It was a pleasant drive from Houston to San Antonio. I followed I-10 most of the way and could just leave it on cruise control. One thing is a little surprising. Traffic moves a little slower in Texas, at least on I-10 on when I was driving, than it does on I-95 in Virginia. You can actually cruise at something near the speed limit and not be passed too often like you were standing still. It is a more open road too. The thing I love about Virginia is the thick forests that are all along the highway. You are generally looking at trees all the way from Washington to the Carolinas. This highway in Texas has a lot more grass and open vistas. This is also beautiful, but different.
One thing you also notice in Texas are the flags. Texans love their state flag, which is prominent along most of the roads and on building tops. It is a pretty flag. Above is the headquarters of Alamo College. I like the really big live-oak. Below is the street new Alamo College HQ. The place is gentrifying. It seemed familiar. I figured out why. The area was former light industry, which reminds me of Milwaukee were I grew up, and they have a cream colored brick, also like Milwaukee.
San Antonio just seems a pleasant city. I got to my appointment at Alamo way early, so I had a chance to walk around the neighborhood. I spent about an hour. It was a little hot, but worth the walk. Below is the Mexican restaurant where I had a good meal for $8.
The road from San Antonio to Austin, I-35 was not as nice. There was traffic the whole way and along the road were strip malls and car dealers. It seemed like a continuous semi-urban corridor. The only entertainment was a woman in front of me. She was ripping something up and throwing it out the window. Then we she passed some state buildings, she gave it the finger for a long time. I couldn’t figure out what was going on and couldn’t take my eyes off traffic long enough to see. She had Oklahoma plates. Maybe she bears some grudge against Texas. I didn’t take any pictures along the actual highway because I didn’t stop, but I took the one below from near my hotel in Austin, which gives the idea.
The hotel is nice, as Courtyards always are, but I was disappointed. It is called Courtyard-Austin-Arboretum. I thought it would be within walking distance to some trees. I learned that nothing is within walking distance of much of anything around here. The “arboretum” nearby is a shopping area called that and some condos called that. Below is where I had supper. I could walk there from the hotel, although you have to be careful crossing the road. I thought Marie Callender just made frozen pies. Who knew it was a restaurant? Seems like mostly old people frequent the place. I suppose that is now my demographic too.
