We're back where we started and had a greeting committee when we got off the train. So lovely.
Unbelievably it was 81 degrees at 10:30 this morning! Yikes, a heat wave for the next few days.
What a wonderful exploration! And we kicked all our misconceptions about Texas to the curb.
The people are extraordinarily friendly and polite. What a pleasure!
We've seen many beautiful and interesting places. Places that really stand out are the State Capitol in Austin, the Riverwalk in San Antonio, the Riverside Cottages in Blanco, Corpus Christie, the Visitor Center in San Angelo, Dealey Plaza in Dallas . . .and it goes on.
After turning in the car we had 5 hours to kill before getting on the train.
We explored different areas of the downtown from those we explored when we arrived. We found another one of those movie theaters that have food and drink delivered to your seat. You can also just go into the lounge and eat there if you want. Interesting concept and if it had worked out we would have liked to try it out.
 |
| All the grave markers have resumes, not just names and dates! |
Here we are again! We've made it back to Austin and just had time to do some walking around Congress Street which is full of shops, restaurants and bars.
We are really, REALLY, going to miss the friendliness and politeness of the Texans. It's been such a joy!
Today we just meandered toward Austin. Through the plains with lots of cotton fields and then into the hill country.
We stopped at a pit BBQ here in Llano for lunch. What a hoot! The ovens are outside; you pick your meat then go inside and pick up whichever side dishes you like. It's community seating arrangement with huge peppers and bread every foot and a half on the tables.
The temperature dropped 25 degrees today and the winds rose to 20 mph. Made for a pretty chilly morning.
San Angelo has a community project entitled "Art in Uncommon Places" and this means mosaics, sculptures, paintings, lights, all kinds of special things. It's wonderful!
We spent quite a bit of time at the visitor's center, a terrific looking spot which is part of the river walk and had a terrific walk looking at all the artwork.
We enjoyed lunch so much yesterday that we went back to Miss Hattie's today and then walked the historic downtown street.
As is usual for us, we took 5 hours to go what the map app said would take an hour and a half. Lots of agriculture in the panhandle plains not to mention that the temperature has jumped to 85 degrees today.
When we arrived here, we had lunch at Miss Hattie's Restaurant and Cathouse Lounge. What a kick! The inside is decorated like a brothel; very cute and the food was fabulous.
We are staying in a hotel on the Concho River that is billed as an atrium hotel. That means there are rooms on the outside so it looks like a regular hotel but there are also rooms inside (3 floors) that overlook an indoor pool, arcade area, indoor 9 hole miniature golf, billard tables, ping pong, foosball and air hockey. It's quite unique; we've never seen anything quite like it.
We're looking forward to exploring some more tomorrow.
