Last week, The Real Housewives of Dallas took a road trip to Austin. They got plastered on a tour bus, fought in a massive vacation mansion, and then fought some more at the Four Seasons hotel.
Michael and I made the same trip on Sunday, minus the booze, mansions, fights, or Bravo film crew.
Other than that, it was totally similar.
Downtown Austin, Texas
The clouds reflecting off of a glass skyscraper in Austin.
The Austin Texas visitor center has a location pin attached to it.
Downtown Austin, Texas
The area around Austin is extremely hilly, and the roads resemble a racing game.
I was surprised by the large number of cyclists on these death traps steep roads. I haven’t seen that many cyclists since Minnesota – however there weren’t great pedestrian options in the burbs.
The hillside roads in Austin feel like driving in a video game.
A glass skyscraper in downtown Austin, Texas.
The pride flags on 4th Street – the gay area of downtown Austin, Texas.
A glass skyscraper in downtown Austin, Texas.
Esther’s Follies in downtown Austin.
Austin was Beautiful
This was my first trip to Austin, and the city was surprisingly pretty and clean. There were several massive glass skyscrapers and many historic 2-story buildings which are still occupied.
There was a little gay district, and many huge straight bars. We didn’t go bar hopping however because we brought the dogs down with us. (And yes, Ingrid puked all over the car on the way down.)
Business signs on 6th street – the straight club district in Austin.
The Dirty Dog Bar in downtown Austin. Not pictured are the scary bikers hanging in front of it.
Burnside’s bar in Austin. Apparently he’s the one who inspired the name “Side Burns.”
Historic buildings turned into bars in the 6th Street club district.
The middle bar here is an epic patio with disco balls. We couldn’t explore because we had the dogs.
The most unexpected thing about downtown Austin was the horde of aggressive panhandlers.
We have some third-world tent cities here in Dallas, but in Austin, the homeless people are working the streets. I felt like I got asked for money on every corner.
Unlike many people, I actually respond to every beggar who asks me for money. I may not give them anything, but I will at least acknowledge their presence and decline the offer.
I forget where this came from (either a podcast, in-person conversation, etc.) but I once heard a homeless person say that the most humiliating thing is to be ignored and treated as if you do not exist. I don’t want to be disrespectful to someone’s sense of humanity, so I acknowledge and respond.
…which is pretty exhausting when you have to do it that many times. It definitely made the Austin experience less enjoyable.
A tourist shop on downtown Austin’s 6th Street.
A beautiful historic building in downtown Austin.
Theater signs in downtown Austin. We were on the way to the capitol.
A gender neutral bathroom at a downtown Austin Starbucks coffee shop.
The signs on Austin’s 6th Street.
The Texas State Capitol building in Austin, Texas.
The Texas State Capitol building in Austin, Texas.
The Texas State Capitol building in Austin, Texas.
A closeup of the top of the Texas State Capitol Building.
Texas State Governor’s Mansion in Austin.
Buc-ee’s in Temple Texas – the biggest gas station I have ever seen.
And Then There was Buc-ee’s
We visited Buc-ee’s in Temple, Texas, on the way back home. Buc-ee’s is a Texas-sized gas station.
Imagine the biggest Quik Trip that you’ve ever seen.
Multiply it by 4.
Then clean the rest rooms.
And add brisket.
That’s Buc-ee’s.
An interior shot of buc-ee’s gas station in Temple, Texas.
Overall, the day trip was a fun experience, although next time we may leave the dogs at home so we can explore some indoor spaces (and keep the car puke-free.)
No Comments