A visit to the country side on a sunny day is an awesome experience. The moment you leave the city, you will see the difference all around you. The tall concrete buildings will be gone. Instead, you will see the small huts, some tiny farms here and there and small shops.
Last weekend we went to Fredericksburg , a small place close to Austin , Texas. Drive on US 290 W and it will take around one and a half hour to reach there. On the way to this place, you will find acres of sunflower field on both the side. There are some nice view where you can have a look at the town from a hill top.
On the way we stopped at a small farm who sell all fresh farm made products, like: jam, spread, peaches, ice cream etc. We tried their peach flavored ice cream. It was simply mind blowing, no preservatives no artificial taste!! We saw people buying the ice cream in huge quantity. If you like to buy something from these road side shops, buy it. Do not wait for the return trip, because these country side places close early even on weekends.
On the way we stopped at Wild seed farm. If you like hand made art and crafts, do visit it. I loved their aromatic lip balm. They have some nice crockery collection different from what we get in shopping centers. There is a small garden area behind the farm where they have cultivated some beautiful Dahlia flowers. You will get some tasty spread there. Try the samples and choose the one that suits you the most.
In Fredericksburg there is a race track at the Gillespie County fairground, where you can watch the Pari-Mutuel horse racing on any weekend in the month of July and August. It is a fun activity. You can enjoy the race with your family. There are several rounds of race and it starts after 1 pm and continue till 6 pm. The price for adult is $5 each. We had fun betting on the horses.
If you plan to have lunch at the Fredericksburg , then keep an eye on the time. We went for lunch at 4:30 pm and most of the eateries and shops were closing! Finally we went inside a brewery and had our lunch. The one thing that I did not like is the taste of water. It was so different!! I will prefer to carry my own bottle next time.
On the way back to Austin we stopped at the Pedernales State Park, which is about 35 miles from Austin. It is a nice quiet park. A perfect picnic spot. You have nature , water, what else do you want? The park is open till 10 pm, though the park office closes at 6 pm. The entry fee is $5 per person. Once you enter the narrow road you will see the greenery all around you. No one around you to disturb. Follow the map and you can go to the river area where swimming is permitted or you can directly go to the waterfall area like us. This park is under high alert of flash flood. So be attentive while you reach the ground. The waterfall region has some breath taking views. The water is cold and crystal clean. Sit on the rocks quietly and you can see the small fishes coming close to you. The rocks are obviously slippery. But over all it is a nice clam place. Do not miss the sunset view here. One can also go for camping in this state park with permission.
Gradually the day came to an end and we headed back toAustin.
