Chartered Tour -- Austin, TX

Austin Tour, Part III -- The State Capital

The First United Methodist Church is right next door to the State Capital building. It's HUGE... and beautiful.



The Texas State Capitol building is beautiful -- made from native pink granite.

The Lone Star can be found everywhere... even on the tops of the fence grill.






And where there's not a Lone Star, there's a Blown Star... blodger, that is. (Yes. That's the infamous Stetson.)



The grounds are beautiful...















... and filled with cowboy statuary.









More cowboy statuary...















... and protestors.











Save Darfur Now!










A certain someone who shall remain nameless had to use the little girls' room, so we ambled in the back door.











The marble floors in the rotunda are stunning.

(And that's Officer Friendly standing closest to the doorway.)











Posted for Buckaroo Bonsai. (If you won't take the trip, you must take the ribbing!)














The view up into the dome is spectacular. You'd think all that white would be boring...













.... but it certainly is not.















The view from the front entrance.












Texas heroes...

Jim Bowie...














... and Stephen Austin.
















Gorgeous architectural detail like this could be found on every doorway we saw.















A million thanks to my partner in crime...













... and a billion in thanks to our most gracious host and hostess...

... for a truly wonderful experience. New sights. New hat. New friends. How cool is that?


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Tomorrow -- Part IV -- The Oddly Bifurcated Blodgmeet
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