Texas Road Trips

Beautiful event with several Indian tribes from around the U.S. represented. The festival also included lots of beautiful Indian jewelery and crafts fo all sorts

Ceremonial Entrance

Senior Division Ceremonial Dance

Ceremonial entrance of the Cherokee color guard. These guys represent the American Indians at many national events including the past presidential inauguration.

Ceremonial entrance of the Cherokee color guard.

This young man was preparing for the dance competition just outside the arena.

Preparing for the Indian Dance Competition

This is the backside of the young man preparing for the dance competition outside the arena. Other contestants had similar dress but in different colors. it was absolutely beautiful to see.

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These girls were part of the ladies division in the competition. They were kind enough to let me take a photo. Beautiful dress. Not sure if the one in the middle is a princess (?) or not - very serious look I think.

Girls part of the buckskin dance competition.

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This lady was part of the buckskin competition. There were 8 others following her in a circle around the Indian drummers.

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Near the middle of the competition the announcer invited the crowd to join the Indian dancers in a "blanket dance".

The Pecan Street Festival is a bi-annual event featuring arts and crafts. The festival is held on 6th Street in Austin. It features artisans from around the U.S. who display and sell homemade arts and crafts. You can find paintings, sculpture, woodwork, candles, jewelry, cowboy hats, home decor, games, and a ton of other items. Live music was also provided on several stages along 6th Street. You can also pop into a restaurant or club for a bite to eat or drink and listen to live music there. Lots to see and do for sure.

Believe it or not, I didn't see one pecan pie, or pecan anything for that matter. But that's okay, I did see chicken strip on-a-stick! Doesn't sound all that good, but it looked really tasty. I'll have to try it out the next time.

Here's a little history of how the festival got it's name, and some of Austin's current street names:

"...when Edwin Waller first laid out the street plan for Austin, the north-south streets were given the names of Texas rivers in the order in which they appeared on the Texas map. While Waller had recommended numbers for the east-west streets, they were instead given the names of trees. Later on, numbers replaced the tree-named streets and what had been Pecan Street became today’s 6th Street. The Old Pecan Street Spring and Fall Festivals honor the original name of the street..."

Well I'll be darn, so that's how everything got it's name downtown. Hmmm, curious minds wanna know.

Here's a few photos I took earlier today. I hope you enjoy them!

The Driskoll is one of Austin's upscale hotels- it has a lot of history behind it seeing as it was built in 1886. It's architecture is stunning I think for a Texas town, huh? It's located on 6th Street right in the middle of a lot of live music and clubs - location, location location

The Driskoll Hotel

This was too good to pass up. The guy who owned the St. Bernard had outfitted the pooch with balloon longhorns. It was great for sure! The same weekend the Old Pecan Festival kicked off, UCLA came to Austin to play the UT Longhorns. Guess that's why the pooch is donning a pair of longhorns! I still don't know who won the football game

Saint Bernard Longhorn

For a Sunday there was still quite a few people visiting the Old Pecan Street Festival. I heard a news report that said the festival generally draws about 3 to 4 hundred thousands visitors. That's a lot for Austin. The 3-tiered building in the background is called The American Center (if I remember correctly).

Old Pecan Street Festival

This was such an unusual name for a pub, I couldn't resist taking a photo. Moose knuckle, hmmm Think I'll have to check it out sometime. Wanna go?

Mooseknuckle Pub on 6th Street

Another unusual name for a pub! Couldn't resist taking a photo. Only one thing, they really oughta do something with those icky bat eyes...think I'll color them brown or something, just so they stop looking that way :|

Bat Bar

This photo was a nice surprise. I really like the building that's in the background of the photo. It's called the Frost Bank Building. It is one of Austin's unusual and really pretty buildings I think. Wonder if anyone lives in a penthouse at the top of it? Hmmm, wouldn't mind taking an elevator ride to find out

View of Frost Bank

Horse-drawn Carriage on 6th Street

The festival takes up about 10 city blocks between the I-35 highway and Congress Avenue. The city closes 6th Street to vehicle traffic, other than the a few horse-drawn carriages and bike-taxis, there's a lot of foot traffic in and around the festival, bars, and restaurants that line the street. You can music coming from the restaurants when you walk by one, and also hear the bands playing at the festival. Lots of cool stuff going on.

Old Pecan Street Festival

Another photo with my favorite building in the background...

View of Frost Bank (again)

The building in the photo is the America One Center (I think that's it's name, might be American Center). Anyway, the corner is probably the halfway point along Congress from the bridge where the bats are and the state capitol.

Corner of Congress Ave. and 6th Street

Another beautiful morning on Town Lake. Not too many people out yet. Last weekend I headed west on the river in the direction of the photo below. Lots of gorgeous houses along the river in that direction.

View toward dock.

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Here's some of Myrtle's Texas cousins

Turtle Convoy

Another shot, just a little closer this time.

Turtle Island

And I guess this large turtle facing the others is the one that's the tour guide? Hmmm...keeping an eye on 'em for sure

Turtle-meister

Stopped under the bridge to see what was hanging around...yep, no bats

Lamar Street Bridge

Hi there Aussie girl! Hope you enjoy the photos. Here's a website with a little more info about where I was at and the area in general (http://www.texasrowingcenter.com). I think you might like hanging out at Town Lake :c) xoxo

Fun along Town Lake

Saturday morning on Town Lake! Not many people were renting kayaks or canoes yet. That would change in about 20 minutes though - lots of people along the hike and bike trail behind the dock usually end up in the kayak rental area.

Kayaks, canoes, all sorts of boats for rent.

An easterly view of Town Lake from the dock, in the same direction as the Congress Avenue bridge and downtown Austin. Standing there looking out at the lake with temps around 62 felt wonderful. It wasn't cold at all. I think the Texas humidity keeps it from feeling chilly. The air definitely had a feel of autumn in it, which is fast approaching. YEAH! I love the fall weather. It's a perfect time for exploring.

Early Morning on the Dock at Texas Rowing Center

Looking in the opposite direction - the west side of Town Lake! This side of Town Lake, and Austin for that matter, has some of the most gorgeous scenery. Lots of high-end homes are located all along Town Lake, and the Colorado River come to think of it.

View from the dock looking west.

Heading down Town Lake toward those swans you can barely make out!

Heading out for an enjoyable morning of kayaking and sightseeing.

Bikers, joggers, walkers all using one of several pedestrian bridges that cross over Town Lake. One side of the bridge is near Zilker Park, a really nice park area. The other side comes out near Lake Austin Blvd where several Austin-unique restaurants are located. And...a little closer to those swans. If you get too close, they start hissing. Don't think I'll be getting too close though - wouldn't want to end up on the evening news with video of me whacking the swans in self defense, lol.

Don't make the swans mad!

Probably to far to tell in this photo, but there are some really gorgeous home along the river. I'm headed for the ones shown in the distance.

Homes along Town Lake - a little closer this time.

Paddle boarders watch out - I don't drive this thing too well yet :c) Actually I did okay I guess. Think I'd like to try doing the standing paddle boarding. Looks really fun. Of course it's probably one those things where it looks a whole lot easier than what you're actually able to do. Gotta try it out though :c)

Standup Paddle Boarding on Town Lake

Whoever lives here has a spectacular view of Town Lake and Austin. The photo didn't turn out that well - water spots were on the waterproof camera case and caused the photo to look a bit blotchy.

Whoever lives here has a great view of the river and Austin!

Another home located in an awesome area of Town Lake. Bet there isn't a trailer paker in that neighborhood, huh? :c)

Another home with an awesome view!

Not too good of a photo, but that's a couple of turtles sunning on a rock alongside the shore. They're almost the same color as the rock their perched on.

Sunbathing Turtles

I've made it back to the dock and just about to turn in my kayak and gear when I saw this guy with his dog riding at the end of his kayak. That's a Beagle - cool, and a nice guy who didn't mind me taking the photo of his dog! I thought you might like this photo, you and Ms Buddy-girl :c)

Kayak Riding Beagle

What a beautiful site to see – hot air balloons flying over Lake Travis, just above Mansfeld Dam. The morning was really nice. Temperature was cool, the lake surface was smooth and had a nice reflection of the morning sun.

The Central Texas Balloon Association (http://www.centraltexasballooning.org/) had about 8 or 10 balloons take off from Mansfeld Dam. The balloons took off near Mansfeld Dam Recreation Park and drifted to the opposite side of the lake toward McGregor Park, and eventually over the top of the hills in the distance. It was really gorgeous to see. Hope you enjoy the photos!

Map with flight path of hot air balloons.

Sunrise over Lake Travis...

Last of 10 or so balloons starting their flight across the lake.

A few together in flight.

This one was really close!

Think I heard him singing up there, lol!

The house behind the balloon had a great view!

Few more in flight with a few that look like they've landed on the other side of the lake.

Floating across the top of the water - cool!

Flying low for sure.

A few didn't make it over the hilltop.

There go some others off in the distance - wonder where they landed?