Austin, Tx

Hello y'all!

Wonderful week in this liberal Texas city.
I heard so much about Austin before coming in,
a very young city, with a lot of live music, and an alternative way of living, based on a responsible, conscious, durable way of living.
I had to see all that by my own eyes, of course.

I arrived past Sunday,
Aubin and Anthony, a friend from France, joined me Monday, after 29 hours of driving.
We were welcomed by Garret and Ian, then by Neel, some friend of Zein, an activist that I met in New Orleans.

I have to admit that Austin is a very interesting city,
first of all, it's one of the only liberal city in Texas,
the university is huge, around 50 000 students in the University of Texas in Austin.

Good points:
a lot of healthy food store,
a lot of co-op stores,
independent stores,
lots of place where you can just hang-out and speak about changing the world.
Many people group their strength together to create something different.

But something is missing,...

I could just feel that it's hard when you're so used to the traditional American way of living, to suddenly, live in a way where materialism is not the most important.

Bad point:
This city is not very bike friendly,
some few bike path, but you can feel that cars don't really want you on the road, and are not that much used to you.
Car still seems to be the one, the only way of moving.
I have to admit that the bus network is better than in New Orleans for example.

But for me, a city where people don't just live inside of their rolling houses (cars)
is a city where people try to open themselves to the surrounding ones.

I would you to check this new video called Texas Freedom Network that I've put on youtube, keywords: inspired wanders,
Garret is one of the member of this association who works for the separation of church and state.

I'm leaving in a few minutes,
going back to hit the road.

Thank to everybody who helped me in Austin,
especially Ian, Garrett, Joel and Neel.

Hope this city will keep going further in an opening, creative, durable way.

I'll take the direction of San Angelo, and the I don't know if I'll go through Odessa or Big Spring to go to Carlsbad, if you know these road please let me know.

Freedom.
Inspiration.

Seb