We asserted our democratic rights today with a trip to the Capitol Building in Austin. Being Texas, they decided to make it just a little bit bigger than the one in Washington DC.
The access to elected officials, and the process of government in general, is amazing compared to the UK. Hannah and I could wander into viewing galleries, up to Senator's office doors, and all around the building. Huge tour parties of school kids passed us by. Politics has never been so welcoming.
After a tasty Mexican lunch we pottered along to the Texas State History Museum. Here we discovered that everything Vince has ever claimed (that the US begged Texas to join the union, for example) turned out to be false. But the museum did an excellent job of laying out the political, industrial, and human history of one of the greatest states in the country (I'll give you that, Vince...)
It was then on to Claire's first Austin happy hour, a long-planned event that drew people from as far away as Fort Worth. The grey mist of the morning had totally disappeared and we sipped margaritas on a sun terrace on 6th Street. The afternoon was slightly marred by Vince beating me at shuffleboard. For the first time ever. But as the rules of the Yorktown Cup state that competitions have to take place within the state boundary of California, I'm still keeping that trophy.
We'd planned a big country dancing finale for the trip, but having returned to the house to put Claire to bed we collapsed like the old people we now are and instead enjoyed a quiet meal and glass of wine.
Many thanks to Dick & Anne and Cheryl & Peter who have put us up on this trip, extra special thanks to Christine & Vince for arranging it all, and huge extra extra special thanks to Claire for being soooooo cute. Yes you are! Yes you are!!
God bless y'all.
Democracy here is very similar to the type they use up in DC, only bigger.
Annexed to the Union in 1846...
Judge Davies sits in the Texas Supreme Court, and declares all those silly laws since 1776 to be null and void (until a security guard asked him to move on).
The senate chamber.
Feeling a little bit Texan.
Claire wants to get her hands on mum's Bloody Mary (and it's only lunchtime!)
Where are you from again, Vince?
Later, at the shuffleboard table, he does his state proud. For the first time ever. Did I mention that before?
Ladies at happy hour.
She's excited!
If you order guacamole they make it at your table! This one had orange juice in as well as lime.
Vince carefully pours his margarita into a manly glass.
Finally, some civilisation in these strange lands.
