A GREAT WEEK IN AUSTIN…

We continued our Wildflower Adventure by seeing more and more spectacular flowers. There are said to be 5,000 wildflower species in Texas and we have probably seen several hundred of these. We have spent countless hours driving the highways and back roads, and around every bend the flowers are even more amazing than before. We’ve taken 100’s of photographs and they don’t even begin to capture the beauty. By everyone’s account, this is a record year for spring wildflowers and we have been really fortunate to see them in all their magnificence.

We arrived in Austin a week ago and have really enjoyed Texas’ capital city. It is not very large (slightly over 700,000 inhabitants) but it is chock full of fun and informative things to see and do. Austin embraces a casual spontaneity and is full of life, creativity and new ideas. It is billed as The Live Music Capital of the World; after all, it is home to Austin City Limits and has benefited from Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan and countless other music impresarios who have contributed to its legendary status. Austin is not only home to the HUGE University of Texas campus, but it is also the PROUD standard bearer of the “Keep Austin Weird” moniker. For decades, the city has been a haven for artists, musicians and eccentrics who give Austin its unique and funky cultural atmosphere. Austintonians are passionate about maintaining their city’s individuality and it is this excitement and verve that we have really enjoyed.

The first day we arrived we took a “Bat Cruise” on Lady Bird Lake. When refurbishing the Ann Richards/Congress Ave Bridge in 1980, engineers inadvertently created an ideal roost for Mexican free-tailed bats. The expansion joints on the underside of the bridge are now home to the world’s largest urban bat colony which numbers as many as 1.5 MILLION of the creatures. Shortly after dusk, we anchored under the bridge and watched the bat inhabitants flood out from their crevices to spend the night scavenging for insects. What a sight!!

Wednesday was spent

• viewing the The Treaty Oak, a once-majestic Southern live oak that is the last surviving member of the Council Oaks, a grove of 14 trees that served as a sacred meeting place for Comanche and Tonkawa Tribes. A Native American legend holds that the Council Oaks were a location for the launching of war and peace parties. Legends also hold that women of the Tejas tribe would drink a tea made from honey and the acorns of the oaks to ensure the safety of warriors in battle.

• visiting the Texas State Cemetery which is billed as “The Arlington of Texas”. The grounds include the final resting places of nearly 3,000 patriots, statesmen and heroes, including 2,000 Confederate soldiers, Stephen F. Austin, Governors John Connally and Ann Richards, Barbara Jordan and Tom Landry, to name just a few. The grounds are beautiful and it serves as a testimony to legendary Texans who have made the state what it is today.

• and making a “pilgrimage” to the flagship store of Whole Foods Markets. Wow, what a fantastic experience. Judy was in seventh heaven. The store encompasses an entire city block, has 10 different food bars where you can sit and eat food prepared right before you, attend culinary classes and purchase any and every foodstuff you can possibly imagine. There are even guided tours of the store!!

Thursday was rainy so it was a perfect day to spend at the Texas State History Museum - The Story of Texas. We viewed an IMAX presentation on Texas, 2 features at the Texas Spirit Theatre that included special lighting and sound effects with shaking seats and lots of other “surprises” and viewing the many state-of-the-art and interactive exhibits that trace Texas’ history from before European exploration to the present day. This museum was one of the best we have ever visited. It truly ranks right up there with the Alaska State Museum that we thoroughly enjoyed a couple years ago.

Friday was spent at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center. The following quote, visible at the entrance, really speaks to the former first lady’s commitment and dedication to not only the preservation of wildflowers, but to the beautification of America:

My special cause, the one that alerts my interest and quickens the pace of my life, is to preserve the wildflowers and native plants that define the regions of our land – to encourage and promote their use in appropriate areas, and thus help pass on to generations in waiting, the quiet joys and satisfactions I have known since my childhood.

Lady Bird Johnson

After the Wildflower Center we once again toured the backcountry roads, enjoying the beautiful sights and we eventually ended up in Lockhart, billed as the Barbecue Capital of Texas. We have been making a concerted effort to sample and compare as many BBQ joints as possible ;))

Saturday we started the day at the Austin Farmers Market which presents primarily organic, homemade and free-range products. We then did some more country driving including a trip along the Devil’s Backbone, one of Texas’ most scenic roads which winds along a razor-backed ridge overlooking Hill Country vistas. This excursion included a visit to Wimberley, known as one of America's Top Ten Best Small Towns. This designation is due to its thriving artist’s colony, charming storefronts and most importantly (at least in Pat’s estimation), the Wimberley Pie Company - where folks line up for a slice of their homemade pie. We cannot attest to the deliciousness of ALL their offerings but the cherry and coconut were the BEST we have ever had.

Today, Sunday, was spent downtown at the Texas State Capitol complex and the University of Texas campus. The capitol is a very imposing red granite building that actually stands 14 feet taller than the US Capitol ! Leave it to those Texans – everything is bigger in Texas, right? We also had a great Tex-Mex lunch at a place where all the U of T kids hang out. It’s called Juan in a Million and it was really good.

So, tomorrow we head north to the Dallas-Ft Worth metroplex . Pat spent a lot of time there during her working days so it will be fun to go back as a tourist.
As usual, here is a link to some pictures of this week’s travels. Enjoy and drop us an email or write a comment on this blog if you so desire.

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Take care and stay safe,
Pat & Judy