Boston gets hot and humid, Austin gets awfully hot and humid. I woke up yesterday and decided to go for a run around 9:00. This is not a good idea in Boston for me in the summer, and it for sure isn't a good idea for me in Austin. I thought I would be really happy with 4 miles(by the way I have started my marathon training for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C. on October 27, and it turned out I would have be happy with 1 mile. I thought I was going to die after a half mile. I am not exaggerating at all. It was pathetic and painful. The longest I have run is 8 miles, and it was nowhere near as horrible as running 3 miles in Austin. I did it though and recommend that you get up at 5 AM to run when running in weather like this.
After starting the day feeling like death, but really happy with myself for doing it anyway, Niamh and I headed into town to the capital building. We hopped on the bus, that is what they have for public transportation her in Austin ($2.00 for a 24 hour pass), and I was greeted with the smell of homelessness. Not I am not being a snob, maybe a little bit, but when it is right in front of you, in a confined space, the smell is just terrible. God bless the poor man. I tried to keep my head turned the other way for the entire bus ride, but I think the whole bus just smelled because it is summer in Texas.
We got of around 12th street, I believe. Austin is set-up as a grid. The capital building looks an awful lot like the Massachusetts State House. It has a very large dome. We were very happy to walk up the steps as we approached the doors and feel the cool air from the AC blasting out. They have free public tours there, and I thought it was well worth the visit. When you stand smack dab in the middle of the foyer and speak even very quietly, it sounds like the entire building can hear you! Our tour guide, Gloria started by telling our group that the circle in the middle of the foyer contain 6 images of the 6 flags of the countries that once controlled Texas: Mexico, Spain, France, The Republic of Texas, The Confederacy of the United States, and The United States of America. She also pointed out that the dome was 50 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty. We proceeded to the senate chambers where they are in session on 5 months every other year on the old year. I never really thought about how watch individual state government works, but that is very different than the Massachusetts Senate. One other interesting tidbit I picked up is that the door hinges are made of solid gold and weigh 3 lbs each and there are 3 on each door. Money, money, money! Tip for tourists and human beings in general: keep your personal grooming habits personal. No one wants to see you filing your nails in public never mind in the senate chambers! Another tip: the gift shop have really cool sheriff badges with names on them. I picked up two, one each for my nephews.
From there Niamh and I took a leisurely walk to Guadalupe Avenue for lunch. Niamh suggested Vert's Kebap which serves Doner Kepab. It is a typical German street food that started about 40 years ago in Gemany by a Turkish resident of Berlin. It has delicious seasoned meat and salad inside a pita. It is also vegetarian friendly (Niamh is a vegetarian). It was scrumptious. I would definitely go back for a quick meal in Austin.
After lunch we cut across the sprawling campus of the University of Texas to go to the President Lyndon B. Johnson Library. We only got to see a tiny bit, and I mean tiny bit, of the library as it is undergoing extensive renovations. However, I quite enjoyed the Oval Office replica and President Johnson's reflection on being president. He surmised that all men who become president go into it wanting to do what is best for the people of the United States. I wonder if he would still say that with our recent history. Another cool gift shop where I bought a huge sparkling costume jewelry ring and not a single thing to do with presidents or government.
On our bus trip back to Hyde Park, the area where Niamh lives in Austin, I sat behind another homeless man. Niamh says they ride the buses during the day to beat the heat. Hey, if it works, I don't begrudge them. I just wished at that point that I wasn't the one who kept sitting behind them.
One short thing about the grocery store chain, it's called HEB- Here Everything is Better. I have heard that that is the motto for Texas!
Up next, go to pick up Triona, Niamh's sister, in Dripping Springs! I was so excited to see this place. Niamh was a veterinary ex tern there for 2 weeks at an Equine clinic. It literally was out in the middle of nowhere, and she had stayed in an Airstream trailed without any toilet. Take about Texas Chainsaw Massacre! I don't know how she did it! She was warned about scorpions and rattlesnakes and was lucky enough to only come across one rattlesnake on the last day while she was sitting in the car. Anyway Dripping Springs wasn't as much of Hicksville as I thought it would be. They had chain restaurants anyway.
Back in proper society we headed to the Hula Hut for dinner. It looks just like the name sounds. You feel like you're in Hawaii; granted I have never been to Hawaii, but Niamh and Triona assured me this connection was accurate. The chips and salsa tasted authentically Mexican, and I started off with a Texas Martini. It is like a margarita but has vodka in it as well to take that little kick. It was not as sour as a margarita. Apparently you can only have 2 of these before they shut you off. Luckily for my dining companions, I didn't even try. For my meal I had fish tacos that had grilled mahi mahi. They were prefect. Triona and Niamh were equally with their pulled pork tacos and fresh-made veggie burger. Service was great and atmosphere was fun and a bit cheesy.
We arrived back at the house around 11 and decided to call it a night! We have a bacholerette party to attend on Saturday night and didn't want to tire ourselves out!
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