Sioux City
Provided by Matthew Hirtes - RTN CANARY ISLANDS
Just like in the days of Wyatt Earp, the coaches approached Sioux City. Yet unlike those times of the good ole West, these were coaches of the motorised variety rather than stagecoaches. The tour companies were ferrying tourists from their resorts to the popular Western theme park. Just like they do every Friday night.
What awaited them, and those like us who have travelled independently, first of all was a barbecue. This commenced at 8:00pm. Visitors queued up to be served pork chops, grilled sausages and chicken legs. As a vegetarian, I wasn’t overlooked, treated as I was to a generous wedge of Spanish tortilla, jacket new potatoes seasoned with the famous Canarian sauce, mojo, and a mixed salad comprising tomato, onion and cucumber. A bottle of red wine accompanied the meal.
After the barbecue, my friend Luis and I decided to check out games more often to be found in fairgrounds. I proved to be a bad shot, perhaps influenced by the glass or three of wine I enjoyed with my meal, but Luis won a cuddly toy; which I later delighted my youngest son with. Next we visited the saloon which provided not only a valuable refuelling opportunity, as we took our pick from the free bar, but also a chance to enjoy the live country music. The crowd really got into the swing of the things, with the First Choice tour guides leading the way with the line dancing. There’s a real Western feel to the night, with everybody intent on having a riotous time. As the singer finished his last track, visitors were advised that show time was about to start. So we made our way out to the Arena. First up was the horse dressage followed by the “Wild West Show” dance. Having already seen the dancers strutting their stuff during the day, I told Miss Valerie I couldn’t imagine them getting any raunchier. She replied: “Oh, we get even raunchier believe you me but without ever becoming distasteful.” Following their performance I could only agree as there’s nothing to offend the few children present at the Sioux City night-time show.
Later there’s a recreation of a stage-coach assault. Head cowboy, Jose Diaz, earlier had explained the difference between the shows during the day and those at night, “We like to use the dark. It helps the narrative and we can play with it to create more suspense, for example.” Talking of using the dark, the Ledda family utilised it to the max in their Indian show featuring knife and tomahawk throwing. The night-time setting only served to heighten the tension. There were plenty of “oohs” and “aahs”, but just as in the day-time show, Mamma Ledda emerged unscathed from her ordeal. The show ended with an Indian assault to the city. Luis and I returned to the saloon which remained open until midnight. We drank one for the road and raised our glasses to toast our evening’s perfect hosts, Sioux City.
Just like in the days of Wyatt Earp, the coaches approached Sioux City. Yet unlike those times of the good ole West, these were coaches of the motorised variety rather than stagecoaches. The tour companies were ferrying tourists from their resorts to the popular Western theme park. Just like they do every Friday night.
What awaited them, and those like us who have travelled independently, first of all was a barbecue. This commenced at 8:00pm. Visitors queued up to be served pork chops, grilled sausages and chicken legs. As a vegetarian, I wasn’t overlooked, treated as I was to a generous wedge of Spanish tortilla, jacket new potatoes seasoned with the famous Canarian sauce, mojo, and a mixed salad comprising tomato, onion and cucumber. A bottle of red wine accompanied the meal.
After the barbecue, my friend Luis and I decided to check out games more often to be found in fairgrounds. I proved to be a bad shot, perhaps influenced by the glass or three of wine I enjoyed with my meal, but Luis won a cuddly toy; which I later delighted my youngest son with. Next we visited the saloon which provided not only a valuable refuelling opportunity, as we took our pick from the free bar, but also a chance to enjoy the live country music. The crowd really got into the swing of the things, with the First Choice tour guides leading the way with the line dancing. There’s a real Western feel to the night, with everybody intent on having a riotous time. As the singer finished his last track, visitors were advised that show time was about to start. So we made our way out to the Arena. First up was the horse dressage followed by the “Wild West Show” dance. Having already seen the dancers strutting their stuff during the day, I told Miss Valerie I couldn’t imagine them getting any raunchier. She replied: “Oh, we get even raunchier believe you me but without ever becoming distasteful.” Following their performance I could only agree as there’s nothing to offend the few children present at the Sioux City night-time show.
Later there’s a recreation of a stage-coach assault. Head cowboy, Jose Diaz, earlier had explained the difference between the shows during the day and those at night, “We like to use the dark. It helps the narrative and we can play with it to create more suspense, for example.” Talking of using the dark, the Ledda family utilised it to the max in their Indian show featuring knife and tomahawk throwing. The night-time setting only served to heighten the tension. There were plenty of “oohs” and “aahs”, but just as in the day-time show, Mamma Ledda emerged unscathed from her ordeal. The show ended with an Indian assault to the city. Luis and I returned to the saloon which remained open until midnight. We drank one for the road and raised our glasses to toast our evening’s perfect hosts, Sioux City.
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