In a field a few miles outside of Houston, in the great US state of Texas, a herd of longhorn cattle loiter. These hardy cows, known for their tender beef, absently chew cud in the shadow of buildings where the smartest engineers in the world plot the exploration of Mars. The – also a tourist attraction, naturally – has masterminded NASA’s manned spaceflight missions for more than 60 years.
The cows are raised in part by local children who use the proceeds of dairy sales to go towards Houston’s schools but, frankly, not calling the project The Milky Way seems a missed opportunity. Yet the combination of America’s ingenuity and endeavour with its cattle ranch culture – moon gazers inside, and mooing grazers outside – says more about Houston than any knackered cliches about Texas could. Houston: Space Town Space Town, as it’s known thanks to the astronaut training centre and tourist attraction on its outskirts, is the most colourful, sprawling city in the southern United States and while it may not have been top of your across the pond, perhaps it should.
Getting there is easier than visiting the moon, obviously. After a car journey from Glasgow, we fly from Manchester to Houston on Singapore Airlines’ recently expanded route and, for my money, this carrier is the most comfortable out there at the moment. Treat yourself to the Premium Economy option and, along with the friendliest cabin stewards in the business (trust me, I’ve hauled long a few times), you�.