Should your travels take you to Alpine, Texas, this is my advice: book yourself into room 208 at the Holland Hotel. It’s got a balcony that overlooks the main drag and (AND!) the train depot. But it also has good balcony-related scenery, like this railing, which caught the early morning light in a very nice fashion.

If you don’t like sound of frequent train whistles, though, you might want to stay someplace else. (Like Denver.) There are a LOT of trains that go through Alpine.

The bartender at the Century Grill, conveniently located in the hotel lobby, makes a very nice dirty martini. Enough of those and the train whistles won’t be a problem.

And, if you head a couple of blocks down the street, stop in at the Saddle Club. When I was there, relaxing* on the open patio in back, a photographer was shooting various menu items. At one point, he brought me over a plate with chicken skewers on it, saying, “Would you like some chicken? I haven’t even touched it!” How could I say no to a deal like that!?

Alpine, Texas
photographed 8.18.2013

*Shiner Bock. It was VERY relaxing.