The Land of Big !

When people move from Asia & Europe to USA, they are overwhelmed by the size of everything - cars, people, houses etc. It is the same feeling which hit me when I moved from California to Texas. The Lone star state is definitely the land of the big and excess. The trucks are bigger, the people are fatter, the restaurants are bigger, and the houses most definitely are huger !! This scale of things has totally skewed my perception of what is normal and what is uncommon.

People pride in possessing the biggest gas guzzling trucks that they can flaunt. I can never understand why a person would need so much torque or load carrying capacity under his hood, when all he needs is a vehicle which would get him to and fro from work. Hybrids dont make sense to common texans. A prius sighting is as rare as a Lamborghini Murcielago in the city. Most maniacs drive their trucks as if they own the road. Giving indicators seems optional in most cases, as the road is ruled by size of the vehicle than the size of the brain, and I wonder if there exists an inverse proportionality between the former and the latter. Despite driving for 2 years in freeway crazy LA, my first 2 months in Houston has seen my road rage increase manifold.

Moving from West Los Angeles,(probably the second most liberal part of the country after San Francisco) to the bible belt of the country in the South, definitely is a big change. Houston sits in the heartland of the conservative state and church is definitely a very important part of everyone's life. This is clearly evident from the numerous billboards dotting the freeway, advertising church services and advocating bible study groups. At most times I try to be very careful while airing my political views, lest I get shot. Remember, this state prides itself in the pro-gun stance, which is further evident by people's penchant for hunting.

Houston definitely prides itself as the restaurant city of the country. All along the freeways, by the service roads, one can find innumerable number of restaurants. These restaurants are huge, but even on weekdays, some of them need reservations. People love to eat out, and are very proud of their BBQ & Sirloins. Meat is definitely the preferred choice of food, and there are some places which are definitely not meant for vegetarians. Thanks to the proximity to the ocean, Seafood aslo features high on some menus. There is no dearth of expensive restaurants catering to corporate card using clientele either! Only after moving to Texas have I developed my penchant for a nice centre cut of filet mignon alongside a cabernet sauvignon.

The landscape of the city is as flat as the surface of water. The tallest points are actually manmade - freeway interchanges and skyscrapers. Previously I do not remember living in a place which is as flat as this and devoid of a uneven terrain. Courtesy of some huge construction projects, the freeways are perinially coated in dust and surrounded by bricks. The greenery in the city is the only saving grace, and parts like Memorial Park add a semblance of civilisation!

However, given the economic position of the city as the Oil Capital of the world, it is most definitely a very very important city. All the big Oil Companies call Houston as their home, and some of the wealthiest people live in this city. Harris County (Houston) ranks 6th in the list of most number of millionaires in the US. Houston is also one of the cheapest big city and is very affordable place to save up money and settle down ! Despite the high humidity and constant thunderstorms, the weather is still more amicable than most of the country as barring 2-3 months of hot summer, the weather stays pleasant year around.