It’s funny how our plans change day to day, even out here on the road. We left Shiner the other morning headed for Austin. A trip of about eighty miles. We do our best to take the back roads, and after an hour or so I remember seeing a sign saying sixty-one miles to Austin. Okay, so we’re on the right path. But at some point in the next couple of hours I realized that mileage signs were no longer listing Austin. I looked at the map and found that we had somehow gotten off of our road and were winding our way straight west.
Just to show us how seriously Texans take their barbecue, they make their grills so big that they need counterweights to help lift the covers.
Ali looked at the map and said a few people had mentioned New Braunfels to us—so that’s where we headed instead. We stopped for the night, gathered up some maps and tourist literature, fed ducks, and went to bed. But not before Ali had discovered that Fiesta was going on in San Antonio and that there was a huge parade in two days. So now we had another destination.
This morning we drove into the old town section of New Braunfels, walked around a bit, and then drove to nearby Gruene. It was cool to see all the old buildings of this town from the 1800s and early 1900s. We hit the general store for a couple of little toys and honey straws for the kids and then dragged them across the street to Gruene Hall, a dance hall that looks as if it has been home to one non-stop honky-tonkin’ party for the past hundred years.
All in all it was a fun morning. Judging by the amount of water-based fun to be had in these two towns it would appear that things really get cranking around here in the summer.
13 Comments on “Boerne”
My kids would trade in all of their toys for a handful of honey straws. Gooey perfection!
There is camping all along the Guadalupe River there, and in summer tubing everywhere. You are in one of the most beautiful parts of Texas…
Check out Hunt Texas
Ah, Shiner Bock beer. Had it for the first time last year while I was in Austin and it instantly became my favorite. As always, beautiful pictures, Pat.
Tubing down the Comal is great fun. everyone looks out after everyone else. I miss old Camp Warnikie though. If you head towards Hunt and Keriville check out Criders. Those German and Czeck settlements have wonderful histories. Don’t miss trying some Kolaches for breakfast, I prefer the savory ones to the sweet.THat whole area will be full of familes camping and taking their kids to sleepaway camp in about 4 weeks.
Just in case you don’t know about it, there is a waterway that winds itself through downtown San Antonio. You can be standing in the street and not even see it. You will have to locate the staircases in order to walk down. You can ride floats along the entire route getting off at designated stops. There are restaurants, barr and shops along the route. The kids would love it. You can also eat meals on some of the barges.
As always, great stories and pictures both. Living vicariously through you two!
Longtime follower, from the sailing trip.
Andrew
Watch for snakes…it’s that time of the year.
Serendipity at it’s best! We always drive the back road as much as possible too and we never know where we’ll end up. I’ve been resisting getting a GPS. Paper maps work fine even though we get lost sometimes because roads are not marked and signs seem to be arbitrary. One of our best investments, though, has been a rear view mirror with a built in digital compass. At least we know that we’re going in the right direction.:-)
Hey if y’all wind up in east Texas email me. My mother in law owns a bed and breakfast in lufkin, and we’d put you guys up for the night. She makes an awesome country breakfast!
Heh . . . Ouest, on stage, giving the performance of her life . . . Lowe, mooning the camera. 😉
Fantastic photos.
Echo the photos compliment–always. You all have an eye. Michael