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Lone Star
By: Jacob Glass
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My godmother Gladys, whom I call “G,” moved to Texas this past April after 20 years living in Colorado. She held me when I was a baby, took me to many museums and parks when I was a kid, and gave me sage advice that I mostly (unwisely) ignored while I was an unruly adolescent.
Needless to say, she and I are very close. I'm always keen to discover a different part of the country, so I hopped on a plane to catch up with one of my favorite people and learn a bit about her new home.
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The plane touched down at the San Antonio International Airport, and I stepped outside to find G and her friend Kris waiting for me. Coming from Missoula in November, I immediately noticed the 80 degree, humid air. I slipped on my sandals, gave G & Kris each a massive hug, and jumped in the car.
We were off!
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New Braunfels, where she lives now, is a city of about 90,000 in between San Antonio and Austin in south-central Texas. Founded primarily by German immigrants in the 1800s, the area maintains a strong connection to this cultural heritage. The Guadalupe and Comal rivers are the main geographical features, and offer a great escape from the oppressive summer heat.
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We spent our time doing what many families do together. We visited the regional history museum. We walked around the city parks. We bickered in the car about how to avoid ending up in a ditch. We ate heartily at some great restaurants.
The Biergarten, in my esteemed opinion, had the best pretzel in the entire world! We went sightseeing, and were silly in places where maybe more respectable people would have maintained a sense of dignity ;)
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You know I can’t go anywhere finding some natural wonder to gawk at!
As such, it was not long before Texas offered one of its gems. The fall is when the Monarch butterfly migrates down to its wintering grounds, the majority of which are in Mexico. Each day we saw dozens of these winged-delights.
....... Love me some Nature!
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We toured the Hill Country on the last day of my visit, stopping at some towns to learn about the history and also, continuing to consume way more calories than we were expending. After this whirlwind road trip, we spent the late afternoon and evening at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The gardens are well arranged and highlight the native flora of the region. It was a wonderful place to while away the hours with someone I am so fond of.
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At sunset, we went to see a spectacular art installation in the meadows. 28,000 LED “flowers” were scattered throughout the dried grasses. They shifted colors lazily throughout the rainbow spectrum.
The effect was a whimsical fairyland. It was a charming end to the lighthearted, loving time spent with family.
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