Bass Pro Shops are a monument to death and consumerism

So on my first night back in Manteca, Cameron and I went to the new Bass Pro Shops. I don't really know why. I guess we felt we had nothing better to do, and I had not been there because it was still being built when I left. I Knew this place was big and I expected a certain level of ridiculousness, but I was not prepared for what I encountered. Bass Pro Shops is a monument to death. There were animals everywhere. They were stuffed, but they were not cuddly. Naturally we took a few pictures. I have never seen such a crazy store before. It could only be described as hicktastic, and I'm not far from being a bit of a hick myself. This place is a cross of redneck culture and consumer culture, and it represents all that is America.

After going to the Bass Pro Shops, we went to visit a particular house that has for some reason become a tradition for Cameron and I to visit at Christmas. This place is the most heavily decorated house in Manteca. There are lights everywhere. Their electrical bill must be insane. Until seeing the monument of death and debt that is Bass Pro Shops I thought this house was the most startling symbol of waste in Manteca. The time and energy put into the decorating of this house could power the entire town. And if thousands of lights were not enough, the homeowners politely remind the city to "Keep the Christ in Christmas" and that God blesses America.

All in all, I have missed my hometown. The place is crazy, but its home. Things have changed a bit, and I'm sure things will continue to change, but somehow it still feels like Christmas. Check out the pictures from tonight for a quick laugh.

Bass Pro Shops