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I took some time in July to get away for a weekend in New Braunfels with Trailer Swift, Sabine Pleasure and Goosey Lucy (my son, daughter in law and 7-year-old granddaughter). When your granddaughter tells you can sit next to her and there’s an air conditioner vent so you’ll be comfortable…..well, it’s hard to turn down an invitation like that.
Have you ever been to New Braunfels? It's on I-35 between Austin and San Antonio, closer to San Antonio. If not, you’re really missing out! New Braunfels is proud of its heritage and there is heavy German influence in the mom-and-pop restaurants. We went to the Faust Brewery Friday for lunch, ate in the biergarten and listened to really good live music at Krause’s Friday night.
There are two rivers in New Braunfels, the Comal and the Guadeloupe. Tubing is big business in the summer: hundreds of people drink beer, listen to (mostly) Texas country and float the Comal. There is a getting in point where you rent tubes, then a bus meets you at the getting out point to drive you back. I've only done it once, with Trailer Swift a few years ago. Sabine Pleasure’s not big on tubing and since there are several chutes of rapids, Goosey Lucy is not quite ready.
That did not keep us from the water! We splashed in the Guadeloupe River just below the spillway at the Faust Street Bridge all day Saturday and it was much more fun that the float. The sun was hot, the water ice cold and crystal clear! Minnows were out in abundance, as were dragonflies. Dozens of them! In Feng Shui, dragonflies are“ believed to be a symbol of power, success, change, happiness, wisdom, peace, and harmony along with good luck and new beginnings.” New beginnings. Wouldn’t that be nice? There were probably a hundred butterflies making themselves at home in the wildflowers. They’re also a symbol of change. Maybe change is going to come.
It was a steep walk through lots of trees and lots of rocks from Faust Street to the riverbank. We put our picnic stuff on the beach, but several families put their pop-up canopies in the water, table and chairs underneath, and ate/drank from there. I'm still not sure if that was brilliant or just annoying. It's not like they were in the way, so maybe brilliant? A couple of people were fishing in the river – my dad would have shaken his head since his firm belief was fish do not like people and want to be in calm water. One guy caught a catfish too small to keep (that fish hadn’t developed his river smarts) but otherwise they just getting in a workout by throwing a rod with bait.
Trailer Swift and Sabine Pleasure slid down the steep spillway. My mother would have slid down, too, but not me. I walked out on it – the current flowing over the top is strong - but chickened out when it came to sliding. You know what they say, a broken hip and they have to put you down. Trailer Swift taught Goosey Lucy how to skip rocks; she played in the little waterfall, then they floated the rapids. That kid loves the water!
She also loves ribs, so we drove to Lockhart Saturday to Black’s Barbecue, the “oOdest in Texas, Same Family – Since 1932”. It did not disappoint. The walls were lined with photos of celebrities getting their barbecue fill. Sabine Pleasure says it’s her favorite place and I understand why. I’m not really a rib or brisket fan, but I ate my share!
Trailer Swift says it’s his favorite place in the world and I can see why.
I can’t wait to go back again.
