Luckenbach, Texas

As we drove north, from Boerne, Tx, it seemed that every hilltop had been leveled, cleared and a house erected. In the drought stricken hill region it just didn't look right. The same thing is happening in some parts of Wyoming and it just plain looks ugly.
We were on our way to Fredricksburg for a day of sightseeing and touring and I hoped that the town itself would be a real town and not just another tourist trap trying to survive by selling the same types of junk. Again, I was disapointed. All though the building were made of stone and quite charming,(the first picture is the public library), the shops were like any other.
So after strolling main street and eating an ok but overpriced hamburger we drove back to Boerne a different way, taking Interstate 290 and Texas 1376. It redeemed the Texas Hill country charm and beauty.
No mansions on the hilltops, with driveways that scarred the country, nothing really. The high fence of a game farm, a couple of small working towns that fit in with the countryside.
There was one tourist trap made famous in the song, "Luckenbach Texas". Stopping, (its really only a couple of buildings and a bar, it really isn't much as it was an old barn really, but it fit in with the country), and after taking the obligatory pictures we sat outside and shared a Lonestar beer.
A guitar started to play and it seemed so real. I looked and saw that a muscian was playing and as he started to sing we were treated to a country concert. He played and sang and it just seemed right, he was quite talented really. It reminded me of the street muscians of New Orleans.
He forgot the words to one song, could have been the beer, but it didn't matter, it was so good. I found a moment of peace, the reason for traveling like we do. We both enjoyed the music and bought a cd that he was selling. Driving back, we listened, but it just wasn't as good. Steel guitars twanged and other instruments joined his music. Why hadn't he just recorded his guitar work and songs? But it was still good, real good.
We had finally found a small piece of the Texas Hill Country that brought to us the charm and beauty of the region. Enough to make us want to return again, exploring the back roads of the real Texas. Clear skies.