Austin, Texas: Cactus Juice and Questionable Decisions
okay, so austin. where do i even begin? i’m elara, by the way, and i’m a touring session drummer. which means i’m used to weird places, but austin… austin is a whole other level of delightfully strange. i just checked and it’s drizzling a bit, like the sky’s having a tiny, polite cry. hope you like that kind of thing.
I was only there for a few days, bouncing between gigs - a surprisingly lively wedding reception (lots of requests for “Sweet Caroline,” naturally) and a dive bar that smelled faintly of regret and stale beer. The music scene is insane, though. Like, everywhere you look, there’s a band setting up, a busker strumming a guitar, someone practicing a tuba. It’s beautiful chaos.
I spent a lot of time wandering around *South Congress, which is basically a curated explosion of vintage shops, food trucks, and murals. Seriously, the murals. I could have spent a week just photographing them. I found this amazing little shop, Uncommon Objects, filled with… well, uncommon objects. Taxidermied squirrels, antique medical equipment, vintage postcards. It was a sensory overload in the best possible way. Check it out if you're into that sort of thing: https://uncommonobjects.com/.
Someone told me that the breakfast tacos are a religious experience. I’m not sure about the religious part, but they were definitely pretty good. I grabbed some from Veracruz All Natural - apparently, they have multiple locations, but the one on South 1st was packed. Worth the wait, though. Yelp reviews are pretty unanimous on that front: https://www.yelp.com/biz/veracruz-all-natural-austin-2.
“Don’t even think about going to Barton Springs without bringing a towel. Trust me on this one.”
Barton Springs Pool was… bracing. It’s this natural spring-fed pool, and the water is cold. Like, shockingly cold. But apparently, it’s amazing for your skin. I overheard a group of yoga instructors debating the mineral content. They were very serious about it. I just shivered.
I also stumbled upon a really cool street art scene down near East Austin. It felt a lot more raw and authentic than the polished murals on South Congress. I spent a couple of hours just wandering around, taking photos, and soaking it all in. If you're into that kind of thing, check out this local art collective: https://www.austinartscene.com/.
“If you’re looking for a good dive bar, avoid The Driskill. It’s fancy. Go somewhere with sticky floors and questionable karaoke.”
I heard that San Antonio and Houston are just a short drive away if you get bored. I didn’t have time to check them out this trip, but they’re definitely on the list for next time.
Honestly, austin is just… a vibe. It’s weird, it’s quirky, it’s a little bit chaotic, and i kinda loved it. Just be prepared for the heat, the humidity, and the sheer volume of people. And maybe bring a towel for Barton Springs.
Oh! And one last thing. Someone, who seemed very* drunk, advised me to “always tip the bat concierge.” Apparently, there’s a bat colony that lives under the Congress Avenue Bridge, and people actually pay to get a good viewing spot. I didn’t see it myself, but hey, you never know. TripAdvisor has some info on that: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60873-d113663-Reviews-Congress_Avenue_Bridge_Bats-Austin_Texas.html.
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