Hello Alamo

A year ago in June, I went to the country of Texas. I learned the local customs: pounds of barbecued meat, Mexican food for breakfast, churches the size of Safeco Field. I learned the official language, including "y'all", and "margarita." I even participated in the official sport: intertubing down the river in sweltering sun. I was a minority with my pasty skin and blond hair. Two people even said, "Y'all aint from around here, are you?" as David and I waited at a bus stop in Austin. I actually got so dehydrated in Texas that I got heatstroke at the airport.

Today, we got our passports ready (cowboy hat and swimsuits), and booked a return trip to the longhorn country. We're going to his family reunion in Austin, which I'm actually really excited about. That city is really the only one worth visiting in Texas. The people are friendly and smart, there's a huge live music scene, and liberals abound. It reminds me of Portland, Oregon, but instead, the hippies are tan with bare feet.

I'm excited to eat along the RiverWalk in San Antonio, and hang out on a canoe on "Town Lake" in Austin, which is actually a river. This time I'm not going to go on hour long walks at 12pm, and I'm going to drink water instead of margaritas.