Holy tourist attraction, Batman!

We had one full day in Austin from morning to night, and in true Heather and Cas fashion, we’re exhausted at the end.  We started out with a very nice breakfast sandwich at a place just around the corner from our hotel, then kept walking until we were at the capitol building.  When we got there, we walked around the outside for a bit, then went in what is effectively the back door for a self-guided tour.  There was a brochure with a map listing out the points of interest, and we walked around until we had seen a whole bunch of them.  Most people at the very least get a photo of some feature of the rotunda.  It’s a very pretty place, to be sure, and we certainly took advantage of the opportunity.  Love or hate the Texas state government, they sure do work in a very pretty building.  

From there, we walked to a spot Cas and I had been before- a spot he has fond memories of visiting with his brother.  It’s a place called Little Woodrow’s, and it has a pretty great patio.  We stayed there for a few drinks and some exceptional food truck tacos, but when the house music (Irish rock) went away and the DJ came in (bad remixes of every marginally talented pop princess and rap star from the past two decades), we meandered on to the next place.  That next place was an ice cream shop Cas likes very much named Amy’s.  I had a vegan strawberry offering- mostly to avoid dairy- and he had something that was supposed to be flavored like Jameson’s Irish Whiskey and Lucky Charms.  Not sure how you could pick a more appropriate flavor combo for Saint Patrick’s Day.  

After that, we wanted to get across town, and Cas had no interest in trying to move his car out of the spot where the hotel has it parked, so we relented and tried the goofy Lime scooters we had seen all along our journey.  They are rental electric razor scooters, and they are really goofy looking.  Here’s the thing, though- they are way more fun than they have any right to be.  We zipped across town, over to the spot where we later intended to watch the bats fly out from under a bridge, then to a Tex Mex place way too far to walk to.  As dumb as anyone ever looks on those things, I will not be so quick to judge in the future- they are super fun.  We scooted around until it was about time to stop for the nightly bat exodus from the Congress Street Bridge.  I have never witnessed this event before, though I had heard it was pretty interesting to watch the thousands of bats emerge from their daytime hiding place for what I can only assume is a night of hunting mosquitos and creeping out people who have a terrible fear of bats.  

We came back from there via electric razor scooter for a quick wardrobe change- when the sun goes down it gets a little chilly.  As anyone staying in a hotel on Sixth Street must, we wandered up and down the street for a bit.  If you’re on Sixth Street on Saint Patrick’s Day, you have to do it.  I now know that I am officially too old for that part of town.  All of the music was too loud, and I had no interest in most of it.  Even the places that had what sounded like really good live music were too noisy for me to say two words to Cas, and I suppose that’s where I draw the line these days.  If wanting to talk to Cas makes me too old, I guess that’s exactly where I want to be.  

As for today, it’s a wrap.  We’ll get up tomorrow and take our sweet time getting out of town.  I definitely want to stop at The Oasis on Lake Travis for lunch.  It’s a beautiful view and a pretty cool restaurant, even if you’re not there for the sunset.  After that, it’s on to Fort Worth, and another historic hotel.  Considering how out of practice we are, Cas and I are really enjoying vacation time again.  

Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Qd4HG7MEc8auwHvF6