South Texas Trip chronicling the travels of Gaye & Dale Williams and their friends Sharron & Tony Graham – August 2012.

Aug. 23^rd – Our group of fearless tourists departed Grande Prairie 7AM on Westjet to Edmonton and from Edmonton to Los Angeles.  Tony and Sharron treated to the early boarding procedure Gaye and I typically experience following some seat changes the Westjet gate lady in Edmonton wanted.  Moving to just behind the bulkhead meant I could take my chair right onto the plane without needing the aisle chair.

At LA airport, a lady whose name I did not record (sorry) who originally lived in Alberta approached us.  She had heard we were going to Austin as we boarded the airplane in Edmonton.  She had lived in Peace River during the entire time we were there but our paths had never crossed.  Lots of cross referencing though and she knew some of the people we did.  She recommended Esther’s Follies as a must do in Austin!

Flight from LA to Austin on American Airlines – Recognizable features in California included the Salton Sea & Colorado River – the land was green within a couple miles of the river as far as could be seen to the South.   We flew over desert like conditions virtually the entire remainder of the flight.  Things started to green up about ½ hour out of Austin.

In what looked to be West Texas, about 45 – 50 minutes from touchdown, the ground below was covered with oil sites – similar to NorthWest Alberta’s oil leases and lease roads.

Arriving at Austin, we found and obtained the van in short order putting Tony in charge of driving.  The drive to the Doubletree Hilton was also a breeze with the Interstate connections and exits no problem to negotiate.  After getting our rooms we met downstairs for a meal in the restaurant where we experienced some very hot Texas style“egg rolls?” and good meals all around.

Austin is green!  Why did we expect it to be in the middle of the desert?

Aug. 24^th – No rush today.  Up late and down to breakfast at the hotel restaurant at 10:15.  Got some advice from the head server who agreed the Salt Lick was a restaurant to die for.  Very friendly staff in the hotel.  They are looking after us well.  We are right across the road from the University of Texas and can see the 100,000 seat stadium from our room.

Boy is it hot, 95 degrees F plus!!  Our first day of touring!  Drove around Austin, getting a sense of the lay of the land.  Found a number of shops on South Congress Ave.  Some larger stores with thousands of antiques, knick knacks etc.  According to locals, today is a pleasantly moderate day.  We are sweating.

Empty lots covered with trailers and small motorhomes filled with vendors selling everything from tacos to puppies.  Many restaurants air conditioned by water sprayed from nozzles.

I like the Back In Angle Parking on South Congress Ave.

Checked out the bridge on Congress Ave. renowned for its Mexican Free-tailed bat population and made reservations for a boat tour when we return.  Pictures of the underside of the bridge showed no sign of bats.  However, evident was a somewhat rancid odour.  There are approximately 2 million bats housed within the bridge expansion cracks between the cement slabs.  These bats exit the bridge en masse just after sundown.

Out to the 6^th st. area in the evening to check out Austin music.  First stop, the Bat Bar for beer and country rock style music with covers of Steve Earl, Johnny Cash etc.  Then to Antones for supper (whoops not so fast), next door to Antones for appies – no food at Antones, then back to Antones for “People on Vacation” (to me – a cross between the Monkees and the Bare Naked Ladies) and Bob Schneider who is apparently famous and once dated Sandra Bullock.  Antones is renowned as a blues club however, none of the bands we saw were blues bands, Bob Schneider seeming to have a reggae and maybe rap bent.

Bob Schneider

Pretty late night for us seniors, home about 12:30-1.

Aug 25^th –  Up late again.  To Bob Bullock state museum late morning.  Learned much of Texas history from time of natives through Spanish colonialism to the turbulent times of the early 1800’s during which the Texas became a republic for the second time and then part of the United States.  Great museum spanning time to the present, including Texas’ contribution to science and technology (NASA & microchips) and music (Kris Kristopherson, Janice Joplin, The Big Bopper, Lyle Lovett, Bob Wills & Texas Playboys, T-Bone Walker, Freddy Fender, etc.)

Later afternoon to the Salt Lick restaurant which is apparently renowned throughout the world for its BBQ and desserts.  Big indoor BBQ pit, great service and atmosphere.

Next off to the Outlet Mall in Round Rock.  Dale and Tony shopped up a storm and left with leather jackets.  Sharron and Gaye wisely held back.  Dale (dumbass) left his cell phone in the bathroom, not realizing it until we arrived back at the hotel.  Called the phone and it went straight to voicemail – had someone shut it off?  No one at the mall.  Fearing the worst I called Bell and had it shut off.  We were having such a good day.

Aug. 26^th –  With trepidation, called the mall when it opened at 11:00 – described phone – Wahoo they had it!  Yaayy Texans!!  Checked out of hotel, back to mall, got phone and set the GPS for San Antonio.

Good drive on Interstate 35.  For the most part, there were communities, shops etc. the whole way.  There is even a city named Kyle.  Very little open country between Austin and San Antonio.

The GPS took us easily right to the Hilton Palacio del Rio where we are booked for the next two nights.  The hotel is right on the “River Walk” one of San Antonio’s cool features.  The river walk follows the San Antonio river course, now lined with restaurants, shops and hotels.  It is located about one storey below street level and is a completely different world than the city above.

The first stop was the river barges for a tour.  Our guide was well versed in the ways and history of the river, rattling off facts and fancy including the little known (to us) fact that our hotel was built in 202 days – start to finish.  Apparently the mayor of San Antonio set a challenge prior to the 1968 World’s Fair for Hotel owners to build within one year and whoever owned the Hilton at that time, won the race – building the first 4 floors on site and the remaining 17 in modular fashion elsewhere.

Following the river ride, we happened upon a Lone Star restaurant along the river walk which, for some reason, featured marguaritas – strong marguaritas.   After two, we crashed for a couple of hours, then trekked the river walk at night.  Gorgeous.

Ended the night at our hotel’s restaurant and in by 11 or so.

August 27^th – Earlier than usual this morning we set off for the Alamo.  After an arduous 2 blocks we arrived at our destination.  Cool to feel the history of the area and learn more of the characters and lore of the time.  Bought some vintage Davy Crockett style muzzle loading guns – sorry a small lie.  Did buy a quart of real vanilla at the Alamo museum though, really.

Onward to the Tower of the Americas built especially for the San Antonio World’s Fair and, if I heard right, 16 feet taller than the Seattle tower.  This tower is built to withstand hurricanes and tornadoes though.  The view below shows some of the river walk from above ground.  It really is a different world at the street level.  The River Walk disappears.

Kyle, this one’s for you.  5500 store managers plus 1000 vendors of GameStop are here on convention right next door.  A bunch of them are staying at our hotel.  Would never have guessed that a video gaming retailer would bring their store managers to San Antonio for a major convention for – video games.  Video games?  The world has changed.  In Canada, GameStop is EB Games.

This afternoon we rested.  Here is a picture of the waiters at one of the restaurants on the River Walk.  The picture is blurry because they work so fast.  When we got up to leave, one such waiter – a Pigeonus harriuss – skimmed my head on his way down to the table.

August 28^th – Easy drive to Corpus Christi.  Highway not too busy, although many familiar businesses along the way – Weatherford, Baker Hughes, Tri-Can, Halliburton etc.  Trucks hauling pipe, I beams.  As we pulled into Corpus Christi, the first sight was a refinery.  Could be in Alberta!

Much of the land along the way was quite desert like with prickly pear cactus, low trees and rolling scrubby looking land, however as we got closer to Corpus Christi, the land leveled out and large cultivated fields appeared.  From the looks of the white fluff on the ground, these are probably cotton fields.

Got situated in our hotel along Padre Island Drive, then took a drive out to Padre Island.  Hurricane Isaac is bearing down on the North Gulf Coast, so we were curious to see what is up over hear on the SW coast.  We arrived at the Park Gate about 3:30 and no one was there.  A sign said the beach was closed due to the hurricane.  Seeing as how there was no barricade, we continued on through the gate, past a mass of cameras, and on down the road.

Arriving at the Visitor Centre – Sharron, Gaye and Tony checked out the beach.  Moderate surf, but nothing out of the ordinary apparently.  I spoke with the Park staff who said that vehicles and camping were not permitted while the hurricane was active just in case there was some kind of surge as there could be minor flooding.  We could see no evidence of any kind of weather, other than what appeared to be normal – hot.  Even the wind coming off the ocean was very hot.

Stopped at Snoopy’s for seafood supper at the North end of Padre Island.  Great fish, shrimp and oysters reported by all!  Home early.  The heat really reduces our energy.

August 29^th – Back to Padre Island reasonably early to avoid mid-day heat.  Already 89 degrees at 9:00.

Arrived at Park Gate only to be told the drive across the island and the ¾ mile walking trail just past the park gates were essentially a waste of time.  We walked the trail anyway – easy walk, warm though.  Saw burrows (kangaroo rats?), butterflies, quite a few flowers and plants, a couple of gecko type creatures.  Terrain very dry but well vegetated.

Drove to windsurfing/boat launch and picnic area on bay side of island through what looked to be a prescribed burn on one side of the road.  Quiet Thursday morning.

To Visitor Centre – too hot already (for us) to hang out on the beach.  Gaye and Sharron had purchased beach chairs – but will be taking them back to Walmart as no one will be using them.

After hanging about a bit, we left for our hotel to clean up and head downtown.  Drove along the Ocean Drive which was populated with many mansions – some colonial and on through traditional and modern designs.  Long drive facing Corpus Christi Bay.

Arrived at the U.S.S. Lexington, a WWII aircraft carrier nicknamed the Blue Ghost for its uncanny ability to be reported sunk, yet be there at the next battle.  Excellent movie on flight and the design of the Boeing 787.   Continuing restoration of airplanes and exhibits on board.

Supper at Blackbeard’s restaurant.  Super service from waitress.  Bought some pirate shirts for Kyle (naughty) and Tyson.

August 30^th – Visited the Corpus Christi museum once the address was cleared up (local publication had the address wrong).  Fabulous tour of replicas of the Santa Maria and Pinta from Columbus’ voyage.   These ships were donated to the museum at Corpus Christi by the Spanish Government because more citizens of Corpus Christi turned out to see them when they sailed into town than any other city.  Even though the ships are only a little over 20 years old, they are in rough shape and look like they may be over 500.

Absolutely excellent museum showcasing human and natural history in the area.

 

Afternoon visit to the Texas State Aquarium.  Good static and interactive exhibits.  Includes avian exhibits and a bird resuce component, with raptor show.

 

Supper at recommended locally owned restaurant U & I – very good and reasonably priced fare.

 

August 31^st – Up and about early, to Corpus Christi Market.  Most stalls closed this early though.  Not overly impressive.  Drive through Port Aransas – very touristy – on our way back to Austin.  Drove by Aransas refuge where Whooping Cranes winter.  Driving was not the way to visit the refuge.

 

On our way, we did see an unharvested cotton crop which was cool.

 

Took back roads on this return trip.  Saw many small towns.  Good thing we had a GPS as my map skills were lacking and we had to double back and correct course a number of times.  Once on Hwy 183 going the right direction, the task was easier.

 

At 6:30 we arrived at Capital City River Cruises for our excursion to see the 1.5 – 2 million Mexican Free-tailed bats swarm out of the bridge just after sunset.  Informative river tour upstream past Stevie Ray Vaughn statue culminating in an underwhelming bat exodus.  However, we did hear bats as they awoke under the bridge, and see them streaming along the trees lining the shore as they left for their hunting grounds 30 miles to the east of Austin where they eat the moths which are highly detrimental to crops in the area.

 

Sept 1^st – A lazy day today.  Up late.  Visit the shops along Guadalupe St.  University Football game today – orange-brown clothing and paraphernalia everywhere – parties in virtually every park/parking lot we saw.  Large Co-op store 2 stories of Texas Longhorn memorabilia, packed with people.

 

Tonight off to Esther’s Follies.

 

Wow what a show!  Political and non political satire, general silliness and magic.  The most laughing I’ve done in years.  Small sample – Setup:  an apparently American (white) man and obviously Spanish speaking and very ethnic woman who are “married” are investigated by Texan immigration authority.   The sterotype was played up to great effect.

 

Turns out though the man is a “snowback” from Canada with ties to the illegal maple syrup trade.  (These guys are up to date!)