New Braunfels & Gruene Photos

On the same trip during which my mom, sisters and I visited San Antonio, we also spent some time in the small Central Texas towns of New Braunfels and Gruene (Grüne). If I move back to Texas, the central part is where I would most like to live. While the landscape around Houston is pretty flat, this area of Central Texas is so hilly that it is also known as "Texas Hill Country." Central Texas is an area rich in rivers, lakes, nature, and what passes for culture in Texas ;-)

"Gruene" is a form of the German word for "green." In Texas, when we speak about the town of Gruene, we pronounce it "green." Texans also seem to have a problem pronouncing "New Braunfels." The most correct pronunciation I've heard sounds like "New Bronfels." Less elegant degredations include "New Bronsfel" and my least favorite, "New Bronsfels." The word is not spelled "Braunsfel" or "Braunsfels," people. Get it right! (just kidding, sorta) New Braunfels is named after the Prinz zu Solms-Braunfels, a German noble who came to Texas when land was given out free of charge to European immigrants. Here's a young German visitor's take on Austin (he mentions new Braunfels, as well -- all in German, though).

"Braunfels" is German for "brown rock" or "brown crag." "Wurst" is the German word for sausage. New Braunfels hosts an annual Oktoberfest called "Wurstfest" (sausage celebration). It's interesting to note the imprint German and Wend (German-born slavs) immigrants to Texas have left on the state -- in architecture, music, town and street names, as well as general customs.

Tubing is great! Rent an inner tube for a few bucks, throw it in the river, and float down to a central meeting point, near the Schlitterbahn (slide way, approx.) water park, where a bus picks you up and drops you back off at your starting point.

Schlitterbahn offers seasonal jobs to young, non-US citizens. Their busy season is over for 2004, but they start taking applications for Summer 2005 in January. There's also a new Schlitterbahn water park on South Padre Island, off of the Texas Gulf Coast, near Mexico.

My sisters and I tubed down the Comal (in new Braunfels) a few times. Tubing is also fun with large groups. Each person gets his/her own tube. Add a few extra tubes to hold ice chests for food and drinks for the whole group. Then enjoy the day, floating lazily down the cool river (with lots of suntan lotion on).

The Gruene Mansion Inn is a quaint little Gasthaus in Gruene, on the Guadalupe River (pronunced gwa da LOOP ay in Spanish, and gwa da LOOP by most other locals).

The chairs at the end of this breezeway (belonging to the Gruene Mansion Inn) look out over the Guadalupe River.

Texas trucks and German architecture. Strange mixture? These are some of the guesthouses at the Gruene Mansion Inn.

American classic and German architecture. That Chevy was a beaut.

Porch and windmill overlooking the Guadalupe.

Gruene Hall is "Texas' Oldest Dance Hall."

Gruene Hall has been in operation as a dance hall since the late 1800's

Its first customers were primarily German immigrants to Texas.

We ate dinner at the Gruene River Grill before heading back home to Houston. I strongly recommend this restaurant.

I was impressed with the quality of food (pdf version of the menu), wine selection, drinks, atmosphere, architecture, view and service. On top of it all, the prices were reasonable and the portions were huge. I think it's possible to dine outside on the deck (Terasse) overlooking the Guadalupe during the high season.

I took this and the following sunset pictures from the aforementioned deck of the Gruene River Grill.

Henry D Gruene's German parents immigrated to Texas in the 1880's. Henry, or HD, founded the town of Gruene, opened a mercantile (in this building), and also built Gruene Hall so local German farmers and businessmen would have a place to socialize in the evenings.

Tourists from German-speaking countries who visit Gruene may be pleased to learn that Bratwurst and Kraut are also available in town.

And the best part of all, if you're in Gruene or New Braunfels, you're always close to Oma's Haus. (I think THIS Oma's Haus is actually pretty kitschig (kitschy) - although maybe your Oma's Haus is, too). Oma is German for "grandma," in case you were wondering.