The rest of OUR story.
After a little R&R and 'digestion' back at the apartment, we headed for an evening in downtown Austin. While on the highway, we passed the University of Texas Longhorns' practice facility and saw the team running drills for their upcoming home game. We also got a glimpse of the campus tower where in 1966 the infamous Charles Whitman, after gunning down his wife and mother, took the lives of 16 more firing from his lofty perch above the campus. We ended up on Rainey Street, an avenue of bars and restaurants made from regular houses. We stopped at Bangers Sausage House and Beer Garden, and I sampled a 'beer flight' of Austin micro brews from a selection of 104 taps and listened to a little bit of country western twang. It's advertised as having the largest beer wall in the city. I have little doubt about that. Next, it was time to get batty. We headed to the Congress Street Bridge to witness the emergence of 1.5 million bats from under the bridge. We either kind of miscalculated the time of their nighttime 'food run', or they were sleeping in for an extra hour or so. We stayed on the bridge about an hour, saw around 78 bats fluttering about in the darkness. Here's a little bit of information on bats that I've learned: (most of the bats roosting below are female; they have one baby a year; the babies are called pups; they eat 10,000-20,000 pounds of insects; this Austin site is the largest bat population in North America; they are Mexican free-tailed bats). There! You're welcome! By this time we were all starving so we made our way to the Second Bar and Kitchen. It had a small dining area outside and a much larger beautifully decorated interior that we settled in. It seemed to be a hipster haven, but that was cool. With "La Dolce Vita" playing over the bar area, we all settled for a light fare but everything was delicious. The night ended with a slow cruise down Sixth Street with the windows open to take in the loud, raucous night of music from one bar to another. It was a quite fitting way to end our adventure to Austin. We will , of course, return and take in first hand the music scene. Elenka will need earplugs, but it will happen.
Adios Austin!
Trip back to the Northeast?
Thursday afternoon via United Airlines.
Wheels up.
Zoom! Zoom!,
Too bad you didn't get to see the millions of bats at one time. That's truly a spectacular sight. Sounds like you've hit the best of Austin during your stay. Could I recommend an evening drive by the state capitol building? Or even a daytime visit to the Texas State Cemetery? The most photographed church in Texas is located some 30 miles east of city near Manor! I'm sure you're looking forward to autumn leaves by the time you return home to Maine.
ReplyDeleteWe certainly have seen the impressive, batty emergence via a video J- took of his previous visit to the bridge area.
DeleteTrouble was, even tho the temps made it feel like summer, it still got dark early. So when they did fly out, it was dark and we could only see blurry images when looking straight downward toward the water under a street light. We could not see the 1.5 million of them silhouetted against the sky.
DeleteWould love to visit Bangers Sausage House and Beer garden!
ReplyDeleteFed up of bats hanging around in our area..
I was going to say the same thing as Kathy about the bats. It's something to see next time you are there. Sounds like you had a wonderful visit.
ReplyDeleteI've not see the bats in Austin, well, other than the ones in the state house! But in Seguin, just east of Austin/San Antonio, I've seen them fly over the fields by the thousands in the evenings. Kinda scary, actually. Glad you are having such a good time! And I'll bet you're glad to be flying home rather than driving! But, we're gonna miss all your photos!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great time you had but it is too bad you missed the bats. It must be rather spooky!
ReplyDeleteI have seen footage of those bats coming out. It's the sort of thing that would terrify my aunt, who's got quite a fear of them.
ReplyDeletesounds like you hit some great highlights - a whirlwind tour!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun adventure!
ReplyDeleteALOHA
ComfortSpiral
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At that rate of consumption, Austin ought to be pretty much insect-less. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are providing a great advertisement for a stop in Austin, I think I may have to visit one day. I'd really love to see those bats.
ReplyDeleteYou always hear good things about Austin, except for the traffic, the Texas legislature and the occupant of the governor's mansion. Some day . . .
ReplyDeleteBats are revered in some Eastern cultures and considered good luck. If you've got insects you'd like to get rid of, I'm sure that contributes to the good will.
ReplyDeleteWhat was up with those dang bats anyway. Heather and I saw them years ago and there was about 1.27 gazillion of them.
ReplyDeleteI like the beer part much more than the bat part...
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the bats either. When I miss something like that, I try to remember that we have to leave something behind to assure that we go back. I suspect that Justin's presence in Austin is going to be a big enough draw that you will get any opportunities to visit. Heck, once they have kids, Elenka and you will probably relocate!
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ReplyDeleteIt is claimed as having the city's largest beer wall. That is without a doubt the case. Then it was time to go insane. We went to the Congress Street Bridge to see 1.5 million bats emerge from beneath the bridge.
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