Muenster, TX (USA)

Today the family got to experience the annual Germanfest in Muenster. We learned about this when we were moving to Fort Worth (see AUG 2008) but we missed out last year. We left just after lunch and, after a 45 minute drive north on I-35, we took US-82 West to the little town. The population can't be more that a few thousand - and there were probably twice the number at the festival. We listened (and participated!) while several polka bands played the old favorites. We had root-beer floats, sausage and Texas Twisters (looked like garlands of potatoes). The kids were captivated by the band that played the Alp Horn, cowbells, a saw (using a violin bow) and xylophone - they didn't want to leave. But, soon it was time. Mollie insisted that we buys some strudel (peach, this time) and roasted pecans like we did at Oktoberfest (see SEP 2009). Afterwards (1700L), we drove out of town to the North and explored the fields just south of the Red River. Most of the farm roads (especially FM-1201) turned into gravel roads that end at ranch properties. We did see sheep, goats, cows (including longhorns) and llamas. Best image was when we saw a huge herd of cattle being driven back to the barn by a young boy riding a four-wheeler. Our trip dead-ended near the little village of Sivells Bend - it really was just a crossroads with a school for the local farm-kids. After looking around at nearby Moss Lake, we took FM-1201 back to I-35 and drove home. Later, I consulted a better map and realized that we had been within a football field's length of a good view of the river - too bad we couldn't get all the way there!