Cathedral of Junk, No-Show Bats, and the Burger Bar
If you are at all familiar with the city of Austin, TX, the title of this blog post will make sense to you.
For having lived in the state of Texas for over 35 years, this was my first time in Austin, and even now, it was only a half day stop on the way to somewhere else. Having only the late afternoon and evening hours with two of my kids, I tried to make the most of the time, and hopefully make a photo or two along the way.
Cathedral of Junk
Looking for something iconic, local, and quick, I found the Cathedral of Junk by Googling “things to do near me.” Without any idea what to expect, the kids and I hopped in the car and followed Google Maps to…yeah, a stranger’s back yard in the middle of a neighborhood. I was a little doubtful at first, but a couple of other people arrived just before we did, so we followed them in. Apparently, you’re supposed to make an appointment, which makes sense, but I didn’t know it was in someone’s backyard, and nothing I (quickly) looked at mentioned these two important details.
Regardless, Vince, the artist, and his partner was very kind, and since there were other people already there, what was a few more guests? In return for his kindness, I left a donation on my way out to say thank you.
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No-Show Bats
After the Cathedral of Junk, we headed to the Congress Avenue Bridge to view the nightly columns of bats which fly out to feed. Unfortunately, for us and hundreds of others there to view the bats, June and July are the off season. Reportedly, 10’s of thousands of bats can emerge anywhere from 30 to 45 min before sunset to an hour after sunset depending on a number of variables, the most important of which is they may not come out at all if most of the females are pregnant.
While we didn’t have any luck, if you find yourself there during bat season, there are 4 ways to view the bats, listed from worst to best with regards to photography:
The traditional bat observation area on the south side of the bridge. The vegetation around the observatory has become overgrown and blocks much of the view of the bridge.
Along the bridge itself. Looking down on the dark bats against the dark background of the water, does not provide enough contrast for good photos.
The newer bat observation area on the north side of the bridge provides a great view of the underneath of the bridge and looks up toward the sky and lights along the bridge.
A canoe or boat tour gets you on the river with the fewest obstructions.
Here are a few shots of the river showing some canoers getting ready to be disappointed :)
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A couple of shots of viewers from the bridge.
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The bats may have been a disappointment, but the sunset was great!
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Burger Bar
After not seeing any bats, we were hungry, and I knew there had to be something in Austin open past 9:45pm. As we walked further north on Congress Ave. past a few closed restaurants, we found the Burger Bar on Congress. It’s a great little place that servers up great beef and plant-based burgers, as well as shakes. There is limited outdoor seating, and you walk up to a self-serve kiosk to order (quick tip, there is a kiosk at both ends of the bar. You may not have to wait if the other one is empty). I highly recommend you make a stop here when you get the chance!
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