The Fair

      You know how sometimes you forget that you're dating someone from another culture for a while until you mention something that seems so common and obvious? Then when you try to explain it, the words to describe it just don't seem right? Our word this week was the fair. Like, the state fair. "What's that?" he asks. "The fair, well, you know, it's like a carnival and a market together, but with animals too. You just walk around and look at stuff." This just doesn't seem adequate. So for all the Europeans without their own fairs, I have attempted to show you kind of what it's like. 
      I have experienced the Oregon state fair almost every year for the last 10 or 15 years, so we have it narrowed down to what we really like to do. Like walk through all the animal pens and see the giant pigs. Go through and vote for the best photos and artwork. Look at all the booths in the "as seen on tv" building where everyone is trying to sell you something. Trying to decide what to eat from all the booths may be the toughest part of the day. I really think everyone should experience a fair at least once though.
     Part of our system is to go during the week first thing in the morning to get the best parking and avoid the most kid-infested crowds. We were there just after 10am and were still surrounded by cars. We didn't have to stand in line to get tickets though. 

     The first thing you notice walking in is the smell. Good old manure from all the animal pens on the east side right in front of us. We start with the cows and then see horses, sheep, goats, rams, pigs, llamas, and who knows what else. I especially like the Clydesdale horses towering over everyone and standing around without a care in the world. Also, there is inevitably, a gigantic sow lying on her side with a dozen of the cutest piglets all curled up in the hay. 

We wandered outside through the horse show pavilion, but nothing was going on yet. Then we saw the historic poultry building. Which has to be one of the noisiest buildings there. All these roosters and chickens crammed into cages in the place all crowing and pecking. There were some cute chicks though. Outside we discovered an exotic animals building with snapping turtles, iguanas, parrots, tarantulas, rattlesnakes, and anacondas. Not my favorite building. 
    After that, we headed out for a traditional hot scone. (Just traditional for us, I don't know where they come from, but they sure are good.) Munching on that, we listened too a group of old time filddlers playing in a tent. Then on to the crafty/interesting buildings. 

   In those, I especially like the free stuff: Tillamook cheese, watermelon from Hermiston, blueberry pancakes (I guess Krusteez pancake mix is made with Oregon wheat), chips made from Oregon potatoes, pencils, stickers, candy, and recipes. There are also displays from the cake competition, lego competition, table settings, and all sorts of food and flowers. It sort of feels like you're on Babe or Charlotte's Web. (Both movies about pigs, but I couldn't think of any other all-american fair type movies). 

    So after the fun "Oregon" building comes the photography building. I think this one's fun since there are pictures from all over, but mostly from Oregon photographers. And they're very good. We picked our favorites there, and then on to the "as seen on tv" building. I call it this because it has probably 75 booths full of all those super cool mops and sponges and gutter guards that you only order on tv. With people there demonstrating it too! I saw at least three guys doing cooking booths too, with choppers and blenders and such. You can get your back massaged, your rings cleaned, your shoes shined, and your wallet emptied. 

    After all this madness, we were getting hungry. Now this is not a problem, since everywhere you turn is a food booth offering the biggest and best in the next super fried thing. Two foot long corn dogs with curly fries were the biggest I saw, and it was definitely too big. I settled for a gyro and was happy to go check out the rides. Now, I haven't been on one of these rides in probably ten years. I've always liked them, but you have to have someone to go on them with you, and you have to have a lot of money. Even the cheapest ticket book only gets you like 4 rides. For $20? Not worth it in my book. And somehow now, they seem sort of small and old. They may be the same one's I rode on as a high schooler all those years ago.

Now our feet our tired and we're headed home...