Texas Capitol Building (many pics)

[Maestro]

My wife had to attend a conference in Austin so the kids and I decided to tag along and tour the Capitol.

A view from the grounds
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2139.jpg

One of the huge oaks surrounding the capitol
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2137.jpg

The southern entrance to the Capitol
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2166.jpg

A statue of Sam Houston from 1888
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2310.jpg

Looking up through the dome
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2113.jpg

The dot in the middle of the above picture is this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2116.jpg

One of the hallways with walls decorated with the portraits of all former governors and presidents of Texas.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2291.jpg

Looking down through the balusters of the railing.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2292.jpg

A look at the decorative ceiling
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2276.jpg This picture turned out soft, but still you get the idea.

All doors have these 8 pound hinges on them.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2286.jpg

The Senate Chamber
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2125.jpg

Along the wall of the Senate Chamber.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Miscellaneous/Texas%20Capitol%20Building/IMG_2272.jpg

More can be seen here: http://Maestros.smugmug.com/gallery/1688163/1/82889298

[allensphoto]

:): thanks for the tour..

[THE TOUCH]

Great shots Maestro!

I like your angles on the hallway, railings, and the wall. I can't believe those hinges!!!:oogle The dome looked really small until I saw the shot of the star in the middle!

[spudjer]

Nice photos...

Last time I was there, I couldn't shoot outside the building because the Minutemen were having a rally and of course there were a bunch of protesters yelling and screaming right in front of steps.

Would have liked to shoot the exterior of building and grounds without those folks.... of course that day I had perfect clouds and sky......:crazy :crazy

[ian408]

Each time I've been to Austin, I mean to visit the place. But I never get
there.

Thanks for the the tour!

Did you get over to the Congress St. Bridge? That's a really cool place
when the bats come out in the evenings.

Ian

[Maestro]

Each time I've been to Austin, I mean to visit the place. But I never get
there.

Thanks for the the tour!

Did you get over to the Congress St. Bridge? That's a really cool place
when the bats come out in the evenings.

Ian
Yes, I did. My family and I went down there the last night we were there. I have plenty of shots of the bats in my gallery. Here are a few.

This is the Congress Avenue Bridge. A colony of approximately 1.5 million Mexican Free-tailed bats live under the bridge.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Nature/IMG_2205.jpg

Like clockwork at about 8:20 in the evening, a trickle of bats starts to fly out for a night of hunting insects.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Nature/IMG_2229.jpg

The trickle becomes more of a mad dash as more and more bats fly out from under the bridge.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Nature/IMG_2233.jpg

In just a few minutes, they fill the sky.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Nature/IMG_2244.jpg

The line stretches on for miles.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v116/maestros/Nature/IMG_2252.jpg

More can be seen here: http://Maestros.smugmug.com/gallery/691094/10/82254346

[allensphoto]

that is so funny my wife was watching rechael ray and she was in austin and watched the bats fly ...