All week long, I kept mistakingly referring to this body of water as a "river", as it looked like one from the scenery we saw of it. In reality, it's a very long and windy "lake" - Lake Travis.

Soon after our arrival Saturday early evening, we headed out to explore the complex we'd be staying at. So, here comes many descriptive pictures of "The Island", which is the name of where we were staying.

There are two outdoor pools (each very different in shape/style), plus an indoor-lap pool. All three pools have adjacent Jacuzzi's. At no time during our week did I ask anyone to step out of the way of a picture I was taking, so you're seeing the amount of people in all these photos that we saw. I'm sure in a few weeks when school lets out for the summer that things will fill-up a lot more but we felt like we almost had the place to ourselves! I swam laps every day but one, averaging over an hour of straight swimming. Only very few times was I sharing the pool with anyone else.

The boat to the far-right is pulling someone riding on a "tube", as seen in their wake.

Across the lake from us, as far as one could see to the right and left, is Pace Bend State Park.
I used the zoom a bit in this photo, but if you enlarge this to large-size, look at the cliff point on the right side of the inlet and on top of that cliff are people standing. That will give you an idea of how TALL those cliffs are! All of Central Texas has been under a severe drought most of the past several years. We found out from one of the long-time residents at the condo that the lake is currently at the next-to-lowest level he's ever seen it at in his 25 years living here. Typically, he says it's level comes to half the height of the cliffs you're looking at in this shot.

This complex is made up of three very-long buildings. This picture shows half of the center one of those buildings, which was where our unit was located. We were on the first floor, two units to the right away from the "rotunda" portion.

Our unit is easier to see in this photo: left of the palm tree (which died in the heavy freeze earlier this year), and the first one on the first level that you can see the entire patio of, that's to the right of the curving staircase.

In case you're wondering, that light, pale-orange box/(container) in the foreground of this photo is one of several around the property's exteriors. They have plastic bags in one spot that you can pull one out, collect your dog's poop in, and then throw away in another part of it.

My honey and my hero! He STILL makes me smile, and he STILL does his best to spoil me every day!

I couldn't decide which photo of Dave looked better, so decided to keep them both!

Park benches such as this abounded throughout the property, just asking you to sit, relax and enjoy the day/scenery!

This center rotunda of the property has the following inside: bottom floor is the indoor pool/Jacuzzi/separate men and women's locker rooms that each have a dry sauna in them, plus a fitness center that's split into two rooms; middle floor has a bar/grill that's opened Thur thru Sat evenings, and top floor is a restaurant that's usually opened on weekends but currently closed for remodeling.

A picture that shows what ended up being my absolute-FAVORITE place on the whole Island; that secluded park bench, lower to the water than anywhere else and what you can't see in this picture, is that they built a BEAUTIFUL waterfall that starts right about where the greenery is just to my right and falls down into the lake. When you're at that park bench, if you look to your right it's right there! The waterfall's sound makes this spot feel so peaceful! Several mornings I took my book and cup of coffee and went down there to start my day off right. Sticking out from the rounded wall are a few small things that are hard to figure out. There's a later photo that explains what those things sticking out are.

This was the only pool I ended up using, swimming the length of it and back that parallels the river's direction. Dave enjoyed the Jacuzzi many times (and I did, too a few times with him after my swim was over). If you think that I took this picture early on a Saturday evening, it shows how few residents were around, pool-side.

We found out that the ivy on this wall also mostly died during the heavy freeze in Feb this year. The unit right above the archway in this photo had a few hummingbird feeders that were kept busy by hungry little birds and wind chimes, both of which entertained me during my swimming/laying out.

Still our first evening here and walking around to the opposite side of The Island; the side that parallels the main portion of land that The Island was formed off of. Notice the deer strolling around lawns. (Also sadly notice how dried-up this area is that should typically be full of water.)

Okay, so there IS still a little bit of water, but without a LOT of rain soon, I'm sure it will also dry up. However, I took this picture to show the deer that's casually walking across the dried-up land.

Using the zoom a bit to better see the deer feeding in the early-evening hours.

Near the center of the property as you see it when you first drive across the causeway to get to it. To get to our unit from this side, you only needed to walk up that staircase, walk across the open courtyard, and you were at your door. All parking is assigned in the underground garage, with elevators within easy access. Our unit was only two doors from the getting off the elevator from our parking area.

Looking to the LEFT of the causeway drive to get to The Island. (A few photos ago it was looking to the RIGHT of the causeway.)

As we walked towards one end of the whole complex, we started noticing how MANY birds there were flying everywhere! They're Barn Swallows, and have just about taken over the two far ends of the complex that face towards the land-side.

Notice in this shot the Barn Swallows "mud" nests, just under the eve's in this photo.

A very-nicely built patio/BBQ grill/fire ring/picnic area.

There were two large (square) grills built, plus the round "fire ring" for bon-fires. The black pole just to the right of Dave had a water faucet lower to the ground.

Looking thru the glass wall that was behind Dave in the previous picture, into the room that houses the indoor-lap pool and Jacuzzi, full spa, fitness center(s) and men & women's locker rooms that included a dry sauna in each. Because this lap pool was shorter than the lengthof the outdoor pool, I chose to use the outdoor one for my swimming laps (also so I could work on my tan at the same time).

Twilight view from our own covered patio, looking down towards Lago Vista city, which was all down the same side of land we were on, but WAY down, roughly between the two palm trees are, but way down the lake. (The Island is 6.5 actual driving miles from the city of Lago Vista.)

Our first full day there we took a drive, ending up in Marble Falls, TX as our turn-around point, before heading back. This ranch entrance caught my eye on our way, so obviously Dave knew that meant he'd have to "stop to let me get a picture" on our return trip. I really liked the uniqueness of the steel gate & (cactus) fencing. This photo doesn't show the gate that well but the next shot does.

They incorporated "Texas Longhorns", cactus and "The Star of Texas".

The view looking off to the opposite side of the highway from where I took the two previous pictures of the Longhorn steel gate. This whole area is part of what is referred to as "Texas Hill Country" and is beautiful!

We saw a sign off FM 1431 (the road we took from Lago Vista to Marble Falls) for a winery so we headed off to see it. My desire was just to take photos at the winery, but Dave planned on doing a little wine tasting. He never even tasted a drop, after not seeing anything on the menu that sounded like something he wanted to try, plus no one ever asked to serve him! So our jaunt to see the winery ended up being just that; SEEING the winery! However, the weather was beautiful that day and we had no agenda other than going out to see new things, which we accomplished!

Sorry, but I like clouds, too and this one reminded me of an whispy angel flying about.

This made me laugh, so thought I'd keep it in the gallery in case it made you laugh, too! ;-)

Looking down at one of the tasting rooms.

I liked not only the pretty arrangement, but also the unusual light fixture mounted to the wall behind it; I bet it's pretty at night time. (For those who don't get it, the shape of "Texas" with a cluster of grapes over it is sillouetted on the brass light cover.)

They sold these and more sets similar to them, of the salsa dancers that have two goblets of wine included in each painting. I didn't think to note the artist's name but they sell a lot of his/(her) work there.

Looking thru a glass wall into a private tasting room. (Notice more "wine salsa dancer paintings on the wall.)

Can you see the item that seems "out of place" in this photo??? If not, the next picture will give you a better idea.

What do YOU think caught my eye that I wanted to capture on film in this photo???????

Same goes for this photo??? Cute little guy, huh?

More clouds and some color from the flowers in the tree.

I don't know what the bright-green plant was right in front of me, but it sure made a statement! It was probably chest-tall to me.

It's really rare for me to allow myself to be photographed, (and I REALLY want to delete this one), but for memory's sake only, I kept it in. I am currently losing weight and when this photo was taken, I'd lost 42 pounds in just under 4 months, however, looking at me in this picture doesn't look like the me I see in the mirror; in the mirror I look even less-overweight. (I weighed myself at the condo resort later in the week, on the anniversary of my 4 months, and had lost 45 pounds!)

A close-up of grapes hanging from the vine.

back at the condo and out for a walk in mid-afternoon.

Dave and I spent MANYYYYYY hours out on our private patio, reading our own books, having most of our meals out there that I prepared, slowly reading/discussing a book about Hints about Fifth-Wheels, which is hopefully our next lifestyle change that we're trying to get smart about before it happens, and just relaxing.

There's something "ALIVE" and camoflauged in this photo. Do you see it? These shrub photos were taken while standing on our patio and looking right below it. If you haven't found him yet, he's long, skinny and green and blends-in with the leaves.

There was a pair of Cardinals that we saw daily from our patio that live in this area.

This is that waterfall I mentioned before that is located to the right of the built-out pier with park bench on it.

I'm standing on the wooden deck with the park bench and this is the view to my LEFT (the waterfall was just to my RIGHT). We tried to figure out how this unusual column of rock might have gotten to be like it is. It's almost like it was purposely stacked there, not looking like it would have been caused by natural erosion. We never figured it out but it was pretty.

This picture shows just the top part of that rock formation from the previous picture.

Someone else enjoying (my) little pier. People seemed to prefer it over being around the swimming pools.

My favorite spot. The water level is usually closer to the half-way point of cliffside across the lake.

This photo barely shows the almost-hidden three large culverts that the water flows out of to form this waterfall. What's even nicer is that they pump the water up out of the lake, thru large white plastic pipes that are under the small, wooden deck, into the area that's hidden behind the round, rock wall behind the deck I'm on, which has the name "The Island" in large letters for people who are floating by on the lake to see. So they pump the water up from the lake, just to release it for beauty back into the lake in the form of this waterfall!

Behind this wall is where the pumped-up water is turned around and fed into those three culverts in the previous photo. This photo shows the view that boaters on the lake would see.

I'm looking straight down off the wooden deck, seeing the four big hoses that usually wouldn't be seen if the water level was up to par.

Another shot showing our patio; the one with the single door that's in the center of this photo (on the first floor). The green hedge right below our patio wall is where I saw the little green Chameleon lizard at. Actually, we saw a few of them on that hedge during our week's stay.

A close-up of the fountain in the landscaped area our patio looked out over.

The other outside pool and Jacuzzi. There was also another water area up above and behind the two white lions' heads.

The area behind that brick wall between the lions was another small pool, but I didn't see "jets" so don't know if it was a second Jacuzzi by the big pool or just a splash spot. However, what's hard to see in this picture is that it created a waterfall over the brick wall, down into big pool.

One morning sitting on my favorite park bench, I looked (WAY) down and noticed this brown turtle. Since our son, Chris, loves turtles, I took about 5 pictures of him but only kept these two. The next day when Dave and I were down on the same little deck, Dave noticed not only this turtle, but a smaller one with it. Bummer was I didn't have my camera with me on that day or you'd be seeing a picture of TWO turtles!!

Speaking of marine-life, not ONE TIME did either of us EVER see a fish jump in the lake! How weird is that, with all the hours we spent looking out at the water, at all hours of the day and night!

Inside our unit. Our unit was a mirror-image to one other unit in the complex that was this small. Although it had everything we needed and was comfy and cozy, it was only 450 square feet. The couch also makes into a queen bed, so you could have 4 people stay here. Keep in mind that all units are individually owned & decorated. Since we've returned, I've gone on-line and found many others of various sizes (1, 2 or 3 bedrooms) each with differently-decorated interiors.

Behind the wall with that big clock is the toilet and walk-in shower area, with the sink in the walk-thru area on your left.

Standing in the doorway to our room, so this photo shows the true size of the room. No other furniture was in the room other than the bed and one night-stand, however they had an open column of built-in shelves on the wall to my right to keep our (folded) clothing on since there was no dresser. There was also a large closet on the left wall for hanging clothes or storying dirty laundry. The condo resort had a small laundry room at each of the far ends of the complex, with 3 washers and 2 dryers, all FREE to use.

I was standing in the bedroom-to-patio doorway when taking this picture, trying to show the size of covered patio we had. It was the width of our bedroom across, just not very deep.

The view out our front door.

I LOVED this beautiful gazebo that was in the center of the open courtyard outside our front door area!

The courtyard on the other side of the rotunda building portion that made up the total for (our) central building.

I liked our covered gazebo a LOT better than the landscaping that this courtyard has.

Looking down the inner courtyard of one of the far-end buildings.

I walked up to the third floor level, to see what the views of these inner courtyards looked like; yep, still beautiful!

Looking down the courtyard of the opposide end-building.

A closer view from the previous shot, with the next being a close-up of the statue/fountain at the far end.

Tennis courts that are at one end of the property.

Just a shot to show how empty the parking garage was, and it was like this anywhere under the entire complex that we happened to see.

Down at the lake-level, just before heading out for what turned in to my 6-mile round-trip walk. I started at the lake level and then walked up a steep hill to be at the top of the ridgeline, walking towards Lago Vista.

I turned around from the previous photo and took this picture.

Another shot showing those pesky Barn Swallows' nests up under the first floor of units at one end of the complex.

The opposite end of the complex, looking down at their marina.

You see this floating dock that just ends abruptly above a short cliff? The next picture shows that same floating ramp, but going UP the hill. It's a really LONG ramp, and not any of it is in water!

You can't even see the actual end of it!!!

There were a few trailers around this area that I was walking around, mostly boat trailers, but this was the first time I'd ever seen someone use a solid block of CONCRETE to try and keep someone from stealing their trailer!! I'd have thought a chain and lock around the ball/joint would have been easier to use. How will the owner of this trailer be able to use it themselves without having something that can lift that block of concrete out of there?

Headed out on my walk, with the condo resort behind me and looking towards the fancy gated entrance at the far end of this causeway. From where I'm standing up to the top of that high ridgeline is about 1 mile.

No zoom used in taking this photo around noon. The deer didn't appear to be afraid of humans.

Deer all around the gated entrance to The Island at mid-day.

A half-block away from the gated entrance I noticed this giraffe in someone's back yard. I can't say as I've EVER seen a giraffe in anyone's back yard before!

I noticed this deer in the property of the yard that backs up to the one with the giraffe. Pretty imaginative, but wait; it gets even better!

Although it's hard to see in this photo, there's another "limb" sculpture. This photo shows the proximity of the two sculptures, the next photo shows a close-up of the "hunter", who is taking aim as it stands next to the middle tree that's to the right of the "deer".

TOOO FUNNY!!!!

I've now walked up a very-STEEP hill that winds and curves, which is why I couldn't get a shot showing it. However, at the next intersection along the ridgeline I'm walking on, in this picture you can barely see the very light-blue of the lake that was where I'd started at, down at the actual lake's elevation.

Another intersection, again looking in the direction towards the lake that's WAY down there!

The residents of this house had just opened their garage door as I was walking towards their house, and had started the vechicle inside the garage. Do you think the deer on their property were concerned or startled? Nope, they never budged! I guess they think they OWN those people's front yard.

Another shot to show how high up I was.

This ended up being my turning-around point, the first place that had a place I could sit down at during my 90-minute BRISK walk. I forced myself to sit here for 30 minutes to enjoy the scenery of the little community garden park, but also to convince myself that my only option was to make the return walk back the way I'd come. By this time I already had three large blisters on the bottoms of my feet. Dave was in Taylor today or I would have surely called and asked him to come and "rescue me". Oh well, next time I'll know better.

I took several pictures to show some of the flowers that are native to central Texas.

These flowers also attract butterflies, as I saw several varieties while sitting there, which meant several additional photos.

I have NO idea of what type of nut or fruit tree this was, but it had just two pieces of it's crop and when I lifted one of them up, each one was composed of two round balls connected together. Does anyone know what type tree this is? The next photo shows the fruit closer. There was also a bird's nest in this little tree that I got in a later photo.

The bird nest, plus this photo might help someone identify the type of tree by seeing the leaves closer.

Finally headed out to walk the 3 miles back to the condo.

I'm looking ahead and getting the idea that there's a steep hill I'm about to walk down.

Yep, I was right!

Oh well, at least I have pretty views to look at far off in the distance.

What unusual landscape art, and so "life-like" looking, too!!!!

Boy was THIS a welcomed site!!!!! Now if I can just walk the last remaining .2 of a mile to get there I feel I might survive the experience! (Oh yeah, and by now, my feet are killing me!)

One of the three painful reminders of what NOT to do in the future!

Dave returned from his day-trip to Taylor and we headed down to our "favorite spot".

We enjoyed a very-quiet, peaceful, serene sunset.

On the far-left (flat) edge of rocks next to the water line is a grey water Egret that landed. It's image has water behind it. However, it was getting dusk and my batteries were running low on Dave's camera, so this shot didn't turn out that well.

This was the first sailboat we saw on the lake all week.

This was the 4-month anniversary of my "lifestyle change in eating", and after weighing in the lady's locker room, I was happy to say I've now lost 45 pounds in that time. Was it worth changing how I eat/drink (water), and exercise? YESSS! I've still got another 45-55 to go though.

Looking up from the inside at the canopy over the beautiful gazebo in the courtyard near our unit.

Dave has decided to somewhat follow much of what I've been doing and has lost about 10 pounds in just a few weeks' time, with the desire to continue in that same light and lose more, himself.

Looking down from the third floor.

View from the third floor of the pool I swam all my laps in, on another Saturday afternoon and only a few people making use around the pool.

Third floor level, looking thru the glass window-wall to the indoor lap-pool and Jacuzzi.

Another little Buddy we saw while walking down the exterior stairs as we headed back down to the first floor level.

This was one of the two separate fitness rooms, and no, Dave was NOT exercising, just watching the TV while waiting for me to join him.

Here's the second fitness room.

A pool view from inside the main Spa area, with the Jacuzzi at the far-end of the pool, the lady's locker room to the right and the men's locker room to the left.

The day before we left, we headed out for dinner and just outside the main gate entrance Dave noticed this little fawn and mother. How I missed seeing it during the rest of the week I don't know but we HADDDDDDDDDD to stop and get at least TWOOOooo photos!!! These were taken from inside our car, using a little bit of zoom lens so as not to scare the baby.

If there hadn't of been a car that came up right behind us that we were blocking the way of, you would be seeing a LOTTTT MORE pictures of this little guy!

While out driving in another direction opposite from Lago Vista we found this shore line.

Another (or is it the same) sailboat as we'd seen off our patio that was maybe just traversing the curvy-windy-LONG lake?

Dave noticed an advertisement brochure in our unit for a nearby place to eat that we decided to try. It's called The Gnarly Gar and is a floating restaurant. We had a very-nice mid-afternoon meal that took the place of our lunch and dinner. The Gnarly Gar is the white-roofed building to the right, and this was part of the walkway to get down to it from the parking lot.

The empty "slips" that are to the left of the white-roofed building are for customers who drive their boat up for a meal (or drinks).

Yep, Dave got yet another real-estate-related call he needed to deal with before getting any closer since The Gnarly Gar's music was already getting kind of loud.

All of their seating is covered, but outdoors per say. The day was beautiful, nice and warm, in the low 90's, making this shady covering perfect to allow the breeze to keep you cool while watching all the boat traffic out on this busier section of Lake Travis.

These were three of the 9-12 Mallard ducks that live on The Gnarly Gar's decking; however the rest were awake, wandering from table to table whenever a table got served food. (Funny they didn't seem to hang around the empty tables that had no one sitting there!)

There you have it, my memories of our wonderful vacation! Thanks for checking it out and if you're ever in the central Texas area and want to stay at a fabulous place, check out The Island (but try and ensure your unit actually FACES Lake Travis for the prettier views).