My Visit To The Lone Star State

Over Spring Break I visited my friend D who lives in Houston, Texas. I spent a long weekend there and had a spectacular time. On Thursday I spent the morning laying out by the pool in the 80 degree weather (Chicago was 55 and raining). I really need to move to a city in which you can go to the pool ten months per year... In the afternoon I went shopping at #1 in the photo collage below, The Houston Galleria . It is widely recognized as the number one shopping and tourist destination in Houston. It has stunning architecture, a huge selection of stores including Neiman Marcus, Gucci, Macy's, Tiffany & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, Express, Ralph Lauren Collection, Louis Vuitton and Nordstrom. And it even has an ice skating rink! I sat on a bench overlooking the rink and watched little girls take ice skating lessons for a few minutes. The only other mall I have seen with an ice skating rink was in Australia. The Galleria attracts over 24 million annual visitors. That night for dinner we went to #2 Niko Niko's, an authentic but affordable Greek food restaurant. It has wonderful Greek food in a very causal atmosphere. We ate outside on the patio. This place was very busy, I could tell it was a local favorite. I had a chicken kebob sandwich which was served in warm pita with creamy tzatziki sauce. Yum. As a side I had herb french fries, which were honestly to die for. I definitely recommend Niko Niko's if you ever find yourself in Houston, Texas.

As most people are, I was curious about what Texan/country music bars were like. So D took me to #3 Rebels Honky Tonk. It definitely had the cowboy feel with many people dressed in jeans and boots, a mechanical bull and line dancing. I didn't know what two-stepping was, but it is definitely fun to watch. My personal favorite moment was when D's dancing partner tucked her clutch into the back of his pants, and put his beer in his back pocket in order to swing her around the dance floor. I also saw a guy put his dance partner's purse around his neck! These guys were definitely serious about their dancing, and I had a great Texas time. On my last morning in Houston we went to #4 Tacos A Go-Go for breakfast. It had funky decor and amazing breakfast tacos. 

 

On Friday during the day I went to work with D who is a 4^th grade teacher. Hanging out with 4^th graders all day made me miss my own students. I had a great time helping the students write research questions about places near Washington D.C. Some of the places were the Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam War Memorial and the Smithsonian. These lucky kids are going on a trip to D.C., so cool! After work we took a road trip to Austin, Texas about three hours away from Houston. With more live music performances per capita than anywhere else, Austin is known as the “Live music capital of the world”. Austin was so much fun. The city is very spread out and almost rural, with lots of boutiques and non chain restaurants. It reminded me a little bit of Madison, WI. On our way to our hotel we stopped to eat at #1 Eastside Cafe, a restaurant that has its own organic vegetable garden. It is located in the interior of an old house, each room holds several tables which gives the space a cozy and intimate ambiance. Instead of a break basket they served mini cornbread jalapeno muffins. I was a bit skeptical at first, but they were amazing!That night we went out on 6^th Street, #2 on the collage below.. Traffic is blocked for seven blocks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings to allow the crowds to walk unhindered to the many venues that line the street. It reminded me of Bourbon street with people everywhere in the street going from bar to bar. Sixth Street (formerly known as Pecan Street) is lined with many historical houses and commercial buildings dating from the late 1800's and early 1900's. The storied old buildings now house numerous bars, a host of live entertainment venues, tattoo parlors, art galleries, casual cafes, upscale restaurants, and the elegant Driskill Hotel. Sixth Street is Austin's entertainment area with bars such as Aquarium, Library, Maggie May's, Chuggin' Monkey's, the Jackalope and Mugshots. If you visit Austin you have to spend a night out on Sixth Street, you won't regret it! 

On Saturday morning we hiked up to the top of Mt. Bonnell, #3. It has been a popular tourist destination since the 1850s. The mount provides a vista for viewing the city of Austin, the Lake Austin portion of the Colorado River, and the surrounding hills. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1969. The view from the top of Mt. Bonnell was very scenic and worth the climb, we also took some gorgeous pictures. #5 Downtown is home to some of Austin's most unique, unusual, eclectic, independent retail businesses. There are more than 300 retailers in the Downtown area. Whether you are looking to outfit yourself, decorate your home, or give a loved one a unique and thoughtful gift, shopping in and around downtown at one of the many stores and boutiques can provide you with a great experience. We spent a few hours shopping at the boutiques, but we could have spent all day. Adorable, unique stores line the street one after another, you won't be able to stop yourself from stopping in as many as you can. 

#4 The next time you are in Texas Grab your cooler of beer and your sunblock, and rent a tube and float down the Guadalupe or Comal rivers. Don't forget to get a tube for your cooler too! This was hands down my favorite thing I did in Texas. You drive to one of the tubing companies and rent an inner tube, a cooler, and of course a tube for the cooler to float in. Next, you tie yourself and your companions to the tube that has the cooler on it. After that you float down the river basking in the sun and drinking some cold beer from your cooler. It takes 2-3 hours to get to the end, and you go over a few small rapids (where you almost, but not quite flip over). Then you get on the bus at the end and it takes you back to your car. I had so much fun floating the river. We saw a few bachelor/bachelorette parties, made up an awesome drinking game and met some incredibly interesting people... It was a unique experience that I would definitely try again.

 

 Have you ever been to Texas? What fun things did you do?

BAS

My Great Australian Adventure

 

Ever since I learned about Australia in a grade school social studies class I have been hooked. I am fascinated by this unique island continent. It is home to the Great Barrier Reef, a famous natural wonder, the vast and rugged Outback, enchanting Uluru (Ayer's Rock), kangaroos and miles and miles of breathtakingly beautiful coastline. I have an obsession with oceans, of any kind. Perhaps this is why I felt and still do feel compelled to visit this exotic country in the Southern Hemisphere. My first trip to Australia was in July of 2007, the summer after my Sophomore year of college.

Surf Camp

I was traveling there for a study abroad Semester at Macquarie University just outside Sydney. My semester got off to a great start with a surfing trip up the coast with other study abroad students from all over the world. A month into my time in Australia I injured my rotator cuff playing softball, and sadly had to return home. Since I assumed I had seven months to spend in Australia, I did not even do all of the things I wanted in Sydney, let alone the rest of Australia. I feel like I was given one night of an amazing ice cream cone, while the rest of ripped out of my hand. That little taste of Australia has made me eager to return, and finally this summer I will be able to go back to Australia.

My Kangaroo Buddy

I will be taking a 20 day solo backpacking trip to Australia, departing July 5th and returning August 3rd. One of my biggest regrets is that I did not get to finish out my study abroad semester, so I figured I might as well travel while I am young or I might not get the opportunity to go. Fortunately for me I work at a school and have two months off for summer vacation, unfortunately not very many other people can take off work for a month to come with me. So solo travel it is... For the first two weeks I will be Staying in hostels in Sydney and spending two nights in the Blue Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Area about an hour outside of Sydney. The Blue Mountains are on the top of my list of places I was going to go when I was in Australia in 2007. On July 17th I am going on a tour of the East Coast of Australia through the company Ozxposure for 15 days. This tour company specializes in small group tours with 14 to 25 people, with many solo travelers. I decided to give it a shot, even though traveling for over two weeks with people I do not know is pretty daunting. Their slogan is 'One van. One leader. Many adventures!' I am hoping to meet some interesting people on this tour, as well as see some amazing Australian places. 


(http://www.letstrekaustralia.com/tours/EDX.html) <~~~ Eastern Dream Tour

Tour Route

The tour starts in Sydney, we then head up the east coast to surf camp for a few days, the next day we arrive and spend the night in picturesque Byron Bay. Next, we cross the border into the state of Queensland and visit Steve Irwin's famous Australian Zoo (very excited for this!). Day 4, 5 & 6 are spent at Rainbow Beach and exploring the unique  Fraser Island ,a World Heritage site as well as the largest sand island in the world.Days 7 & 8 we head to the outback and stay on a working cattle station, where our meals are cooked over an open fire and we get to partake in a goat rodeo. Next, we head to the coast and Airlie Beach. Here we board our private chartered yacht for a 2 Day/2 Night Whitsunday sailing experience. The Whitsunday Islands are a collection of continental islands of various sizes off the tropical coast of Queensland, and in the midst of the great barrier reef. Days 12, 13 & 14 we head to Mission Beach and then to Cape Tribulation and the rainforest before heading back down to the city of Cairns. Day 15 we  board our sailing yacht  for a full day exploring the Outer Barrier Reef. I will then spend two more nights in Cairns before I fly back to Sydney and the following day return home. I am very excited for my trip, and will keep updating with posts about how I am going to pack for 30 days in a suitcase that cannot exceed 33 lbs, what I am going to do with my time since I discovered that my 18 hour flight from LA to Sydney does not have personal T.V.'s like the last one I took, and how I picked which hostels out of the hundreds Sydney, Katoomba and Cairns that I am going to stay at. As well as the intersting wish list/ packing list I have come up with. I am pretty sure over half of it is not going to fit...

Great Barrier Reef

Has anyone visited Australia? Wants to visit Australia?

BAS

The Magical City of Petra, Jordan

I have been always been intrigued by the city of Petra in Jordan since I saw a documentary on the travel channel about it when I was fourteen. Petra is the treasure of ancient world, hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains, boasting incomparable scenes that make it the most majestic and imposing ancient site still-standing in modern times. Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges. It is one of the world's most famous archaeological sites, a place where ancient Eastern traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture. It looks like nothing I have ever seen before. I sincerely hope to visit Petra at some point in my life. Traveling in the Middle East at this point in time for Americans, especially American women is tricky at best and perilous at worst. However, I am hoping that someday I will have the opportunity and feel safe enough to make this journey, as well as to visit Egypt, a place on the top of my traveling bucket list.

Petra was first established sometime around the 6th century BC, by the Nabataean Arabs, a nomadic tribe who settled in the area and laid the foundations of a commercial empire that extended into Syria. Motorized vehicles are not allowed to enter the site. Once inside the site, you can hire a donkey, or for the more adventurous, a camel ( I would SO go for the camel, I have always wanted to ride one... and an elephant). Both come with handlers and take designated routes throughout the site. Entrance to the city is through the Siq, a narrow gorge, over 1km in length, which is flanked on either side by soaring, 80m high cliffs. The Petra basin boasts over 800 individual monuments, including buildings, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples, arched gateways, and colonnaded streets, that were mostly carved from the kaleidoscopic sandstone by the technical and artistic genius of its inhabitants. Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, and was designated as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. You may have seen Petra in the city's Hollywood debut in the 1989 “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” movie starring Harrison Ford.

Have you ever heard of the city of Petra? Would you visit if you had the opportunity?

BAS

http://www.visitjordan.com/default.aspx?tabid=63