SoCo neighborhood, with a view of downtown and the Capital building in the center to the north
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As soon as I drove into the capital city of Texas - on a whirlwind road trip with Preety and my parents - I found myself under the spell of this enchanting city. Austin, located in central Texas has much to offer, but it may not be readily apparent at first - typical of the easy-going and laid-back Texas way of life. Its young, savvy and educated population - Austin is a major university and college town and a major high tech industry hub - endow the city with a vitality and vibrancy that is infectious. The city reminded me of San Francisco: a open, liberal culture with a relaxed approach to life; a bohemian and quirky streak that residents are proud of; an abundance of art, theater and culture; a sizzling gastronomical culture; a love for the outdoors and physical pursuits; and embracing life with wide open arms and a kindred spirit.
It helped matters tremendously that during my stay there, Austin was bathed in glorious sunshine at 70 F (while New York shivered in frigid, single-digit temperatures). Some of my favorite experiences during my short stay were:
Torchy's Taco truck
-the food trucks! Austin seems to have pioneered the trend of food trucks serving delicious, affordable fare from all sorts of cuisines. At every corner, there was a psychedelically colored food truck serving mouth watering morsels. Tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs, Korean BBQ, crepes and pastries, ice creams and milkshakes, Indian...One could easily spend a couple of days on a pilgrimage to these trucks, eating mouth-watering food, chatting with locals, snoozing in between meals on the green, green grass under the warm, warm Austin sun...
- Lady Bird Lake: a reservoir created from the Colorado river, runs through downtown and is a major recreational park for Austinites. On either side of this river are beautifully manicured parks and running tracks. On that warm evening, I felt that all of Austin was out for a run! Others canoed, kayaked or rowed in the lake. Dogs frolicked with each other in the dog park as their doting owners looked on. Some dogs even swam into the river to retrieve wooden sticks or balls. The next morning, I went for a run along the same route, and for a few moments, felt like a local...
- SoCo: the 'south of Congress' neighborhood is a delightful neighborhood to stroll through. There are funky boutiques and shops, art houses, wonderful restaurants, trendy, buzzing cafes, and yes, food trucks. And the view up North all the way to the Capitol building is beautiful. We left after feasting on a marvelous brunch at the South Congress Cafe...
In the evening, we had a sumptuous meal at Justine's that serves French cuisine. I barely had a day in Austin and could easily spend a few more days exploring its charms. But time was short, and the inviting Hill Country beckoned. The Hill Country lies to the west of Austin and north of San Antonio. It's a beautiful land of rolling, gently undulating hills; ancient rivers; vast meadows and ranches on which graze cattle, goats, and horses and that are dotted with aged, formidable, gnarled oaks; several vineyards (the Hill Country is the second- largest wine producer in the US); and lovely year-round weather. It's a major tourist and retiree destination, and again, one could spend days, if not weeks in this area.
We drove to the town of Fredericksburg that has a proud German heritage - German immigrants arrived in the 1800s and settled in the Hill Country - and is the most prominent of many towns with a German background. It's a pleasant base to have, and one can choose from several quaint, lovely Bread-and-Breakfast Inns. I highly recommend the 'Das Garten Haus' where the friendly host, Lynn, served us a delicious breakfast and where the rooms were comfortable and tastefully done. You could spend hours walking along Main Street browsing the stores- I suggest you do this after closing hours if you want to return without a much depleted wallet - that sell high quality goods ranging from fine fashionable clothing, paintings and other objects of art, German artifacts, souveneirs, and so much more. Along the way to Fredericksburg, we made a brief stop at one of the oldest wineries in the regions, Beckers Vineyards.
Enchanted Rock
On our final morning, I woke up early for a drive to the 'Enchanted Rock State Natural Area', marked by a gigantic dome of granite rock. One can hike up a steep half-a-mile trail to the summit of the rock for breathtaking views of the surrounding Hill Country. Early that morning, there was a hint of rain that moistened an early morning gentle breeze, and added to the smell of damp earth, created a fragrance sweeter than any perfume. I ran into several family of deer and a few, bright-red cardinals added a dash of color to the brown and grey surroundings.
Soon enough, it was time to return, but not before we drove through another stretch of beautiful Hill Country, meandering through quaint, old western towns that seemed to have preserved so much of their history and character. We made a final dash to downtown San Antonio to the beautiful and historic 'Alamo'. I would be remiss not to mention the magnificent wildflower blooms in the Hill Country during spring, when the hills and meadows are tapestry of bright colors; it's a major tourist attraction and time for local festivals in the Hill Country.
A slice of Texas then, when savored, will leave you longing for the rest of the pie. And who is to say that you can't have more?
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