San Anglo and Fredericksburg

If yesterday was a little ho hum because of all the travelling, then today was the complete opposite.

We intended to go into nearby San Angelo for breakfast and a quick look around before leaving by mididay and travel to San Antonio.  How wrong we were.

The old guy at the Visitors Centre where we made enquiries about a good place for breakfast, directed us to the older part of the town.  San Angelo is now almost 100,000 people, and like most towns, with the introduction of new shopping malls, the commercial focus has shifted to other sections of the town.  We fouund ourselves right in the older part.

Cafe's or diners seemed few and far between.  A nice girl with a guitar told us that there was a good cafe here somewhere but she didn't know exactly where.  She said when she goes there she just drives around until she finds it! So we set off in search.  The first thing we found was the General Store.

The General Store was huge, and had every variety of goods imaginable beautifully displayed - except breakfast.  We did spend quite a while there checking out the displays and chatting with the staff who were delighted to give us some detail of the history of the building (which was formerly a garage and tire shop) - note the American spelling. They directed us to a cafe up one block and to the right two blocks.

We set off in search of breakfast, but we did not make it to the cafe they directed us to.  Instead, we found the elusive cafe the girl with the guitar had told us about - Stangoes.

One step inside Stangoes told us this was what we were after - a re-created (or perhaps even original) American Soda Shop from the 1950 - 60's era, with Juke box, loads of old posters all around the walls, pin ball machines, laminex tables and all sorts of interesting memorabilia.  The menu was restricted, but we didn't care. We ordered, and while waiting for the food we explored every corner of the shop, and Brian put a quarter in the Juke box - one with 45's, which were placed by robotic arm on the turntable - you know the ones you havn't seen for thirty or more years - and played some old music.

Breakfast was good, and having purchased some trinkets, we headed off in search of who knows what - and we found it.

Now before I go on,  you need to understand that cowboy boots are HUGE in Texas.  I mean HUGE.  Everyone wears them with everything.

We stumbled upon Leddy's boot store and factory. Leddy's is 93 yeas old, and is one of the most famous cowboy boot producers in the world, producing only 10 pairs of hand made, custom fitted boots per week, and we stumbled in all the way from Australia not knowing anything about them.

That soon changed, as we were greeted like long lost cousins by the owner of the business Beverley and her sister -  the grand daughters of the founder.  Beverley delighted in showing us not only the store, but took us on a tour of the boot factory, explaining each process that the boots go through to manufacture, and the different types of leather available and their respective qualities.  We met the staff at their work stations, one of whom is the toe shaper who has been at his bench for 36 years.  The tour was fascinating, and we were privileged to have been treated to such an experience.  We loved the boots, but were not prepared to wait the 15 months from order to delivery or pay the price of $2,750 and upwards. Brian presented Beverley with a kangaroo badge, and we received a boot pin each.

We had photos taken, and after hugs all around we left Beverley and her team to produce more stunning boots.  We then found the next great store - J Wilde.  And there we met Joyce - (The J Wilde) who owned the place.  It was fascinating - colourful displays of clothing, light fittings, quilts, rugs, ornaments and more.  A truly beautiful shop.  Now Joyce was interested in chatting to us and introducing us to her close neighbours who run the restaurant next door - Miss Hatty's Restaurant and Cat House - named for its former role as the towns upmarket brothel. We met the owner and her staff, and after checking out Joyce's other store (which only opens on Thursdays and Fridays, but which she opened especially for us) we returned to Hatty's for a cup of coffee and home made apple pie - mmm delicious.

We were reluctant to leave town, but many hours late - after 3pm, we finally tore ourselves away from San Angelo and headed further East.  I dont know if everyone who visits this wonderful town are treated like royalty as we were, but if this is southern hospitality, then give us more.

We had a wonderful day.  Of course it was too late to make it to San Antonio, so we headed for Fredericksburg which had been touted as  a very  nice place - and at first glance the town promises to live up to it.  It is basically a German town with an Amish influence. We found a great supermarket and had a great dinner in the Brewery - just the ticket for weary travellers.  It was after 8:30pm when we finally made it to the RV park - got the owner to open up and book us in, and we hit the hay with smiles on our faces.  What a great day.  Can't wait for tomorrow.