Nope, not Vegas--Austin! Weekend before last I went to Austin for the State Student Council Advisors meeting. The conference was good, and I met people who had lots of ideas, got telephone numbers in case I need to talk. At least half the state of Wyoming was there to support the "'Pokes,'" who were playing UT Saturday night. I even met a couple from Chester, Montana on the elevator who flew in for the game. They had UT apparel on (traitors). One of the surprises was taking a rickshaw ride down town. There were a lot of these contraptions on the street Saturday, before and after the game. I was on the twelfth floor of the hotel, and could see them wending their way from all the hotels to the stadium. How these boys kept from being dehydrated, is more than I will ever know. Most of them pulled with a bicycle, but a few did it the old fashioned way--on foot. Another lady and I rode one down to 6th street, and that boy's clothes were soaked through, because Austin was hot and sultry.
As you can imagine, there wasn't a chunky rickshaw puller in the bunch. We ate at the Thai Passion--first time for Thai food, and it was really good! Sixth street is the old part of Austin, and has been renovated for noisy, rowdy entertainment, and it is only a hop-skip-and jump from the capitol, where even more roudy, noisy stuff goes on.
There is live music every where, which is just one of Austin's many boasts, so on the way back we did stop at Pete's Dueling Piano Bar to listen to some music. The piano playing was good, but their singing was pretty bad. It was fun to watch the two piano players work the crowd, trying to manipulate more money for a song.
Amongst all of the entertainment spots sits the Driscoll Hotel, all sedate and beautiful. It was built in 1886, back when they knew how to build beautiful buildings, and it is open for business.
I took this while I was in the rickshaw.
I didn't go to the capitol building , but here it is covered in scaffolding. It is beautiful, and taller than the U.S. capitol building. I think each capitol building I have seen is beautiful and special in their own way.
The only souvenir I brought back was a card advertising Coyote Ugly, which I will send to Cactis Lily as soon as I can find an envelope for it. Some college girls were handing them out to anyone and everyone on the street.
The t-shirts in the airport either have a long horn on them, or "Keep Austin weird." It was a pleasant visit, but I am glad to be back where weird is not normal, and there is a little less burnt orange in the environment!
