We are on the road heading to Antlers, Oklahoma, a distance of some 300 miles, on day one of our latest adventure.

I am not sure who gets to name towns and cities in the US, but whomever oversaw naming places in Texas, certainly had their fun.

We swing by Athens, circumvent Palestine, and on to Paris and yes, we’re still in Texas!

Texans have a good sense of humour and in the early nineties, the folks of Paris, Texas build a 65-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower that they market as the “second largest Eiffel Tower in the second largest Paris.”

Unfortunately, or coincidentally, in the same year, the folks in Paris, Tennessee also construct a replica of the famous French landmark which just happens to be five feet taller than the tower in Texas!

Now, rivalry in Texas is not taken lightly, and wishing to reclaim their number-one title, they add a huge, red-metal cowboy hat on top of the structure to make their Eiffel Tower taller than the one in Tennessee! Cute!

Ultimately the friendly competition falls by the wayside when the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino completes construction of its own Eiffel Tower which stands at over 500 feet tall!

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas.