Observations on Austin

We were in Austin for the weekend, here are a couple of observations:

• There are a lot of old, almost ancient curly oak trees everywhere.
• Is not the desert, but there are a lot of cactus, yuccas, palm trees and desert succulents planted right beside colder climate flowers and "normal" plants.
• Austin is probably the most tattooed city Ive been to.
• The worlds largest bat colony lives under the Congress bridge during the summer and hundreds of thousands of them swarm out at dusk, very surreal.
• Lots of veggie places to eat.
• Its a very liberal city, Barack Obama posters everywhere. Thats not to say there aren't conservative, religious, busy-business types there. Austin definitely has those guys, but so does New York City (lots of them taking over Manhattan). Austin is probably the most liberal non-coastal city.
• Lots of musicians, it looks like Guitar Center exploded.
• I like there aren't a lot of chain restaurants.
• Openly gay couples (which I think is cool)
• In the summer is toooooo freakin hot. Its hot in Dallas, but mix in some humidity in there and its ridiculous.
• Large amount of homeless people for a town its size
  
• Austin is like an island, you drive out of it really quick and you are back in Texas, a very conservative, rural, stereotypical Texas.

On a different note Nikki got a chance to meet Atti. Zoe and I are looking forward to meeting him as well.