We got up early to get into town in time for 90 minute tour of Austin. We were lucky and got parking place on the street. Jack had called the police the night before to confirm handicapped parking was permitted anywhere and it was for unlimited time. Because we were very early, decided to go into the Driskill Hotel on the corner. Turned out it is a historical site. Beautiful lobby and great breakfast in their cafe named 1886, the year the hotel was built. Jack and I shared their house special eggs Benedict made with ham, boursin cheese on a croissant. Need I say more. We also ordered the house bakery specials – banana nut bread , and the cinnamon roll which was made from the same croissant dough. Need I say more. Despite the temptations I am staying low carb pretty well.
The tour began in what used to be an old pharmacy that O. Henry worked in when he was young. The tour was in a small van – max of 11 people. Partly audio narrated and partly info supplied by the driver. Ninety minutes was a stretch. There is just not that much in Austin to see. It is more about the ambiance –Keep Austin Weird. Did see posh section where Lance Armstrong and Dennis Quaid live. Sandra Bullock and Matthew McConaghy (sp?) also have homes here. At the other end, there are many street people, whatever the word is for hippies in 2010, and bicyclists. The big industry is Silicon Hills-computer tech stuff. There is an airline that just goes from Silicon Hills and Silicon Valley CA.
Speaking of hills, they make getting around very difficult, compounded by the layout of the streets which spoke from the capitol. Our new Garmin is working great so able to negotiate all of that. The hills are very green. Pines and juniper. Driver said there are more allergists per capita than any other city in the USA because of “cedar fever” although the trees are juniper. Someone erred and it stuck.
We made our way to LBJ museum/library on the U of Texas campus which is the other big industry. Huge. The museum was really good and Jack's first official use of this electric scooter. Went well and wore me out because he looked at ever-r-rything, as opposed to sitting and waiting for me. The exhibits chronicle the years from his birth to death. As you move through the decades, music is heard from that era and the backdrops of the LBJ stuff is presentation of what was happening then. Nicely done. He enacted over 1000 pieces of legislation to contribute to the Great Society, 60 related to education. He wanted to be known as the education president. His first job was at Mexican-American school. Really is amazing what he got Congress to pass from civil rights to Medicare. He was the ultimate politician as we know. I was reminded of the turbulence while he was prez –assassinations of two Kennedys and Martin Luther King, etc. Unfortunately all of the good stuff was overshadowed by Viet Nam. It is amazing how much he accomplished in one term. One of the interesting things was that George Forman’s championship belt is there because if it wasn’t for the Job Corps that Johnson created, he would have not succeeded. He felt the belt belonged to Johnson. Touching. Picture is of the actual archives. Noticed several places where volumes were missing so I guess scholars/authors reallly do use them.
Very dreary day but no rain. Needed our coats and Jack just came in because too cold to sit out this evening.
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