Austin, September 2017, Part 4

 

Looking at these pictures, I'm wondering where we'll go next september.

Usually when we come back from a trip, we have a pretty good idea of where we'll go next.

Not this time.

I realize that te city we pick doesn't really matter. There is always something to see or do. It's vacation time, so really you dont have to do anything.

I guess we pushed ourselves a little too much last year in Toronto and didnt enjoy it as much as we should have. We wanted to visit all the freaking time. Time off is good too. Lean back, let go.

I wish I could go back to Chicago soon.

But for september, I'm considering New york, Denver, and Portland, Maine. Completely different cities.

We talked a lot about Hawaii but this is pretty scary since neither of us drive. I don't want to spend a month on a beach or by the pool.

 

First rain in Austin. It wasn't the last.

Hope Outdoor Gallery, Austin Part 3

 

From all the places we visited in Austin, this one was the one I used the most film for :p

It was fun and impressive.

 

Hope Outdoor Gallery: View from the top

 

Greg: view from the rear.

Austin, September 2017, Part Two

 

 Another great thing about this trip, the food.

I didn't care one bit what I ate as long as it was good and I was craving it.

Of course I came back with a few extra pounds. For once they were not in the luggage but on me.

Greg was elated to try his first BBQ joint.

We ate a loooot of junk. So much potato chips. I have never eaten that much potato chips in my life. Never.

We bought frozen food for dinner every night. Taquitos, pizza buns, mozarella sticks, mini pizzas...Junk food all the way. And it was so good.

 

Well, again the beer, was no stranger to my gaining weight for a month. So much Big Wave.

It felt so good after a day of walking in the heat.

 

 

My stomach is churning just looking at this picture. I miss Zapp's Chips.

 

On top of the rock.

 

Scared of heights. Unable to stand.

 

I did a lot of loom knitting. I love it so much. Many socks were made in a month (9. Didn't have enough yarn to make 10, so I only had 4 pairs and a half. :/ )

 

For our well balanced diet. 

 

This. 

This was so awesome I want to cry. We finally found really cheap wine in the US (about $4/bottle). It was gross of course but I didn't care.

I also bought myself a Président camembert to go with it.

In France I absolutely never buy this brand, it has no taste.

But I was happy to have some tasteless camembert and disgusting wine anyway. :)

 

Haaaa... This day.

Probably one of the best for me of our stay.

We went bookshopping and craft supply shopping. (When I say 'we', I really mean 'I')

In Austin, I had troubles finding a good second hand book shop.

On our very first day we found Half Price Books on Lamar.

It didn't blow my mind that day. Actually I was quite prejudiced about this store. From This first visit, I was under the impression that they only carried either books that nobody wanted, kind of old but not too old, not interesting in the least and rather expansive for what interested me. I just got three books that were on my list in 5mn tops. Since we didn't find a book shop that suited my needs, we went back.

I bought 16 (SIXTEEN) books on this trip to the store. My personnal record in one time.

I was just pushing my shopping cart and piling books inside it. It was heaven.

Before that, we had been to Hobby Lobby and I spent the budget of a month of food on fake fur.

I've always wanted to buy yards and yards of fake fur. It is now done.

Thank you Austin! Thank you Hobby Lobby!

 

Waiting for the bus after these beautiful moments. 

One bag full of books, the other full of fake fur.

 

This broccoli almost broke us up :D

Just kidding. It seemed yummy at the store so Greg put it in his box for me and then held me responsible for the whooping $12 he paid for the box. :)

I enjoyed my broccoli.

 

A new addiction.

Kool-Aid(wine bottle), not tequila.

We did cocktails mixing varieties of Kool-Aid with Tequila. They mix well together and it's very good most of the time.

 

Happy campers.

 

Bonus pic of our beer cemetery.

Austin, September 2017, shot on film, Olympus OM2

 

It's kind of hard to write about our trip to Austin now. It was in September and it feels like ages ago. I guess that's partly because these pictures are film, it took me a few weeks to get them back from the lab, and then life back home takes over and it gets harder and harder to write about these.

I'm kind of not in the mood anymore.

I only have a general feeling about this trip. A good one too.

Last year we went to Toronto and it didn't feel right. For many different reasons. The appartment sucked, I had two other trips to follow and couldn't keep my mind in the moment.

Well, Austin felt right. 

Even though the city itself didn't take our breaths away, we enjoyed it immensly.

We also very much enjoyed our airbnb apartment. We spent a lot of time in it actually. Watching TV and drinking beer and tequila for the most part.

Real vacation time you might say. ;)

 

Greg and his favorite flowers in Austin

 

We actually did kayak there, and it was awesome! Something I had wanted to do for a very long time. Now it's done and I can't wait to do it again!

 

A little self portrait before going on one of our adventures.

 

Little turtle.

 

Greg's new old cap. $3 at the thrift store.

 

Austin Capitol. The gift shop there rocks. For tourists like us, it was the best place to get souvenirs of Austin for our family.

 

The barfing racoon caught my eye (and stole my heart).

 

This was a sight. Maybe a symbol.

 

Another self portait of two very tired walkers in the blazing heat.

 

SRV statue for my brother.

 

My favorite plant.

 

Big wave love. We drank so much of it, we're probably still peeing it a little.