Texas Diary

3 Evertonians in Texas. John the old one 48, getting depressed he his nearly fifty, his handsome younger Jimmy aged 43, Mathew aged 18. The O'Brien's are in town.

25th July 2004

10.5 hours flight direct form Heathrow shit movies, no stunning stewardess. Service was good though.

Arrived Houston 4pm took 2 hours to get out the airport. Immigration decided to quiz me because I had a visa for Vietnam in my passport. I was thinking they must think I am a communist or something. Found out the guys father fought there. Our luggage is the last ones out.

Left the airport. fuck the heat 30 degrees and the humidity 90%. Taxi to hotel shit in a thunderstorm driver saying 'I can't see'. Doesn't stop driving though.

Arrived hotel translator needed. Guy behind desk from India. Could not understand one word we were saying. Finally get to my room. Fucking remote control to TV not working.

Out for a few beers and something to eat at a Benningan's avoid it like the plague if you ever see one. Shit food & service. Hotel bed and sleep.

26th July

Nick TV remote for other room. I'm happy now!

Decided to hire car for the week $300 all in so we thought. Houston is a big city and spread out around the corner is 10 miles, not to far is 20 miles and not a bad drive is 3 to 4 hours. Fuck this place is big. 1st stop Houston space center. Well worth a visit. 10,000 employees, it's own school and crèche and to see the we were the astronaut's train etc. Then it's off to Liverpool in Texas shit if we could find it. Driving up and down the same road for an hour eventually we ask at a petrol station. Fuck we find it it's like being in the psycho movie. We found a run down motel no signs for the town. Drive around a bit a we come to Main Street then we see it a US Post Office saying Liverpool Texas founded 1837 by Lord Nelson named after our great city. Guess what it's painted in red & white shite. Out comes the blue kipper flag and photos taken. Locals think were crazy. Who wants to come here, speak to a few gob smacked locals that we were from Liverpool England and you come here. Ask for a bar haven't got one, diner haven't got one. That's our sister town in Texas population 500, no bar or diner, and a motel from psycho. Back to Houston get lost which is not unusual for us. Find hotel quick beer and bed.

27th July

Off to San Antonio to see the Alamo. 4hr drive stop half way at Schulenburg find great old diner best food so far. Arrive San Antonio off to the Alamo. The Alamo is not a historical to the Texicans it is a shrine. No photos, no hats, no food or drinks allowed in the building brother loved it to me overrated. Then off to the river walk fucking superb all the bars and restaurants are under the street on the river. Get pissed in Irish bar talk to quite a few locals all love George W. We say he his a wanker they don't understand who cares! Piano player starts playing Beatles songs etc.

28th July

Shopping. This place is cheap. Loaded up head back to Houston stop on way back some beers. Arrive back at in Houston check in. Out on the piss in downtown shit who said you should avoid it. Only place in Houston were you can find bars actually in walking distance of each other. Find out you can drink in a bar if you are 18 so long as your biological father buys the drink and gives it to you. Now we have a happy 18 year old with us.

29th July

At last the 1st game. Go stadium early to fucking early. Take photos outside stadium. Then walk for twenty minutes to get out of car park to find bar. Nearly died the heat intolerable. No bar anywhere near stadium ended up in a Benningans. One other Evertonian in bar scouser from San Diego. Head to stadium at 5pm in a taxi fuck it the heat is to much. Blue Kipper flag is out evertonians start turning up. Flags are coming out. No happy Al's coach but the lads turn up! In to the stadium shit it's air conditioned thank god. Front row seats Blue kipper flag over the front. Family of Evertonians from Florida behind us, guy from LA who named is son Everton sitting next to us. Stuff the Mexicans are they that shit or are we that good.

30th July

Off to the Galleria area [ overrated ] more shopping. Talk to a few more Texicans. They love our accent amazed we came just for a soccer game. Back to downtown off to meet up with North American Everton supporters. Meet Evertonians from Chicago, San Diego, LA, Florida. Stayed in bar till 3am our hotel is next door. Brother promises bar men Everton shirt. Meet up with Texicans who didn't like George W. fuck a 1st.

31st July

Lie in hung over then off on another pub crawl.

1st August

Off to game. Get stuffed. shit we were shite. Bump in to a family from Galgary Canada they drove 42 hrs to watch the shite that was served up. Not even a concession stand selling Everton shirts etc. The Mexicans kept on asking where can you buy an Everton shirt. Typical Everton don't exploit a potential fan base Copas had one why not us. At half time talked to a woman and her daughter. The daughter plays at high level and all she wanted was to buy an Everton shirt with Rooney's name on it. Family in front of us from Texas her sons were in Liverpool last year for football tournament both became Everton supporters. Left the stadium fucking depressed.

Off to the Richmond pub who laid coaches for the Evertonians. Got pissed a red shite turned up a few of lads wanted to stomp on him hope someone did he was an arrogant shit.

2nd August

Fly back. Get yer Prozac for the coming season and Kenwright show some fucking sense!

The people of Texas welcomed us and thank you for the hospitality. ONCE A BLUE ALWAYS A BLUE. The O'Brien's. (10/08/04)

More Photos in A Jogger's Snapshot Special

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