Keep Austin Weird

That's the slogan I keep on seeing around Austin, Texas's official state capital. That, and "Hook 'em horns".


"Hook 'em horns" is referring to the longhorn cattles in Texas, the very recognizable "horn" hand sign and the "Texas Longhorn" football team at the University of Texas in Austin.

College football is taken very seriously in the US, the college games get just as much air-play and attention on TV as the professional games. In fact since college football season started a few weeks ago, there is a noticeable drop in traffic around night time on the street - lots of people are either at home watching the game, or with their "footy mates" at sports bar watching the games on the big screens.

Seeing I was right there, I decided to check out the UT myself. It was massive - pretty much it's own suburb! There is a full size football stadium within the grounds, complete with its own merchandise souvenior shop and ticket office.

"Keeping Austin Weird" is originally in reference to places and people that are eccentric in Austin. They even have an official website on this.
http://www.keepingaustinwerid.com

There are weird places like the junk garden and the polka-dot lawn, and wierd people such as a cross-dressing homeless guy and the world's oldest boy band. If only I knew about this earlier!

Polkadot lawn and its owner Beth Thom (pictures from the keepingaustinweird site)

For the more conventional tourists, there are historical buildings such as the governor's mansion and the State Capitol of Texas. The State Capitol of Texas is like our parliament building.

While I was there, the county festival was also on so 6th street in downtown Austin was blocked off and there were food (really weird ones, but always deep fried of course), arts and craft stalls, rides for kids and live music stages dotted along the street and lots of people out. Great fun (if only it wasn't so hot!!)

1. Lone Star arts 2. Ceramic chilli wind charms 3. metal artworks

Check this out - photo shaved into curls then fried!

I had some trouble working out which plate matched up to which menu item!

R U Directional?

Ok this is not really related to any travel adventures but more about the local "culture".

After a conversation at work, it has come to my attention that it is all about directions in the US. By that I mean the 4 directions: East, South, West and North.

The most obvious we have previously covered - how to navigate yourself in the US. All interstates are referenced by directions (you go onto I35 N take the exit 245B and bear left to go onto 183 W, etc etc)

Then I learned a new term: Directional School. That sounds interesting doesn't it?

The conversation started with me asking about high schools and colleges in Texas, like which ones are good and which ones are not so good. My colleague said that he went to a school where students were selected and complete more aggressive programs, some actually are accepted for credits in universities.

According to him, schools partially funded by the government are the better ones. Then we were talking about universities and that's when he said "...oh but the university changed its name from University of North Texas to University of Dallas because it sounds better, you know like so it is not a directional school".

I instantly understood what he meant - Imagine, Melb U being called University of North Melbourne, that just doesn't sound right! When there is a direction associated to a school name, you almost get the feeling that it is not quite... well... centered. We don't have that problem with the universities in Melbourne because they are simply named. But hey, how many people still think University of Melbourne sounds the most prestigeous out of the lot?

Rita's Wrath - The Prelude

14 hour grid-lock bumper to bumper trip from Huston to further north in Texas. In fact, gas trucks are being sent out onto the interstates to fuel up cars that's been stuck on the road all day so they can continue on their journey up north.

Angry talks on radio shows about how inefficient government responses have been.

Hotels in Dallas and Fortworth area completely booked out almost everywhere from the influx of evacuees from Galveston and Louisiana. Hotels are actually discounting their rates and allowing more people to stay in 1 room so they can accomodate as many evcuees as possible.

There is a frenzy down at the gas stations with people fueling up while prices are rising like hot air, in fear that refineries down near the Gulf of Mexico maybe damaged by the hurricane resulting in a shortage in fuel.

Rita is not even here yet but life in Texas is already greatly affected. Latest update of Rita's path is now more towards the east of Texas, where it is not as densely populated. It has also weaken back down to a Category 4 storm. However it is still a huge storm system and can do a lot of damage.

Potentially Catastrophic

It's hard to be in Texas and not talk about hurricanes these days. First there was Katrina. Now Rita is about to arrive. I just checked on the web. The latest update by the National Hurricane Center announced that Rita has strengthen to a Category 5 storm over the Gulf of Mexico. Category 5 storms are classified as "potentially catastrophic".

(image from National Hurricane Center)


New Orleans ia really not having a very good run as prediction has it possibly in the path of Rita as well and many fear the levees may not hold if there is another storm surge. Most of the New Orleans residents are still in much distress after their lives turned upside down in a matter of days. The lucky ones made it out and sustained only material losses. There are those who have lost everything - childhood memories, friends, family, their whole town. Some are still searching for love ones who have gone missing since Katrina hit.

Some people compared the damage done by Katrina to the Tsunami in Asia. Both were natural diasters, damages made by wind and water. In both storms, many lives were lost and properties were damaged. However, many Americans believe a lot of the losses in New Orleans could have been avoidable had the federal government acted earlier in evacuating New Orleans's occupants. Katrina's path has been tracked and analyzed for quite some period before it actually hit land. So in theory, mandatory evacuations could have been in placed at a much earlier date and some questioned why there seemed to have been no emergency plans in place (you hear stories of people going without water, food, or clean clothing etc. while they stayed inside the superdomes). It is no news that a lot of people didn't have the means to leave town themselves. How come the government did not help to move these people out of the area earlier?

Of course in hind sight, there are always things that "should have been done" and everything seems apparent now. I guess it was a very heavy price to pay in order to "learn the lesson". The general public of America feels the pain and there has been countless stories of people going to extraordinary lengths to help out Katrina evacuees - ranging from food and money donations, to forming petrol teams to rescue people stuck in their houses, and civilians opening up their own homes to strangers who they have never met from cities as far as New York and San Francisco. I believe these are the stories that give all of us hope and faith in humanity.

It is just ironic that decision makers who could have done something are never really located where diasters strike. It also seems that politicians only really swing into action when it is pre-election time, or after the fact. It might be a gross generalization but I guess "crows are black everywhere under the sun".

At least mandatory evacuation of the costal areas have started early this week for Hurricane Rita. Residents are also much more willing to leave their home this time - after seeing the devestation of New Orleans.

Dallas is located much further north of Texas so I am not really going to be heavily affected where I am, apart from the strong wind and thunderstorm that's due to come around this weekend. For now, there is nothing us mere human can do except sit tight, take cover, and pray for Rita to clam down.
(image from maps.google.com, red outline indicate areas in Louisiana and Texas that might be affected by Rita)

(Strike Probabilities Map from National Hurricane Center)

You know it is hot when...

...You find a squirrel all spread out on the street under a tree, panting!

So there you go. For those who still hadn't grasped the concept of what a 100F heat feels like - observe this creature. The first moment I saw it, I almost thought it was actually dead because it was spread out like a rug on a living room floor and not moving (I also hoped it wasn't a mighty big rat as I went closer for a look!)





It sensed my presence and looked at me cautiously, trying to decide if it should make a dash up the tree or not. Finally, it decided that it was way too hot to do so and went back to its "spread" position.

After a while, I think it got annoyed at me circling so it eventually climbed a bit further up, closer to the tree and spread itself out again on the twigs. *Sorry, Mr. Squirrel*

You know you've made it when...

News of you buying a rugby league team on the OTHERSIDE of the world made it to a radio program in Dallas Texas USA. And it is not just any radio station, it is a country music station!!

So here I was, driving back from work today listening to the radio, and lo-and-behold, the host said, in the same breath of announcing some country music star's upcoming concert, that Russell Crowe will be joining the fraternity of celebrities who own sporting team when he may possibly purchase the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

www.cbs.ca/story/arts/national/2005/09/17/Sports/Crowe_rabbitohs20050917.html
(for some reason I couldn't add this as a link, it gives me some crazy error...so I had to add this as text)

Before you get too impressed by good 'o Rusty's stardom, the host then added "Ok, Rabbitohs... what is that? I don't even know what that is... (laugh)"

Well it's a very valid question. It is difficult for anyone who hasn't watched the team play to connect a not-so-manly name to a very manly sporting team hey! Ok, so the rabbit is agile, fast, very likeable, etc. But as a mascot... hmmm... Easter suddenly came to mind. I guess no one else has thought of it - rabbit being ferocious...

Oh and those of you with the question of: Hey what in the world happened to her? Since when did she started listening to country music?!?!

Well, lemme tell y'all, it's cool to listen to country music while in Texas. Afterall, it IS the Lone Star State. There's nothing like driving along a 6-lane interstate overtaking the other cars (all speeding I must add) with the good 'o fiddle and guitar blasting out from the back speakers!

Yeeeeee-hah *even better if you, in fact, have half a drumstick of popeye chicken hanging out your mouth as well*

Spooooooky

If there is one thing I wished we have back home that's here, it is Holloween. It's kind of like the hip version of Christmas!



I was walking around in a department store/ supermarket and although it is only the middle of September, you know the marketing department has gone to work. There are things ranging from your normal candies and table decorations, to placemats, kitchen mits, towels, tealight holders and soft drinks. You know they are serious about it when they have a Holloween Barbie (ooooooooh yeah).



I can hardly wait until it is here and I see all those cuuute little kids dress up in their pumpkin suits, skeleton shirts wearing their witches hats going around trick or treating with their buckets.

Howdy Par'ner, gimme some whiskey and beer for me horse

After searching high and low, I finally found one of Texas's "attractions" - real-life cowboys!

Fort Worth is a large city which is located south west of Dallas. It is also know as Cowtown (yeah I know, the name is a dead giveaway!!). So this is the place to go to see all the western gear shops, cowboys herding longhorns down the street and cowboys and cowgirls at rodeo shows.

1. Cattle Drive at Stock Exchage 2. Texas Steakhouse 3. Assorted Cowgirl goodies


Having never been to a rodeo, I wasn't sure what to expect. It turns out that basically, real competitions are run as part of the show. So there is the "8 seconds" bull rides and wild horse rides by the competitors and roping of calves by individual and teams.

Kids can some fun with the calf round-up and mutton round-up. Basically, kids are let into the rodeo studium and they let a calf run around and get the kids to go up and touch it - a lot of fun to watch.

1. The real cowgirls 2. 8 seconds 3.Ride the bull

Fort Worth also has the coolest Modern Art Museum ever. The architecture of the building is world famous, designed by architect Tadao Ando. The view from the back lawn is spectacular both during the day and night. Inside is just as lovely - even better when you are allow to take photos of permanent exhabits :) Though I have to say, personally, the building was more fascinating than the art itself...

1. Fort Worth Modern Art Museum 2. Inside the museum 3. Art?!?!

Viva Las Vegas!

Where else can you go around the world in 4 days? You can in Las Vegas.

1. The Venetian 2. Aladdin Rooftop Swimming pool
3. Forum Shops, Ceasar Palace 4. Eiffel Tower, Paris



I took a few days off last weekend to pay a visit to the Mecca for Gamblers - Las Vegas. I am telling you, that place was INSANE, but I loved it!!

Guess what was the first thing I saw getting off the plane? Slot machines - AT THE AIRPORT!! Yeah no time wasted getting to your wallet. I was completely amazed - I thought I walked into a casino.

Vegas is the ultimate party town - You can walk around with a drink in your hand at 9:30am and that's perfectly acceptable (and possibly encouraged); You can feast on all the unbelievable buffets along the strip - the aim is obviously to keep you inside the casino all time while you are not at the tables or the slots; Every casino has a bar, a nightclub or a pub of some sort to keep all the adults entertained; And then there are the slots machines and the tables. For those who are not so into the actual gambling, well you can shop till you drop in one of the many malls located (conviniently) at exits and entrances to the casinos themselves.


Oh and it is absolutely true - no clocks anywhere in the casinos and fake skies everywhere indoors so you'd think it is daytime 24x7 and stay out the play play play (and gamble away).

The other fascinating thing about Vegas is the fact that there are kids everywhere. There are rollercoasters, amusement parks, magic shows, penguins, flamingos, tigers, lions (fake and real) and dolphins, all within casinos so if mummy and dad goes gambling, the kiddies can enjoy their own entertainments. There you go. No excuse about not finding a baby sitter.

1. White Tiger Habitat 2. Volcano at the Mirage 3. Slots inside NYNY 4. Rollercoaster in Manhattan



I had no idea why anyone would drive along the strip. Some locals told me that traffic on normal weekends wasn't as bad (I was there on the US labor day weekend). I could walk faster than the cars on the road. The only down side? Summer in Vegas meant it is around 100F outdoor and only takes 30 seconds for you to walk up a sweat during the day. So for those out of towners (like me), the 24hr buses are perfect - they run along the strip and go all the way into downtown and back. A day pass costs $5 and gives you unlimited rides for 24hrs.


And then there are the clubs... where do I even begin... hee


While I was there, I also took a little day trip to the Grand Canyon. That place was magnificant. Pictures do not do it justice and I only wished I had more time there instead of just being able to visit one of the rims on top. On and it all ended with a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow too. Just magical... *arrrrhhhhh.... dream sequence*

1. On the way to Grand Canyon 2. Grand Canyon South Rim 3. Grand Canyon after rain