans are not the only ones prone to such comparisons either: I hail from Bulgaria and my growing up was marked by the rivalry between Bulgaria's capital Sofia and my hometown Plovdiv, or as the locals would call it, the cultural capital of Bulgaria (notice that innocent jab? Just couldn't help it...).
So, having lived in Houston for 6 years now, you can imagine the preconceived notions I had about Dallas without even setting a foot in it. And despite the long and rather uneventful drive to get there, my experience was a great reminder to always keep an open mind when traveling.
Downtown Dallas is quite charming! And contrary to popular belief, the Dallas I saw did not take itself seriously at all. The Downtown area boasts a natural contrast of old and new that I am always particularly fond of. It also displays some of the oddest pieces of art I have ever seen (pun intended, please see strange Eye Sculpture above). And, being the garden lover that I am, I truly enjoyed the small parks in between the skyscrapers which offered such a refreshing and minimalist area for rest.
I know that rivalries are natural and common... But why not be able to appreciate it all?
A few months back, a co-worker of mine convinced me to join my company's Spartan Race team. He didn't talk it up much: he mentioned it's a long-ish run with a few fun obstacles. You know, no big deal. Something someone who runs as much as me should complete more than easily (read, you don't really need to train for it). Ha ha ha.