Hoofin' it around Austin, rest of the day and into the next morning

While we were still in Austin, after the impressive bat display, Hillary, Chris and I went to Rio Ritas. I was a little thrilled because our cab driver was Palestinian, and when I commented on it being early (it was 9 p.m.), he said, "not for Austin." Either way, he was wrong, 9 was too early! The place was dead and we played Uno for a half hour before the place started to fill up. 

Apparently, there are places that are coffee shops during the day and bars at night, Rio Ritas was one of "those." This place had a great atmosphere, nice bartenders, infused vodkas and amazingly they played Gram Parsons, the first time I've heard Gram in a bar, ever. Did I say I loved Austin? I love Austin. I drank a lavender infused vodka, and down there is Hillary sucking down a fancy bloody mary garnished with okra, a green bean, lime and some other pickled something. She was into it. 

Eventually it was time to move on, and we ended up at this bar a coworker of my cousin suggested called Cedar Street. Funny enough, it turned out to be the same place I celebrated my 24th birthday when I came to Austin many, many years back. Small world, small city. 

This picture down there is just part of the very large booze selection that was available. That was just the vodka. They have an outdoor stage on which The Spazmatics were performing, an 80s cover band that tickled the under 20 crowd. I think they might be a chain of bands with the same name, same act, playing in different cities, not sure. We ended up going home pretty early in preparation for our drive to New Orleans. 

Breakfast was an experience. We got some breakfast burritos at the Tamale House: 85 cents each. There's nothing like a good deal. I think I purchased 2 potato, bacon, cheese and bean tacos; yes, I'm a pig who eats pig. 

It was a busy place and there were only 2 seats at our table. This country black guy with a perm was sitting at the next table with an empty chair facing him. I asked if anyone was sitting there and he shook his head, so I was about to take it, and he was like, nodding and saying no or yes and I was like whaaa? He had me confused. He looked at me with suspicion and fear or maybe it was repulsion and hunger? In the end I got a different chair and sat down about a foot away from him to munch. He kept looking at me and I was wondering what the hell he was thinking, I was nice about the chair. 

After a few minutes he turns to a truck with a dude eating in it; it was clearly his friend that he had been waiting for, he called to him telling him that he didn't see him leave the place, and then yelled, I quote, "hey! You should have seen these two dykes over here kissing on the mouth. Dykes! They got them everywhere in Austin." And then, I swear, totally flashed us an accusatory glance. I couldn't resist being shocked. I mean, who the hell yells out "dykes" in a public place. I may have laughed, but I was a little scared to because I think he thought we were the dykes!  There were some lesbian looking chicks who had been sitting nearby earlier. I didn't see anyone making out, especially not after eating salsa. He was truly a gem.