Everything's Bigger In Texas!

This could have been another great post last week when the Blog Around The World (BATW) ladies were visiting as I was showcasing Texas. But oh well... we just visited the Texas Capitol last Saturday and I got all excited about blogging about it. It's a shame to keep this post until the BATW ladies come back, so I hope you enjoy this new Texas treat!!!

Let me tour you around the Texas Capitol - home of the Texas Governor's office, Senate and Representative Chambers - which was built in 1888.

If you are a bird, this is probably how the Texas Capitol grounds looks like:

But since I'm very sure that you are not a bird, you will definitely go in walking at one of the entrances. :)

If you go in from the main entrance, this is what will greet you in the South Foyer:
No, no... not Mamang Luisa, the kneeling lady. Instead, it is the corridor whose terrazzo floors list the 12 battles fought on Texas soil.

Further in is the Rotunda which is also a Whispering Gallery. Stand in the middle of the star and whisper... and hear your own words much louder as the walls echo it back to you. This is really, really cool!


And since there are paintings of the past Texas governors and presidents of the Republic hung on the walls around the Rotunda, you can actually talk to them govs (including Dubya "W") while you are in the middle and no one would know you are talking to them!

Look up and you will see the that the ceiling of the dome has a star and letters around it spelling out Texas. The star is supposed to be 8 feet in length while each of the letters that spell out Texas is 15 inches long.

Here are the Texas Senate Chambers...
and the Texas House of Representatives Chamber:

which looked more like ballrooms than chambers with their fancy ceilings, chandeliers and solid wood furnishings.

Here's some trivia.... Look where more Texas and its star symbols are peppered inside the building...



I better cut this post into 2 as this has gotten to be a longggg post. So....

Come back tomorrow for the pleasant surprises at the North side of the Texas Capitol!!!

Meanwhile, tell me if you stuck around to the end of this post by leaving me a comment. If not, I would think that you were like the bird in the first photo who just flew by...

See you tomorrow!