Up to Austin - April 24th-27th 2009

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April 25th 2009: Downtown Austin, Bats, and the State Capitol


Page 1 of 3.
Click on images below to enlarge:
Maria's Taco Xpress
The entrance to Maria's Taco Xpress. Notice the fake traffic sign.
On the side of the building is a long mural of a street scene. Neat. View the full-sized image to appreciate the scope.
The side of the building facing the road (opposite the main entrance), a weird statue, and more murals.
A muffin bus sits permanently in the parking lot by this side of the building.
The entrance to Maria's Taco Xpress. Notice the fake traffic sign.
On the side of the building is a long mural of a street scene. Neat.
View the full-sized image to appreciate the scope.
The side of the building facing the road (opposite the main entrance), a weird statue, and more murals.
A muffin bus sits permanently in the parking lot by this side of the building.
The Cuban coffee shack in the parking lot by the main entrance is prettily painted to match the surrounding trees.
Inside Maria's Taco Xpress. Notice all the signs, paintings, photographs, and ceiling ornaments. Everything's funky.
A panoramic photograph of the inside of Maria's Taco Xpress showing the menu (chalkboard), more ceiling ornaments, more murals (look near the ceiling), and the ordering and bar counters.
I ate in the covered patio out back. I like how they decorated the rafters.
The Cuban coffee shack in the parking lot by the main entrance is prettily painted to match the surrounding trees.
Inside Maria's Taco Xpress. Notice all the signs, paintings, photographs, and ceiling ornaments. Everything's funky.
A panoramic photograph of the inside of Maria's Taco Xpress showing the menu (chalkboard), more ceiling ornaments, more murals (look near the ceiling), and the ordering and bar counters.
I ate in the covered patio out back. I like how they decorated the rafters.
My migas, a flour tortilla with eggs, onion, tomatoes, and jalapenos and topped with melted cheese. It tasted basically like an egg taco and needed something to make it interesting. I found red salsa helped and made me like it.
My taco al pastor (i.e., pork) was decent I suppose. The main thing that bothered me was the spicy chili used in the marinate was too sweet, like cayenne only more so. It was prepared well but just not my thing. I can understand why others may like it.
My migas, a flour tortilla with eggs, onion, tomatoes, and jalapenos and topped with melted cheese. It tasted basically like an egg taco and needed something to make it interesting. I found red salsa helped and made me like it.
My taco al pastor (i.e., pork) was decent I suppose. The main thing that bothered me was the spicy chili used in the marinate was too sweet, like cayenne only more so. It was prepared well but just not my thing. I can understand why others may like it.
Texas State Capitol
The Texas-scale Texas State Capitol. It's 15 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol. I took this picture after exploring the building and the grounds.
Another perspective of it, showing it and some of the capitol's beautiful grounds.
A panorama of the capitol's green, manicured grounds.
The capitol dome looms high above the trees.
The Texas-scale Texas State Capitol. It's 15 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol.
I took this picture after exploring the building and the grounds.
Another perspective of it, showing it and some of the capitol's beautiful grounds.
A panorama of the capitol's green, manicured grounds.
The capitol dome looms high above the trees.
The inside of the main dome. If you view the full-sized image, you can see the letters for Texas surrounding the Texas star.
Under the main dome looking up. There are a few more levels between the top of this picture and the bottom of the previous one--I told you the building's big!
The floor under the main dome. They were having a free public concert. I stopped and took this picture after the tour of the building ended. As I took it, the pianists were playing a piece based off of the theme to Star Trek. :) The seal in the floor includes the seals of each country who had possession of Texas at some point.
The view down the long, underground (though open to natural light) hallway into the extension of the capitol building. (They needed more space.) Another of the state's seals is in the floor of this rotunda.
The inside of the main dome. If you view the full-sized image, you can see the letters for Texas surrounding the Texas star.
Under the main dome looking up. There are a few more levels between the top of this picture and the bottom of the previous one--I told you the building's big!
The floor under the main dome. They were having a free public concert. I stopped and took this picture after the tour of the building ended. As I took it, the pianists were playing a piece based off of the theme to Star Trek. :)
The seal in the floor includes the seals of each country who had possession of Texas at some point.
The view down the long, underground (though open to natural light) hallway into the extension of the capitol building. (They needed more space.) Another of the state's seals is in the floor of this rotunda.
The Texas senate chamber, restored to its early-twentieth-century decor. The desks are the original ones dating back to 1889.
Not only do the chandelier's lights look roughly like the Texas star, but if you look closely, you'll see they spell Texas.
The Texas house chamber.
Another light fixture taking the grand shape of the Texas star, with another star in black in the center and additional stars below each light. Furthermore, if you look closely, you'll see the letters for Texas cut out of the tips of the central black star.
The Texas senate chamber, restored to its early-twentieth-century decor. The desks are the original ones dating back to 1889.
Not only do the chandelier's lights look roughly like the Texas star, but if you look closely, you'll see they spell Texas.
The Texas house chamber.
Another light fixture taking the grand shape of the Texas star, with another star in black in the center and additional stars below each light. Furthermore, if you look closely, you'll see the letters for Texas cut out of the tips of the central black star.
Many chairs have the Texas star drilled into them.
Though one monument among many on the capitol's grounds, I photographed this one because I often hear it cited when discussing court rulings about the separation of church and state. Now I've seen it. For scale, it's about four feet tall.
Many chairs have the Texas star drilled into them.
Though one monument among many on the capitol's grounds, I photographed this one because I often hear it cited when discussing court rulings about the separation of church and state. Now I've seen it.
For scale, it's about four feet tall.
Downtown Austin
The Austin Museum of Art.
A spirited statue along Congress Avenue with an interesting story.
The aforementioned interesting story.
The Austin Museum of Art.
A spirited statue along Congress Avenue with an interesting story.
The aforementioned interesting story.
Whole Foods and vicinity
I initially thought this was the main entrance to the Whole Food flagship store. It turned out to be the entrance to the cooking school, complete with display windows to see students in the kitchen. How would you like being watched as you learn?
The actual main entrance to the store.
A panoramic movie taken from inside the store. Although you can see many stations, perhaps two-thirds aren't visible in this movie.
The station I ate at, the North Side Trattoria, which served Italian food.
I initially thought this was the main entrance to the Whole Food flagship store. It turned out to be the entrance to the cooking school, complete with display windows to see students in the kitchen. How would you like being watched as you learn?
The actual main entrance to the store.
A panoramic movie taken from inside the store. Although you can see many stations, perhaps two-thirds aren't visible in this movie.
The station I ate at, the North Side Trattoria, which served Italian food.
My pineapple agua fresca tasted fresh (rightly so).
A fresh, pleasing salad lightly dressed in balsamic vinegar.
My good penne pasta with tomatoes and vodka cream sauce.
Either secret or simply unpopular outdoor roof seating.
My pineapple agua fresca tasted fresh (rightly so).
A fresh, pleasing salad lightly dressed in balsamic vinegar.
My good penne pasta with tomatoes and vodka cream sauce.
Either secret or simply unpopular outdoor roof seating.