Austin

A visit to Austin, Texas

The Capital building was beautifulOld water fountain




In the building, there's a mural of the 6 different countries that conrolled Texas over the years (France, Spain, Mexico, Confederate US, US, Republic of Texas)At the Bullock museum


This is the Mountain Laurel seed and seed pod. When rubbed on concrete, the red seed gets really, really hot - there's some kind of chemical reaction. The kids collected them.Waiting, along with a lot of other people, for the bats to fly out of the Congress Street Bridge


A lot of tour boats also came by to see


Those dots are the actual bats, flying out!


Video of the bats flying


Austin from our hotelAt the grafitti park. The kids found some spray paint cans that weren't empty, and made their mark!






Visiting Paige's parents cattle rangeVery nice and green




Getting rid of some thorny plantsThe kids got to drive the golf cart too!


Kenny found this spear point thereCandy cigarettes from a candy store on south Congress street


Austin from Mt BonnellWe met some old friends from Seattle in Austin at the botanical garden


At Hamilton Pool Preserve - it was very popular. Too bad the water was really cold.




Peter still managed to go swimming, though


The top of the hollowed out cave area is lit from the reflection of the water belowDownstream of the pool was a very beautiful little trail


Interesting cloud formation


At McKinney Falls State Park


The old millThe old farmhouse


Skipping stones on the water




Cypruss trees with interesting root formations


A rock overhang where indians shelteredAt the Zilker park playground


Yummy BBQ with friends at the Salt Lick


The kids loved the elevator at the hotelA bike ride around Austin.


Turtles were everywhere!We counted 40


Interesting public bathroomsAlong the waterfront


Relaxing in some hammocks


Peter got pretty tired towards the end of the bike ride