So, are you someone who is wondering what the best views are in Austin? After all, we are in the Texas hill country, there’s got to
be some amazing view of the rolling hills, the state capitol building, and the lakes. And yes, once I get laser eye surgery, I’m sure I will be able to enjoy the views even more, but until then please enjoy my list of the top 5 best views in Austin.
5. Visit the State Capitol, it is worth it whether you are a Texan or not. Here is a view of the southern grounds from the highest balcony in the Capitol:
4. Don’t forget to drive by the capitol at night, it is magnificient:
3. Of course, the bats I have mentioned before:
2. Don’t forget about Town Lake, Lake Austin and Lake Travis, they are perfect for waterskiing, wakeboarding and cruising:
1. And the best site in Austin? It’s me without my glasses on, after I get laser eye surgery sometime in the near future. Maybe once that happens I’ll post a pic, but until then, hope you enjoy my most favorite views of Austin! –>
Whether you are visiting Ausitn or a native, there is one sight that everyone must see: The Congress Avenue Bridge Bats. I’m sure you are probably getting visions of gross rodents flying towards you and getting stuck in your hair, but that’s not quite it.
The Congress Avenue bridge in downtown Austin on Town Lake, is home to 750,000 to 1.5 million bats during the peak seasons. So how did all these bats get here and why do they like the bridge so much?
Well, bats have always lived in and around Austin because it is a prime climate for them during the Texas spring and summers. However, it was in 1980, after rennovations to the Congress Avenue brige, when they found their famous hang-out spot. The bridge has may narrow, but deep openings which are the perfect accomodations for the bats.
There are several boat cruises you can take on Town Lake to see this magnificient sight just at sundown each evening. As the bats leave the bridge to consume an estimated 10,000 to 30,000 pounds of insects each night, all you can see are black clouds swarming about. It really is quite the sight.
For more information you can call the bat hotline at 416-5700 ext. 3636 to find out the best viewing times each evening. Also, check out these popular places for bat viewing:
Austin American-Statesmen public viewing area–located on the Southeast end of Congress Avenue
Lone Star Riverboat or Capital Cruises (if you prefer a water view)
Shoreline Bar & Grill
T.G.I.Fridays (in the Raddison Hotel)
Four Seasons Hotel
Here is a great video to see just how many bats come out of this bridge each night!
About 12 to 20% of the while male population is color blind, compared to a very tiny percentage of the female population. Color blindness is when you cannot perceive the difference between some or all colors that most people can. This is a genetic trait but can also result from eye, nerve or brain damage as well as exposure from certain harsh chemicals.
There are three types of inherited color vision deficiencies:
Monochromacy–total color blindness, when color and lightness vision is reduced to one dimension.
Dichromacy–moderately severe color vision defect, when color is reduced to two dimensions
Anomalous Trichromacy–very rare, a total absence of blue retinal receptors.
Basically, the two major types of color blindness can be summed up as those who can’t distinguish between red and green and those who can’t distinguish between blue and yellow. Look below to take some tests and discover if you are color blind. You should see a number in each of the dots.
Click here for the answers to what numbers are in the dots… (more…)
