Lubbock from the airplane window

We spent the weekend in west Texas, in Lubbock to be precise. We were with friends visiting their daughter, who's enjoying her first year at Texas Tech. We had passed through the town about 5 years ago on our way home from New Mexico, but had never stopped. My impressions:

From the air the surrounding farmland was really fascinating. It was marked in circles for crops and irrigation, and although most of it was a shade of brown, there were green spots. I kept expecting to see huge primitive figures a la South America for the landing of space ships.

If the farmland was brown, so was the city. But, it's the end of winter, everywhere in north Texas is brown, and we were just fortunate that it wasn't white, since snow is predicted across much of our area today. Instead, it was in the 70s with bright sun shine. That, of course, makes today's terrible cold (both at home and in Lubbock) much harder to bear. It's March! Come on, weather, lighten up!

South of the city, we visited two wineries. I think the tasting room for Caprock has to be about the prettiest I have ever seen. Inside wasn't bad either. The Llano Estacado facility was smaller, but just as friendly and interested in our business. Thumbs up to both of them, and I have a list to be looking for at the area stores.

The Tech campus is impressive, with its library looking like on-end books and the engineering building appearing like a (now very old) calculator. Clever.

I wouldn't mind visiting again because 1) it was just a good weekend and left a smile of an impression and 2) I didn't get to all the used bookstores and antique malls while everyone else was at the basketball game. I told them not to waste the money on a ticket for me, I'd rather explore the city. Yeah, right.

Just sign me 'special interest shopper.'