What's Not To Love?

So I always knew that I had a strange fascination with all things American...Not completely sure why that is, but I'll think about it a little more and come back to this topic...

Anyway, I seem to quickly develop a strange fascination with all things Texan...or Austin...or maybe it's still just a fascination with America...Hmm.

About Austin: There might be stuff that it is over the top or a touch too much Texas-pride...I haven't made up my mind yet. But seriously, how much can really be wrong with a city where you can get free copies of America's Finest News Source at every other street corner?
Yea. Not that much.
Also, a city that houses a awesomely named Hot Sauce Shop where I found "Fire Dust'd P-Nut But'r" (yea, Ok, stupid name, but what a concept! Blend peanuts, black pepper, garlic, chile caribe and halapeno peppers!) will always hold a special place in my heart...

Austin - A Few Pictures

Beautiful day today. Checked out the running trail (I was the only doofus with a jacket and...soon enough a beet-red face) and walked around the city and the University of Texas campus.

Just a few pictures. Comments later...

Well, two comments:
Texas apparently has the biggest state capitol in the USA (Oh really? Haha. Why am I not surprised?).
The "Lone Star" is everywhere (Seals, stars, flag...). Cannot say I mind though. Must be the Bavarian in me. I like people who show some pride in their state and are not shy about showing it...

Mark Twain Made Me Do It...

Yes, yes he did. It's not my fault...
I read a quote by Mark Twain a few weeks ago, and it inspired me to take this trip after all. My first-ever, all-solo trip. I've traveled alone before (most of the time, really), but it was always to go live somewhere or meet somebody...Never been on a vacation all by myself.

Oh yea, here's the quote:
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

I often feel as if I'm just a little too careful, a little too shy, a little too hesitant in the things I do. Not that nine days in Austin, TX, (of all places), will suddenly make me into a fearless explorer, but I guess I can call it a start...

I have nothing planned really, except for a 1/2-marathon race on February 17th. It's more an excuse for making the trip though, I guess. I really just wanted to get out of the Europe again...See if the U.S. still fascinates me the way it used to...See if I still like it here...See if I could really live here again...

Left the Netherlands yesterday morning local time. The non-stop flight to Houston took around ten hours, which is a long-ass time to spend in a tin-tube, I can tell you. I had two seats to myself, so I really shouldn't complain. Still, at about five hours in, I felt as if I should check my butt and hips for bed-sores...Haha.

Upon arrival, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security greeted me with a loudspeaker announcement of something or other about an 'orange alert' Please...After waiting in line for 15 minutes, I had to do a Mr.Spock-like-greeting to a finger-print-scanning machine. Right four. Right thumb. Left four. Left thumb. Picture. "What do you do here? How long will you stay? Where will you stay? Who is your employer?"
The officer was nice enough; still feels odd every time.

Flight to Austin went alright; picked up my rental car and found the hotel. I had completely forgotten how big everything is in the States, esp. the roads. Hmm.