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.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.)
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