Long Center for the Performing Arts

We checked out Austin's brand new performing arts center during "free concert weekend." We saw some really nice classical music performances. The bad news is I don't know if they're going to have any more free weekends, the good news is you can see plenty of music or theater performances here if you're willing to fork over a little cash. If you still want to see a performance for free, the summertime free concerts in the park have been relocated to the park area in front of the center, on Sunday evenings.

View of Austin from inside the center.
Outdoor performance area in front.

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Austin Zoo

The zoo is in a park-like setting; and there's a great variety of animals. I haven't gotten this close to animals before at an American zoo.

The monkey below was very child-like in his attentions to his stuffed animal. He would cuddle it, look at it, pet it, and was completely oblivious to the visitors watching him from just a couple feet away.

This squirrel monkey (eating watermelon below) is my favorite kind of monkey. I don't think monkeys can possibly get cuter than this. I fed a baby one part of a banana on a trip to Costa Rica and it was definitely the highlight of the whole trip.

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