TEXARKANA, Texas — Tourists from near and far are visiting Texarkana to take advantage of the opportunity to be in the path of Monday's total solar eclipse.
Take the Jarvis and Barratt families for example. The two couples are from the United Kingdom and have been in the United States since March, one of the countries they have visited many times over the decades. The Gazette interviewed them near the Civil War Memorial outside the Federal Building downtown.
who are they?
Roger and Julie Jarvis, David and Rita Barratt
where is your home?
The Jarvises are from Milton Keynes, about 80 miles northwest of London. The Barratts live in Northampton, about 90 miles northwest of London.
What brought them to Texarkana?
“Dual state border between Arkansas and Texas. We are on our way further into Texas to see the solar eclipse on Monday and you will guarantee us beautiful blue skies with no clouds.” “I hope so,'' but it probably won't be on Monday,'' Roger said.
The quartet plans to experience the solar eclipse in Greenville.
Where have they gone so far?
“We started in New Orleans and watched the New Orleans Easter Parade, and the more people were drinking alcohol, the more interesting and lively it got. So the afternoon parade was better than the morning parade. It was a lot of fun,” Roger said. “And from there we went to Baton Rouge, spent a few nights there, then went to Shreveport, and now we're here.”
After the eclipse, the friends plan to travel to nearby Tampa, Florida, and then fly home.
What are their impressions of Texarkana?
“It's very different from some of the places we've been before. It's like going back in time,” Rita said.
“I parked my car near the station, and there seemed to be more police cars than people,'' Roger said with a laugh.
