Hill Country

We hit the road by 9am.  It was supposed to be cloudy today, with the sun coming out around noon.  Since Quinn is very concerned about getting her sun in, we agreed to do a morning tour in the hill country and get back in time to see the sun.

Bandera feels like Nisswa, MN.

Bandera, Texas is a mere 25 minutes from Kerrville.  It is a cowboy town.  Though we didn't see any horses on the road, rumor has it that you will.  Lots of pick up trucks and cowboy hats in this rugged little town.

We parked in front of our destination: a restaurant called the OST (Old Spanish Trail), which is pure Texas.  The waitstaff was sassy but polite and the patrons were all regulars.  Lots of cowboy hats or curled baseball caps.  We sat ourselves just outside the John Wayne Room.  The OST is a dirty spoon where eggs taste like eggs anywhere in America.  But they did have a couple of unique breakfast items.  I got the Bandera Omlette which has jalepenos, ground beef, and onion in it and is smothered in Chili.  Janna got the Migas (eggs, cheese, jalepenos, and crushed tortilla chips).  None of it was great, but then again, when I want a good breakfast, I stay in Minnesota and go the Original Pancake House.

Bandera Omlette

By then it was just past 10 and all the little shops had opened.  Great town to walk around in.  Lots of antique stores and general stores.  Our favorite was a leather shop owned by a former Marine - the Bucking Pony.  He welcomed us into his tiny workshop and showed us all the cool stuff he is working on.  100% custom leather work.

From Bandera we drove to Medina, which didn't offer much, so we went back to the hotel.  Quinn was getting antsy and the clouds were just starting to burn off.

Of course, there is no rush at the Y.O. Hotel to get your lounge chairs by the pool.  There is no scrambling and planning required to claim the best real estate.  For the second day in a row, not a single human being could be found anywhere near the pool.  1pm, 85 degrees, sunny and the pool area was empty.  We all hung around in the sun till 5pm before cleaning up for dinner.

1:00, 85F, mostly sunny, zero people.  Redrum?

Next stop: Fredericksburg, the grand daddy of hill country.  Only another 25 minutes away from Kerrville (in the opposite direction).  I must say, Janna did right by Kerrville.  Sure, it isn't the quaintest of the Hill Country towns, but it is in a great location - a great home base.

Jagerwurst

Our goal is simple, we want to eat in a good German restaurant.  Why German?  This part of Texas took in a lot of German immigrants and that has influenced much of their local culture, including the food.  So we hit Otto's, and boy was it good.  Jagerwurst and Schnitzel and Quail and a crispy flatbread.  This one is going to be tough to beat.  The kids loved it too.  It was a cross between food we ate in Switzerland with a Razz's in Phoenix.  For example, the schnitzel had a curry sauce and the Quail had a paprika sauce.

Curry Schnitzel

We stopped for a quick DQ before getting to bed.  This is our last night in the Y.O.  I will miss the creepy quietness.  I keep wondering if I am in some kind of reality TV show and no one is telling me.  Where are all the people?  How does the Y.O. stay in business?  What does the guy at the front desk do all day long?  Is this an episode of the Twilight Zone?

The Shining