I sat in the middle of the cavernous conference room, with crisp shirt and newly pressed pants, beside equally sleepy-looking participants, trying to stay as sharp and as attentive as possible to the speaker. Mushy scrambled eggs, hash brown, and black coffee didn’t help ease the discomfort of the moment. Eager as I was, I have to wait until I was free from my obligations for the day, before I can go out and roam the sights of Austin, Texas.

My wife and I arrived at our hotel after an exhausting, long drive. The dreadful rush hour traffic made the driving worse and only with generous amounts of patience helped make it acceptable. An immaculately made bed and a grand view of a very calm-looking Austin skyline was more than enough reward for me. Lights glowed from the tall skyscrapers and the moving vehicles below created glowing dots of yellow and red lights. Allure found us walking down 6th street and we witnessed the underbelly of the city. Thumping music, boisterous laughter, and animated chatter filled the night as we walked past rows of watering holes. Hip faces, geezers, gawkers, vagrants, and barkers mingled outside the neon-lighted watering holes. It was a pick-your-poison and wile-your-night-away kind of place.

We were looking for food but it was late. We were almost about to give up when we came upon food trucks tucked in a corner. It was in the middle of 6th street and it was barely noticeable. In the center, there were wooden tables and benches to sit and eat. A place to rest the weary feet, the deafened ears, and the blinded eyes. This was right in the middle of 6th street and it was a marked contrast to what lay just beyond its corner. In this place, you can sit and be suburban. This night brought back memories of a similar place.

The sun glowed golden and reflected on the tall buildings of the city. There was beauty watching the sun rise early in the morning. Daybreak brought a different kind of perspective with the sun rising and the darkness receding. It was time to pick up the rubbish from the night before and start a new day. Looking at the city below, it looked so clean and fresh. Ready for a new day. I was back in crisp shirt and newly pressed pants!

The conference ended late in the afternoon but there was still enough daylight to warrant some outdoor activities. Outdoor activity engagement not only afforded relief from sitting the whole day but also necessary. I wished I had brought more comfortable walking shoes but my lack of it didn’t stop me. I needed to get my circulation back again and there was no better way to do it than walking the trail by the riverbank. It was just walking distance from the hotel but traffic made it necessary to make a detour.

The Ann and Roy Butler trail flowed next to the Colorado river and I leisurely followed it. The trail goes a long way and it takes time to trek its whole length. Along the trail, dog parks, recreational areas, neighborhoods, and the city skyscrapers form parts of the landscape. People paddled in kayaks as they heading toward Congress Avenue bridge. It was almost time for the bats roosting under the bridge to emerge for their night time feeding. The bats roost under the bridge during the warm season of the year and head south for the winter. People gathered on the bridge, below the bridge, along the riverbanks, and on kayaks floating on the river just to witness the 10 to 15 minute nature spectacle.

I was glad that people immersed in and appreciated the beauty of nature. Preservation of nature is a good advocacy. Nature persist in their existence despite the onslaught of urban development and encroachment. Slime and disease can hide under the pretty surface.

The next afternoon found us at The Domain, an outdoor retail mall north of the city, to meet some friends. The place was new to me and it was impressive with its high end retail shops lining both sides of the road. There were a lot of shaded areas for gathering and the numerous restaurants also provided comfortable nooks. A good place for some respite from the summer heat. The band pictured above provided music to passers by and to the crowd in a nearby restaurant. The history of the development of the place was also interesting.

I came to the end of three days in Austin, Texas with still a lot to see and explore. Three days were not enough to know the city but I had to try each time. I plan to walk the boardwalk that is further down the trail next time. I envy Austin for what it has to offer and I wish that I could find something similar in Dallas, Texas.

The rush hour traffic had started to build up as we were driving out of Austin. It felt like everybody was heading back to Dallas. Only with generous amounts of patience helped make the driving acceptable.