Is everything big in Texas?

Since I started my discovery of the U.S. I wanted to go to Texas. Maybe it is the image of the "Dallas" TV series I had watched in my childhood, maybe it is because Texas is the largest state in the union, maybe it is because people who grew up in Texas seem to have a bond the rest of us cannot understand. After the way I was impressed with Colorado (which may be my favorite state amongst the 25 I have seen) and understood what it meant to have lived or to have seen Colorado, I've been curious to see if there was such a feel to Texas. Knowing Colorado made me a better person and gave me a lot of new perspectives in life, I wondered if Texas had anything to offer in a similar way... Whether I was missing something "big" for so many years.

When you have high expectations, generally you end up with disappointment, and I think that is what happened to me. I didn't expect to find Colorado in Texas, but I expected to find something that defines Texas and Texans in a way that would make the rest of us envious. Well, in three days, I didn't find much of it.

The top experiences were the Blue October concert (who happen to be from Texas) in New Braunfells (which is located in between Austin and San Antonio) and an unexpected guided tour at the historic Driskill Hotel in Austin (more on that later - but make sure to ask for Glenn if you go). Other than that, the area we covered were pretty unimpressive for me, mostly flat with some elevation, but not much to write home about. Yes, I saw a couple longhorns happily grazing across the land, and some cows spread around the pasture... And I found the area we passed to be much more green than what I expected. Another positive - it rained pretty much every day cooling off the temperature for a little while, which, to my surprise, was not as bad as I thought.

NEW BRAUNFELS

New Braunfells area is mostly for water activities in the lake, and of course, tubing which seems to be the state sport in the summer in Texas. Since we had only about an hour before the concert, we passed on all that, but I kept my eyes on the kids happily tubing down the river. The venue was quite large for a small open air stage, and as the sun set and the stars appeared, it became quite cosy and intimate. I won't say much about the concert since I am a big fan of Blue October, and you can find detailed reports on many websites. (OK, a litle recap: as usual, they were incredible on stage touching all kinds of emotions and tantalizing all our musical senses. I must also mention that, in order to honor July 5, they started the concert with a violin solo of the Star Spangled Banner, which always makes me emotional knowing how much this country and being an "American" means to me.)

SAN ANTONIO

San Antonio is much bigger than I had expected - and the best part is: it is alive. When we arrived at our hotel around midnight, the streets were still full of people walking around, singing, and going to clubs. There aren't that many cities in the US where you can go out comfortably for an exploration tour after midnight, and it was nice to be able to do it for a while before I heard the call of the comfortable bed.

However, when you wake up to San Antonio, you quickly realize that it is primarily a tourist town. If you take out the Alamo, pretty much everything is made for tourists, and overall it reminded me of a small Las Vegas - without the casinos of course. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency, which I would highly recommend mostly due to its location - between the Alamo and the Riverwalk, you literally walk out the door to the canal. Yes, it happens to be a convention hotel with the regular offerings of a chain, but I found the rooms comfortable and tasteful (maybe because it appeals to my "fresh and contemporary comfort" tastes). We had a view of the Alamo which made it a little bit more special. The rooftop has a small pool which seems to be a good spot for families with young kids - and a nice place to look around and put things in perspective.

Other than that, for a more personalized service and less convention feel, I'd recommend The Watermark Hotel. It is also on the Riverwalk but offers a more intimate and exclusive experience.

As busy as it may be, El Mercado (Market Square) probably is the most interesting place in San Antonio to spend the Sunday morning. One thing I loved about it is the fact that you see as many locals as tourists, and a lot of Mexicans shopping at the cute little stores. You can't go wrong with the two big restaurants on the main road (Mi Tierra - which also has a bakery if you achieve to get by the door,- and La Marguerita). They are owned by the same company and offer pretty much the same Mexican fare. The quality is not very impressive, but the operation is - as the door is almost never shut with constant movement of customers going in and out, and a waiting list of 30-45 minutes. Watch out for the margaritas - they may not be the best you have had, but depending on how long you waited, they quench the thirst very fast! (however, due to the volume I believe they are made with a mix, and are way too sweet for me) If you prefer to bypass the restaurants, I highly recommend the street vendors, especially the handmade gordita stand (which also has a line, but moves fast), and definitely the roasted corn. It probably was the tastiest corn I ever had!

The food by the Riverwalk is average, and the beer is not as cold as it should (probably it is hard to keep up with the demand). So don't expect much, and simply enjoy the view - until you can no longer take it and feel like running up to the hills! I found that the best time to experience the Riverwalk is mid-afternoon, you have the sun filtering through the leaves, a pleasant breeze, and not a constant flow of people pushing their way through. During that time, the restaurants and cafes are open but are not busting at the seams yet, and the servers are not running at full speed making you feel exhausted just at the sight of it. You can sit back and enjoy a nice pint of beer or a glass of margarita without people buzzing through, and then you can slowly find your way back to the hotel for a quick nap in order to get ready for the craze of the night.

Of course you need to pay a visit to the Alamo - I'd say either early in the morning or just before it closes. The line was long pretty much all day, and it is not easy to stand in the middle of a plaza in the scorching Texan heat. The exhibits are interesting, and if you get someone to tell you what Alamo is all about (like we did, with one of the National Park Guides in the shaded area behind the building) it certainly becomes more meaningful. [just of the story: Alamo wasn't the last battle that made Texas independent. Because of the bravery of people who defended the Alamo - they died to protect it - the people who fought the next battle had extra inspiration to fight and lead the way for the Texan independence. The name of that battle? Anybody??? The answer is "San Jacinto." Oh by the way, did you know Texas was an independent country between the US and Mexico for 10 years? Another trivia - did you know Texas's first flag was designed after the Mexican flag - they simply took out the eagle-?]

I can't recommend any restaurant in San Antonio since we were there for a short time and I wasn't impressed with much... except for the Guadalajara Grill (in the historic Villita area right behind the Hilton). This is your very down to earth Mexican eatery, practically run by two Mexican guys and a cook in the back. They offer real Mexican cooking ("cochinita pibil" anyone?) affordable prices, cold beer, and plenty of good humor in the decor that keeps you busy until you get your food. Don't think this is a whole in the wall shack, this is a great casual place with bar, table, and outdoor seating, and they have been in business for more than 15 years. They are dedicated to authentic Mexican food - so much so that they bring the chiles and the spices from Mexico! If you go to San Antonio, you must go here to kick back and enjoy unpretentious but real home cooking... (http://www.guadalajaragrill.us/) I don't know about the rest, but this place I can go back to!

GRUENE (pronounced "Green")

This is a cute little town in the hills and has the biggest dance hall in Texas. Has a couple of nice casual restaurants (one with views of the river), couple antique shops, and interesting knick-knack shops. It is a nice place to stop at, but if you have bigger and better things to do, you don't need to get out of your way.

AUSTIN

How to say? Where to begin? It may be the capital of Texas, but this is a pretty small city, especially downtown feels like a small town (except for the new and tall skyscrapers). The main area can easily be discovered on foot but... there isn't that much to discover. Naturally you can visit the Capitol building (designed after the nation's Capitol building in DC) and the Texas History Museum. And you can check out the many clubs and restaurants. But during the 24 hours I spent there, I had a difficult time finding a "sense of place" (which is very unusual for me). The best part probably was the walk by the river, it is really pretty, green, and natural. The sunset is pretty, and there are many people running, walking, biking, plus the rowers on the river create pretty vistas.

The best place to stay undoubtedly is the Four Seasons. With the beautiful vistas of the river, manicured lawn, and comfortable chairs on the deck, it offers the usual comforts and high standard of The Four Seasons. Across from it are a number of well known restaurant chains such as Roy's, Flemming's etc. You'll probably be very happy if you go to Austin for business and stay in this area. Of course, you can also walk around and discover further. There are a number of nice restaurants (my favorite was Cuba Libre - casual but elegant, great martinis and appetizers as large as a typical entree, and the largest rum selection in Texas, with rum flights, too. http://www.cubalibreaustin.com/) plenty of clubs, venues, and bars to chose from to listen to live music - even on a Monday.

Another great place to visit is the Driskill Hotel. If you are a history buff, or like historical experiences, this is the place for you. Even for someone like me (I prefer contemporary, fresh, and comfortable design) this would be a unique hotel to stay at. So much history, and an opportunity to travel back in time. If you choose not to stay here, you must go for a breakfast or lunch at the beautiful 1886 Cafe, or at least a drink at the bar. And when you do, make sure to ask for Glenn, whose official title is the director of engineering, however, he is one of the best guides I have ever seen. He'll open each and every door for you, tell you all the details of the incredible artwork, who is who in the photos, who sat in which chair, and what happened in each room, and you will have a lot of appreciation for not only the hotel, but probably for the history of Texas. And you'll probably like Austin so much more when you leave the hotel...

Still, for the first time in a very long time (OK, I need to admit, I don't know if I ever had this feling before) I didn't feel like staying. I didn't have long list of places I didn't get to, and I didn't leave my curiosity behind... I am sure Austin has a lot more to offer in the surrounding areas and in the hills, but for now it is not on my list of "places to go back to as soon as I can." Of course if an opportunity rises to explore further (or meet Lance Armstrong) I'd be back...