Day 2: Austin, TX

After departing from Houston we drove to Austin to spend the day in the city. However, despite the distance we put between us and our previous destination, we could not escape the dreaded heat, and we weren't enthusiastic to hear the weather man declare "we'll be setting some heat records today."
Our first stop of the day was the Texas State Capital Building. Having just finished my summer government class, it was cool to visit the capital and check out the building where everything takes place. While the entire edifice consisted of beautiful pillars and patriotic mosaics, our favorite spots had to be the elaborate rotunda and the Senate room.
Once finished touring the Capital, we headed over to McKinney State Park to explore some waterfalls. Being worried, that because of the extreme drought, we made sure to ask a park ranger if there was any water going over the falls today. His response: "Yes, but make sure to bring your own," which we all found quite funny. Turns out he was right; there was just a tiny trickle of water dripping over the falls. Jessie still enjoyed walking through the water and chasing minnows and tadpoles, while Dad took pictures of the pond and I tried not to wither away in the scorching heat.

Once back in the car, air conditioning on full blast, we headed to our hotel for an early check in and some shut-eye. After a couple hours though, we were back on the road, headed to our final destination for the day: a boat tour on the Colorado river to see the millions of Mexican Freetail Bats emerge from under a bridge and take flight off into the night sky. I have to say, it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Soaring out of the bridge in huge swarms, the bats zig-zagged through the air in an unending stream. The event probably lasted the better part of an hour, the bats flying out in several intervals. As the sun began to set, the city became even more beautiful. The city lights glimmering on the water over a crescent moon, in addition to the relaxing tunes of a distance saxophone made the experience serene and unforgettable. After the boat ride we stayed on the docks to take a couple more pictures, before grabbing a bite to eat and returning to our hotel room. Tomorrow we venture over to San Antonio for the fourth of July!