Austin

I went to Austin this past weekend to visit a friend who had spent the last year in Japan, teaching English to grade-school Japanese students.

It was a pretty fun trip.  I think it's good to get out of the city every once in awhile, to clear your head and get a change of scenery.

Unfortunately, I don't get enough vacation time to go much further than Austin or Shreveport.  He saw a good part of Asia (Kuala Lampur, Singapore, Bali, Indonesia, Thailand), and a good part of Europe (Spain, Denmark, Italy, Amsterdam, Russia, Turkey) when he studied abroad in Europe in college.  I'm so jealous; compared to the adventures he had this past year, I haven't done anything.

The city has definitely changed a lot.  The Drag is completely different -- no Barnes & Noble, no Tower Records -- and most of the people who used to live there seem to have moved out.  I don't know when/if I'll be going back.  It's weird, cause when people ask me which one I like better, I always say Austin.  But after this last visit, the Austin that I liked better isn't really there any more.