There’s lots of garbage on social media, but I found a couple of gems. Two sets of British guys on social media embarked on a road trip across America, and their take on the foods and sights around the country are funny and interesting.
First, there’s Josh and Ollie. “Jolly,” as they’ve labeled themselves, filled social media with feedback about American foods, grocery stores and their favorite, Buccee’s.
These two spend quite a bit of time eating and critiquing food and fast-food joints. They found Texas amazing. They were in Houston during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and they fell in love.
Their mouths hung open during the calf scramble, and they were in awe of the youngsters who were mutton bustin’. They couldn’t believe corn dogs came in the foot-long size, and the turkey legs completely wowed them.
The other Brits who regularly post on social media are Josh and Jase. These two decided to take to the roads in America, and they’ve been to almost every state.
They believe American bacon should be considered a national treasure. Biscuits and gravy are heavenly, and Southern sweet tea is nectar from the gods.
All four spent quite a bit of time eating brisket at joints all over Texas, and now I’ve got a list of must-see diners to visit.
One of Josh and Jase’s must-sees was the original Café du Monde in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
Like everyone else who visits, they left Café du Monde overly satisfied, the front of their shirts covered with powdered sugar. They learned how to peel crawfish and topped their visit off with bowls of spicy seafood gumbo.
They discovered the unintended consequence of too much fast and high-calorie foods. Josh and Jase each gained almost 20 pounds while they were eating their way across the United States.
But diets went out the window because as they traveled the miles, they found treasures along the road.
They were respectful at The Alamo, and they were “gobstopped” by San Antonio’s Riverwalk at night. Josh and Ollie marveled at the size of the Texas Rangers stadium and couldn’t believe the great food served at a baseball game.
But more than their easy-going banter and willingness to try questionable foods, they made me see America through different eyes.
They saw the beauty in our people and our geography. Josh and Jase had tears in their eyes while watching the sun set over the Grand Canyon.
They found Palo Duro Canyon to be one of the most wonderful places they’d ever visited. An evening baseball game was an adventure as was tubing down the San Marcos River.
They marveled at the vastness and variety of the different states. They were awed by the majesty of our mountains and vibrant green pastures that go on for miles in America.
It wasn’t just the big places that they visited. They made a point to stop in small towns across America to eat where locals dine.
Mom-and-pop stores and restaurants run by our neighbors and friends are treasures we often take for granted. A back-yard barbecue with home-made ice cream and burgers from the grill are what make up so many American memories.
Simple, everyday experiences, and the people they met along their travels, are the real treasures these Brits discovered.
Watching these young men experience the beautiful sights and meet the incredible people we have in America made me want to get in my car and discover what’s right outside my front door.
All it takes is a willingness to explore both the known and the unknown, and that’s possible no matter where you are in the world.
This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.