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LBJ Presidential Library, Austin, TX – 9/25/2016

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September 25, 2016 (Sunday)

Slept in and woke up to rain (and more rain). Lazed around a bit and then got moving and out of our home around 11:00 AM. We wanted to go to a sit-down restaurant for some coffee and breakfast, but all we went by were extremely busy.  You would think with all the many restaurants and things around, there would be nice selections – WRONG! We went to three different restaurants and they all had lines out the door. We ended up at a local McDonald’s Restaurant and tried to get our usual (egg white delight and coffee), but they didn’t have egg white delights! Could not believe it. We settled for the one most similar but had yolks.

We left McDonald’s and headed to the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum. It’s a lovely large building. (Free parking close by.) We met a young couple (with their daughter) going into the Library who told us they were from England and Africa and going to become citizens of the United States soon. They seemed excited about learning all they could. Good for them!

You pass under the School of Public Affairs to get to the LBJ Presidential Library.
You pass under the School of Public Affairs to get to the LBJ Presidential Library.
You come out from under and see this beautiful building.
You come out from under and see this beautiful building.
Nice lines on the place.
Nice lines on the place.
Life size statue of LBJ, he was 6'3".
Life size statue of LBJ, he was 6’3″.
One of our selfies with LBJ.
One of our selfies with LBJ.

The library was very nice. The price to get into the Library was only $10.00 total (old people discount). There were three levels and each one was different and fun to explore. They had placed telephones along the way, as LBJ had recorded everything, and you could hear some of the actual recordings he made as it related to the display you were looking at. We saw early family history, early political history, times during his Presidency, family, the Viet Nam war, what he achieved, what he believed – tons and tons of information. I, personally, found it fascinating and enjoyed learning so much about the man who really changed the course of the United States by the Civil Rights Acts. What courage it took for him to take the stand – especially as a Southern man whose state did not want that kind of change.

His limo
His limo
A nice Lincoln Continental.
A nice Lincoln Continental.

Signing pens for an avalanche of bills passed under his administration.
Signing pens for an avalanche of bills passed under his administration.
An oft repeated event during his years in the presidency.
An oft repeated event during his years in the Presidency.
Beginnings and endings.
Beginnings and endings.
Nice painting.
Nice painting.
His humor.
His humor.
He was a heavy smoker for many years.
He was a heavy smoker for many years.
Almost every year of his life is laid out in detail, major events of the day included.
Almost every year of his life is laid out in detail, major events of the day included.
Great details in this walk down memory lane.
Great details in this walk down memory lane.

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Grand staircase and document storage.
Grand staircase and document storage.
A long set of pictures/etchings of LBJ with other presidents.
A long set of pictures/etchings of LBJ with other Presidents.

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Photographs or paintings of every president and their first lady.
Photographs or paintings of every President and their First Lady.

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His ascension to the Vice Presidency.
His ascension to the Vice Presidency.
The assassination.
The assassination.
His presidency is covered in great detail.
His Presidency is covered in great detail.
I dont think I every appreciated the shear monumental size of the change brought about by President Johnson.
I don’t think I ever appreciated the shear monumental size of the change brought about by President Johnson.
His words are inspiring.
His words are inspiring.
What a master of things political.
What a master of things political.
The legislation and the outcomes are the subject of much of the library.
The legislation and the outcomes are the subject of much of the library.

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In his early days in the senate he was a major supporter of space exploration and authored the legislation that established NASA.
In his early days in the senate he was a major supporter of space exploration and authored the legislation that established NASA.

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A large section is about Viet Nam and his personal costs and frustration. He wanted out and could not find a way.
A large section is about Viet Nam and his personal costs and frustration. He wanted out and could not find a way.
There is a mural size photo Earth seen from the moon in one room. I could not for the life of me get a picture of the whole thing, the spot light on the earth would make it look white like a moon.
There is a mural size photo Earth seen from the moon in one room. I could not for the life of me get a picture of the whole thing, the spot light on the earth would make it look white like a moon.
Inspiring fellow.
Inspiring fellow.
Recreation of his Oval Office.
Recreation of his Oval Office.
His desk and chair.
His desk and chair.
A better view of his desk.
A better view of his desk.
His rocking chair.
His rocking chair.
63"
6’3″

I also enjoyed seeing the more personal side of the Johnson family – the place settings Lady Bird had designed for their time in the White House, the weddings of their daughters, the grandchildren, the causes she loved (especially wild flowers). There were also displays of what she accomplished, we got to see her office she used daily, some of the gowns she wore, and some of the gifts given to them from other countries. Lovely museum.

Their china pattern.
Their china pattern.
Ladybird.
Ladybird.
View from 10th floor out Ladybirds office.
View from 10th floor out Ladybird’s office.
She worked 5 days a week up to her final illness.
She worked 5 days a week up to her final illness.
We were delighted to see Ladybird at Multnomah Falls in Oregon.
We were delighted to see Ladybird at Multnomah Falls in Oregon.

Michael and I got a kick out of learning about the “Johnson Treatment,” where, it was said, you knew you were done when he started breathing in your mouth because he was standing so close. He would also poke you to get his point across. Sounds like a real character. Could not believe he died at only 64, as he looked much older to us.

The Johnson treatment. My memories of him on television giving his speeches is so very different from who he really was in life.
The Johnson treatment. My memories of him on television giving his speeches is so very different from who he really was in life.
You could pick up the phone and be a fly on the line, listen in to a dose of the Johnson treatment.
You could pick up the phone and be a fly on the line, listen in to a dose of the Johnson treatment.
"When he is breathing in your mouth, you are done."
“When he is breathing in your mouth, you are done.”
Edie was intimidated by his picture, I told her three times to get closer, this was it.
Edie was intimidated by his picture, I told her three times to get closer, this was it.

There were many gifts, like all the other libraries.

Gifts of state galore.
Gifts of state galore.

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There was an exhibit around the library that had some wonderful, none related items.

Babe Ruth signed baseball.
Babe Ruth signed baseball.
I totally preferred the Disney version of Davy Crockett's fate.
I totally preferred the Disney version of Davy Crockett’s fate.

We left and went to a nearby Walmart to get a few items, then on to Whole Foods to use their internet for awhile. While we were sitting in Whole Foods, the storm started coming down with the thunder and extreme lightening (very close). At times the lightening strike looked like it took up the whole sky. Did not like it at all.

We were getting hungry so Michael went on line and found the best rated Tex Mex food in the city. We decided the food we had in College Station was not real Tex Mex, and since we would be leaving Texas tomorrow, we wanted to try the real thing once. We went to Maudie’s Milagro. It was a lovely place with outside or inside seating, which we opted for inside due to the storm.

Upscale Tex Mex in Austin Texas.
Upscale Tex Mex in Austin Texas.

The food was excellent! Michael had a burrito (actually two but they called it one); and I had a taco and cheese enchilada. We also tried queso, which was really good when it was hot, not so much when it cooled down (tasted like Velveeta cheese to me).

Chips and fairly hot sauce.
Chips and fairly hot sauce.
A little black pot of melted cheese. Edies taco.
A little black pot of melted cheese. Edie’s taco.
My chicken burrito.
My chicken burrito.
My rice and beans.
My rice and beans.
Edies cheese enchilada with rice and beans.
Edie’s cheese enchilada with rice and beans.

We left and drove home, which was interesting with all the lightening strikes across the sky. Pretty stressful. Glad to get home in time to have our Sunday night date – PBS watching “Poldark.” Tonight was the 2 hour season premier and it was really good.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!