As I've mentioned in the games forum, I'm visiting Austin, Texas with Dearsweet, who is attending the MLA's annual conference, leaving me the working hours to explore.

Carping up the available diem, I drove today from Austin to San Antonio to visit the Alamo. It appeared, as Dearsweet counseled, tiny, almost incidental. Much of the battle site now lies under Federal and commercial office buildings. As I'd read before, which was largely repeated on site, its importance was not in itself, but as the symbol of Texan defense of what is now the city of San Antonio, which was strategically important to that part of the Mexican Republic. Its defense and the valor of its defenders seem less unreasonable when placed in the context of a Mexican civil war.

What also impressed me was the similarity between I-35, and the Nile river. Both are a thread running North/South through very lightly populated land edged with one half to a mile of human settlements. This is not to equate the land around I-35 to that around the Nile - far from it. The Texas I drove through today is, in contrast to the unirrigated parts of Egypt I've seen, a green and fertile land. Still, those similarities between these two "navigable paths" is striking. I'm confident some academic has already visited this notion, but I thought I'd share my impression.

__________________
Eudaimonia

Cleopatra.

__________________
Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

Interesting observation, jseal. on the Nile and I-35.

San Antonio is a neat city. The Riverwalk is terrific as is the Mexican Mall and the Circus Museum. And, of course, on wouldn't want to miss the Lone Star brewery with it's Hall of Horns. Lot's to see and do.

Never been to Austin so you'll have to fill us in on the sites and places of interest there.

In any case, have a wonderful time!

Thank you jseal. I enjoy hearing about other places. And you gave a very good overview. Looking forward to 'seeing' more places through you.

Based upon my all-to-brief exposure, Austin is a very livable city. Yesterday, before I visited some touristy places (Blanton Art Museum, Harry Ransom Center), I drove out to do our laundry in East Austin where people clean their clothes at a Laundromat. There too, away from the downtown skyscrapers and other monumental art, the streets were clean and everyday people went quietly about their affairs. Austin is copying San Antonio's Riverwalk, although due for completion in 2017-2018, it's very much a work in progress.

As a Baltimore native, I was curious to see Edgar Allen Poe's writing desk at the Harry Ransom Center, and the Research Center's Librarian was kind enough to permit me (escorted) access to do so. I can now vouch that when handling very old documents, researchers do indeed wear white cloth gloves!

While it’s most unlikely I shall do so, I could retire here.

__________________
Eudaimonia

Austin is amazing. I lived in San Antonio for years.

__________________

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas