Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Vacation

I've returned, reluctantly, from vacation. It was a great one and we had fun every minute.

Steve flew in Wednesday night, and about noon Thursday we left for Del Rio. We took our time, stopping often to sit beside a creek or river enjoying the beauty of nature. We arrived at the Villa after dark. The next day we walked across the border to Ciudad Acuna. We window shopped, then sat in the plaza and enjoyed some people watching. After a few hours we went back to the Villa and took a luxurious late afternoon nap. That evening we went back to Acuna with our hosts and had dinner and Margaritas.

Saturday, after coffee and a leisurely chat with our hosts out on their patio, we went back to Acuna one more time and had lunch. I also bought a cowboy hat for my grandson. Then we drove about 100 miles through Northern Mexico, just to have a look at the countryside. We found that there's really not much to see in Northern Mexico.

We crossed back across the border at Piedras Negras/Eagle Pass. Because we'd done something out of the ordinary, our car was searched by the border patrol. But, we were thankful that we were profiled as hippies, not senior citizens.

In San Antonio we exited the interstate long enough for me to take a picture of Steve at the Alamo. Then we headed back to Austin and managed to make it to the Museum before the party there was over.

Sunday we had brunch with Nelly and the beat poet, toured the Umlaf Sculpture Garden, and then had another one of those wonderful naps before going back to the Musuem for another event. After the party we decided to go to Room 710 to hear Gary Floyd (formerly of The Dicks). He had the most powerful voice I've heard in awhile. Following Gary was a Japanese band called Green Milk from the Planet Orange. They call their music "new wave progressive rock". After one song I heard someone in the crowd behind me exclaim, "How DO they rock SO hard?!?!?!?!" The last group was King Coffey's new band, Rubble. All three bands kicked butt. See what the Austin Chronicle had to say about the show.

Monday morning we both rejoiced that we were not at work. We walked to the bakery and had coffee and pastries while we read the Times and the Statesman. In the afternoon we had the ultimate Austin experience...we listened to a Roky Erikson CD while driving to Hippie Hollow. Oh yes, and Steve was wearing a 13th Floor Elevators t-shirt. That's purely Austinatious.

Hippie Hollow was wonderful, there were hardly any people there. The lake was painfully beautiful, a shade of blue green that darkened in the distance and then continued to color the hills across the way. It was the first time I've been to a nude beach. It was much less embarrassing than I expected.

After our swim we came home and napped yet again before we drove down to Greune and joined my longtime friend to have dinner and then groove on Karen Abrahams, Chip Dolan, and friends at Greune Hall. The highlight of our evening was when Steve and I danced to "Jack, I'm Mellow". Although we both dance anytime we listen to music, it was the first time we ever "couple danced" together. We found we had a knack for it.

I took Steve to the airport yesterday at noon and then went to work. All afternoon my body was tied to my computer, but my mind was still on vacation.

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