5 odd things to do in USA
Boring people might want to visit the United States of America for its beautiful parks, sparkling Californian cities, the magnificent architecture of Chicago or New York, wildlife or waterfalls. But I think the most fun part of a trip to the U.S. is immersing yourself in the depths of local culture and doing (or in some cases, better watch others doing it) something bizarre, as befits the home of the world's largest bottle of Ketchup or of hot dog eating contests.
EATING A 2KG STEAK
If, as for me, 2 kg of meat more or less corresponds to your quarterly consumption, you will be fascinated by the news that someone can really swallow them in one single dinner.
It happens in Texas (where else!), more precisely in a picturesque corner of Amarillo called Big Texan Ranch, a nice hotel, but above all a famous steakhouse.
A huge wooden room, with tables set with fake cowhide, also arranged on lofts carefully facing the center of the room. Here, on a stage under the incredulous eyes of the diners, and several deer heads hanging on the wall, someone participates in a unique competition.
If you can eat a whole meal consisting of shrimp cocktail, a baked potato, salad, buttered sandwich and, what else? Oh, I forgot, a 72oz steak (about 2kg), you will be offered the aforementioned dinner. The few rules of the game require you to finish the meal in 60 minutes, forbid any help from your diners, even just to cut the meat and pay the equivalent in Dollars of the weight of the steak if you give up or feel sick during the contest ($72). But you are kindly allowed to cut the meat before the competition to make sure that the cooking is optimal for you, and also to take the leftovers with you in case you can't finish the hearty meal and have survived.
TAKE A PICTURE OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST PISTACHIO
Unfortunately, it's not an edible pistachio, otherwise I would have moved to New Mexico. I am talking about a giant fiberglass pistachio that stands out in front of McGinn's Pistachio Land, in Alamogordo.
We stopped by chance, on the way to White Sands NM, and besides seeing a pistachio plant for the first time, we filled our bags with dried fruit, crunchy pistachio, and if we did have enough space, I would have donated the honeymoon fund to this well-stocked store.
A GONDOLA RIDE IN VENICE
A faithful reproduction of the main monuments of Venice, concentrated around the The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. Not only will you be able to pass under the Bridge of Sighs, next to St. Mark's bell tower, take a picture in front of the Doges' Palace (to the joy of the Japanese who can postpone their trip to sunny Italy), but you will even be able to sail through much clearer waters aboard a gondola, complete with gondolier wearing red striped stockings and a straw hat.
SPEND THE NIGHT IN A LAUNDROMAT
Laundry never sleeps, and anywhere in the USA you can find a 24-hour laundromat. We arrived in Los Angeles with a little more than a pair of still clean socks, and so, a little for the need to really do the laundry, a little to realize my bizarre dream of spending a few hours in a laundromat, we looked for one in Los Angeles and entered.
You can watch an episode of Friends on a microscopic screen next to a bored burly Mexican man, help some lady pick up the giant stuffed animals from the dryer, or fold 7 duvets, or do a run on the laundry basket among the astonished glances of the nightly clientele.
BEING THE ONLY GUESTS IN A SALOON ON AMERICA'S LONELIEST STREET
That the United States were immense, we already knew it. That they were largely uninhabited, it's no secret. But that one road seriously flaunted the title of America's loneliest highway, it sounded really bizarre.
Walking into a saloon where the owner doesn't even raise her head and keep reading her photo novel and probably being her only guests of the month, was quite peculiar. We drove hundreds of miles down this road, and found nothing but a couple of scattered pickup trucks.
This content is NOT SPONSORED, but based on my genuine personal experience. Spontaneous opinions, positive and negative, shareable or not, that I hope will help to live better travel experiences. My advice is a guide to lead you through world explorations, but the real journey, you build it!
