Part 95 - Waco and Austin

It's fair to say that they love their religion in Texas. From my Christmas-loving God-fearing hostess in Dallas, to the hundreds of churches dotted around their strip malls with names such as "Streams of Joy", "Mighty Wind Worship Center", or "Cowboy Church". And one place in the USA that is indelibly linked with religious fervour is the city of Waco, which I happened to drive through on my way to Austin.

Waco

In 1993, a religious church/cult in Waco called the Branch Davidians became mired in a 51 day siege with government agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). The church had been stockpiling weapons for years and the government decided to investigate. The siege ended with an explosion / fire, and the deaths of 4 ATF officers and 82 people within the compound, more than half of whom were children.  

For a small donation, you can still visit the site of the siege today. So I did. Except it was closed on Mondays. However, a chap boasting three teeth and driving a beat-up pick-up truck assured me I could still go in, so once I passed the slightly foreboding gate ...

The gate to the Mount Carmel Center, the location of the siege

... I was met by a chap in a wheelchair, who whilst not being rude, wasn't entirely welcoming either. He told me I was free to look around, and his grand-daughter ran after me to give me the keys to the church they'd rebuilt over the compound. 

I don't think I've ever been given keys to a church before

I hadn't really realised that the movement didn't die with their leader, David Koresh. The Church they rebuilt seems to function both as a memorial to those that died (including Koresh), stark warnings not to trust the government, and a proclamation that Donald Trump really did/does/will make a fine president. 

Trump: Making America Great Again Again

From all accounts, the government made a pig's ear of the siege and many people died needlessly, although this doesn't really excuse deifying Koresh given his past. Of course, I kept my opinions to myself. Overall, it was a pretty creepy place and I wasn't entirely disappointed to hand back the keys and drive off. 

Austin Accommodation

I actually thought I'd made a mistake when I entered my latest AirBnB. Despite it being the cheapest one on my Texan tour, the place was palatial and extremely comfortable. My bedroom was so big it even had room for a cot. 

Thankfully the cot didn't come with an occupant 

My host, like all Texans, very generous and accommodating. She even took to baking various goodies and leaving them out for her guests to eat. I also became very fond of her golden retriever named Polar Bear (until he chose to headbutt me square in the bollocks during a very boisterous game, much to the amusement of my host and other guests). 

Bat Bridge

One of the biggest tourist attractions in Austin city centre downtown Austin is Congress Bridge, where a colony of 1.5 million bats hang about and come out to hunt at dusk. Apparently, it's quite the spectacle. 

They've even painted a bat onto the bridge so you know you're at the right one

So at 6pm, I, along with a couple of hundred fellow bat-seekers, descended on the bridge as it was starting to get dark. More than TWO hours later, I had seen precisely one bat. Still, the wildlife wasn't totally absent, all the insects that the bats couldn't be arsed coming out to eat were having a field day on me, so around 8:30pm, I went home in a huff.  

There were more bat-watching boats than bats

Poker

I quite enjoy (although I'm not very good at) poker, specifically "Texas Hold 'Em". Austin has quite a famous poker room owned by a famous player called Doug Polk, so I went along one evening for a game and registered for a tournament. Once it had started, I knew something was up when I was dealt FIVE cards instead of two and we were actually playing a variant of poker called "Big O". 

You would think that the one place you would expect to play Texas Hold 'Em would be in Texas. Still, I'd already entered, so I spent the next few minutes looking up the rules on my phone and trying not to make it obvious I was completely new to the game. It didn't work and I was out on my arse within the hour. 

Still, they were a welcoming bunch - they don't appear to get many Scottish visitors, so I went back the following night (when they were playing normal poker), came 5th in a tournament, and won my money back. Sadly, Mr Polk was too busy losing money in the VIP room to come and present me my winnings personally.

WINNER! (kind of)

Next up. Heading east to Houston.