Monday, March 17, 2014

Life is a Highway....Texas

     At the beginning of the year I had the incredible opportunity to visit a dear friend of mine who lives in Austin. I didn't have a job at the time so it was the perfect time for a road trip! Another good friend of mine came along for the ride and I dropped her off in Dallas before I continued down south to Austin. It was SUCH a blessing to have Mandy with me. I'm not sure I would have made it all of the way without anyone to talk to.
     I like to make lots of stops while driving. While in Oklahoma we passed one of the largest casino's in the country. Naturally we stopped for a visit. The outside was decorated like different famous structures around the world so it made for fun pictures!
   When I arrived in Austin we made a list of things to see and places to explore while I was there. I am all about visiting new places and it was really fun to go to some places Marisela has been to and also to go places she has never been in her city. I love love love bridges and downtown's so we went to downtown Austin a few times. It is SUCH a cool city!!    I

oohhhhhh yes.
laughter is food for the soul

 
helloooooo Austin
We also visited this really neat place called Graffiti Park. There are so many walls full of graffiti that people are constantly adding to and changing. It was pretty sweet to see, and free to the public (always a bonus!).

graffiti park








 A good restaurant to visit if you are ever in Austin is Hot Toddy's. They have some tasty burgers and fries. They can be so popular that you have to wait in a long line that wraps outside and around the building. Luckily it wasn't so busy on the night that we went.

Alina and I
 
Mariselatasty burger at Hot Toddy's
While in Texas I had to take a trip back to my childhood days. In middle school I took a historical road trip with my school and we visited the Alamo. I decided it was time to revisit so we spent the afternoon in San Antonio.  It is good to visit the Alamo and read some history about our nation and the battles fought! San Antonio also has a lot of very neat architecture and Spanish buildings....and I love the Spanish cultures!



Alina, Marisela, & Andres


Alina is a beautiful model!
      


One cannot visit Austin without posing in front
of the life-size postcard that someone drew outside of a building. Don't forget the pooper scooper either. Austin is full of fun and unique art. They also have the coooolest people that live there. I am SO blessed by my friendship with Marisela. She is an encourager and a challenger. God is stretching her in big ways and she is responding to Him. She has a servant's heart and is a very hard worker. Alina is pretty awesome as well. God is going to do big things in her as well, a future world traveler! :)

Greetings from Austin!