Yes yesterday was a good day. Could not blog last night as the internet was down. Having a relaxing morning before I head out for another exploration.
Sovay is not around as had to go to a funeral but will be back today..she is the owner of the house. Her dad lives out back so I met him briefly yesterday. This house looks tiny from the front but goes way back...It is so quaint and interesting. You can keep your McMansions and ugly houses with two/three car garages...I would take something old and interesting like this anyday.
I headed off to sign in for the walk first thing yesterday morning - the walk box is very convenient so that's good as I will be back there today. I decided to do the 6 km downtown walk rather than the 11 km one as the 6 km covered everything I wanted to do and I knew I'd be spending time in the museum and state capital.
I also knew there was a farmers market on so made a slight detour to visit it. I got myself a half pound of coffee beans so now I am set..what can I say buying coffee beans when I travel is one of my things but it's a nice memory when I pull them out of the freezer to grind. I also got a small bag of pecans...not sure if they will be leaving Austin in my suitcase and or in me. Also got a pear/pecan spread....I might share that.....Anyway I enjoyed looking at the different booths. Lots of lovely veggies but did not feel like cooking back here even though I could if I wanted to. If I was here longer than three days I would but trying to fit all my required food items in!!! I had a breakfast taco - bacon, egg and cheese - which was delish as well as a coffee. Up until that point I was walking on an empty stomach. They have an area set up for people to sit so even though it was cold out I sat outside in the sunshine. Can't do that at home. Luckily I had taken an extra copy of the walk as I lost mine at the maket... I then carried on with the walk stopping into the shop Wild About Music - wow what a place. I treated myself to a wild coloured pendant with a keyboard on the side. They had everything and anything to do with music; it was awesome. Austin's downtown isn't the most thriving but better than some I've seen. On to the state capital - I didn't take the official tour but took a brochure and read that. Very interesting. I always go inside the explore the state capitals...if I am making the effort to walk all the state capitals I should look inside them. It was beautiful inside with a gorgeous star (Texas Star) inside the dome. I resisted the urge to give the picture of George Bush Jr the finger. :)
The 6 km walk turned around at that point but I carried on to the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum. WOW WOW WOW. If you ever go to Austin do NOT miss this. I loved it. So interesting to learn more about the history of Texas and very interactive and easy to read. Not dry and boring like some museums are. I vaguely knew they had been part of Mexico but not all the details- very interesting. I knew about the Alamo because I was a huge Davy Crockett fan as a small child. (I still have my coon skin cap somewhere and I can sing the Davy Crockett song on request) Going to the Alamo in San Antonio someday will be like a pilgrimage for me!! I also paid to go to the Spirit of Texas theatre to see a 15 minute film on the history of Texas...the gal sitting next to me on the plane said I had to see this. She said it was amazing but she did not want to spoil my visit. Well sorry I am going to spoil your visit because how many of you will be visiting Austin? Thought not. Well....not only did the seats rattle when they had hurricanes (and have cool breezes in your face as well) but when they showed a locust invasion you actually could feel something brush the back of your head!!! But the worst....they showed rattlesnakes on the screens and yep, they had a puff of air or something come up from under thes seats like a snake coming at you - everyone in that theatre yelled/screamed including me!!! Great fun!!!!
In all that excitement I lost my walk instructions...DAMN. (insert strong Texan accent here) So from then on I had to wing it. I walked through an area with beautiful old homes and then on to the Whole Foods store. Oh my....can I move in please? I am going back today as I did not have time to look too long. By this time I was feeling peckish so bought a small container of sweet potato corn chowder which was really good - sat outside in the sunshine again. Then I started heading back to South Austin but got a bit misplaced - of course if I hadn't lost the instructions I'd have been okay...anyway got back here in time to do a quick change and head to the movie theatre.
It was the coolest thing...every row of seats had a narrow table in front. You put your order on a rail and they picked it up. Having just had soup and knowing I was going out later I opted for wine and popcorn......I had to have wine because how often can you do that at a movie theatre? I am tempted to go back tonight only don't think there is anything else playing I want to see. Tailor, Soldier, etc. was okay - a bit complicated to follow at times as some of those spy thrillers are. I am glad I went just to experience the whole restaurant/bar/movie thing.
I then headed over to Uncle Billy's for some barbeque - had beef with sides of fried okra and potatos salad. Should have had corn instead of potato salad, don't know what I was thinking. I forgot that fried in this area means deep fried so the okra was breaded and deep fried. I was thinking sauteed and I do love my green veggies....anyway it was okay. The place was hopping being a Saturday night so had to sit at the bar but was a good girl and had a lemonade. One drink when I am on my own is enough.
Next I am off to find a place to have breakfast....I'd love biscuits and gravy or something like that. I am planning to do a 10km walk today around Town Lake and like I said go back to Whole Foods. As well as a huge independent bookstore called Book People and right by it REI - the US version of Mountain Equipment Co-op.
Beautiful blue sky yesterday but a bit on the dull side today..so far...
Sovay is not around as had to go to a funeral but will be back today..she is the owner of the house. Her dad lives out back so I met him briefly yesterday. This house looks tiny from the front but goes way back...It is so quaint and interesting. You can keep your McMansions and ugly houses with two/three car garages...I would take something old and interesting like this anyday.
I headed off to sign in for the walk first thing yesterday morning - the walk box is very convenient so that's good as I will be back there today. I decided to do the 6 km downtown walk rather than the 11 km one as the 6 km covered everything I wanted to do and I knew I'd be spending time in the museum and state capital.
I also knew there was a farmers market on so made a slight detour to visit it. I got myself a half pound of coffee beans so now I am set..what can I say buying coffee beans when I travel is one of my things but it's a nice memory when I pull them out of the freezer to grind. I also got a small bag of pecans...not sure if they will be leaving Austin in my suitcase and or in me. Also got a pear/pecan spread....I might share that.....Anyway I enjoyed looking at the different booths. Lots of lovely veggies but did not feel like cooking back here even though I could if I wanted to. If I was here longer than three days I would but trying to fit all my required food items in!!! I had a breakfast taco - bacon, egg and cheese - which was delish as well as a coffee. Up until that point I was walking on an empty stomach. They have an area set up for people to sit so even though it was cold out I sat outside in the sunshine. Can't do that at home. Luckily I had taken an extra copy of the walk as I lost mine at the maket... I then carried on with the walk stopping into the shop Wild About Music - wow what a place. I treated myself to a wild coloured pendant with a keyboard on the side. They had everything and anything to do with music; it was awesome. Austin's downtown isn't the most thriving but better than some I've seen. On to the state capital - I didn't take the official tour but took a brochure and read that. Very interesting. I always go inside the explore the state capitals...if I am making the effort to walk all the state capitals I should look inside them. It was beautiful inside with a gorgeous star (Texas Star) inside the dome. I resisted the urge to give the picture of George Bush Jr the finger. :)
The 6 km walk turned around at that point but I carried on to the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum. WOW WOW WOW. If you ever go to Austin do NOT miss this. I loved it. So interesting to learn more about the history of Texas and very interactive and easy to read. Not dry and boring like some museums are. I vaguely knew they had been part of Mexico but not all the details- very interesting. I knew about the Alamo because I was a huge Davy Crockett fan as a small child. (I still have my coon skin cap somewhere and I can sing the Davy Crockett song on request) Going to the Alamo in San Antonio someday will be like a pilgrimage for me!! I also paid to go to the Spirit of Texas theatre to see a 15 minute film on the history of Texas...the gal sitting next to me on the plane said I had to see this. She said it was amazing but she did not want to spoil my visit. Well sorry I am going to spoil your visit because how many of you will be visiting Austin? Thought not. Well....not only did the seats rattle when they had hurricanes (and have cool breezes in your face as well) but when they showed a locust invasion you actually could feel something brush the back of your head!!! But the worst....they showed rattlesnakes on the screens and yep, they had a puff of air or something come up from under thes seats like a snake coming at you - everyone in that theatre yelled/screamed including me!!! Great fun!!!!
In all that excitement I lost my walk instructions...DAMN. (insert strong Texan accent here) So from then on I had to wing it. I walked through an area with beautiful old homes and then on to the Whole Foods store. Oh my....can I move in please? I am going back today as I did not have time to look too long. By this time I was feeling peckish so bought a small container of sweet potato corn chowder which was really good - sat outside in the sunshine again. Then I started heading back to South Austin but got a bit misplaced - of course if I hadn't lost the instructions I'd have been okay...anyway got back here in time to do a quick change and head to the movie theatre.
It was the coolest thing...every row of seats had a narrow table in front. You put your order on a rail and they picked it up. Having just had soup and knowing I was going out later I opted for wine and popcorn......I had to have wine because how often can you do that at a movie theatre? I am tempted to go back tonight only don't think there is anything else playing I want to see. Tailor, Soldier, etc. was okay - a bit complicated to follow at times as some of those spy thrillers are. I am glad I went just to experience the whole restaurant/bar/movie thing.
I then headed over to Uncle Billy's for some barbeque - had beef with sides of fried okra and potatos salad. Should have had corn instead of potato salad, don't know what I was thinking. I forgot that fried in this area means deep fried so the okra was breaded and deep fried. I was thinking sauteed and I do love my green veggies....anyway it was okay. The place was hopping being a Saturday night so had to sit at the bar but was a good girl and had a lemonade. One drink when I am on my own is enough.
Next I am off to find a place to have breakfast....I'd love biscuits and gravy or something like that. I am planning to do a 10km walk today around Town Lake and like I said go back to Whole Foods. As well as a huge independent bookstore called Book People and right by it REI - the US version of Mountain Equipment Co-op.
Beautiful blue sky yesterday but a bit on the dull side today..so far...
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