Skip to main content

Day 3 - Galveston

We got an early start on Saturday morning, hoping to avoid the beach rush.  We shouldn't have worried.  I think this was the quietest I've seen the beaches.  We discovered it was a motorcycle rally weekend and thought we might try hitting the state park instead of the public beaches.  However, the low traffic on the seawall (meaning we had our choice of parking) and the fact that part of Seawall Blvd was closed, we opted for the public beach.  We didn't bring swim suits so it was only a wading and collecting shells trip.  It was the 1st trip to any coast for N, H, and Z.  It was the 1st memorable trip for C.  A sort of remembers our trip to St. Augustine, FL when she was 3.



N didn't care for the water flow back out - you know when the sand comes out from under your feet and it feels like you are being washed out with the water.  Everyone else had fun in it.  H did make sure she was holding someones hand pretty much all the time.  Maybe the stories of A falling down in the waves scared her enough to stay close?











Overall a fun and wet trip to the Galveston beach!!!

Our next stop was Seawolf Park on Pelican Island.  This was the busy spot!  Cars were lining the entrance to the park; I'm assuming because it's a pay to park and these people didn't want to pay because the parking lot itself was pretty empty.  Fishing in the gulf requires a special salt water license, so we decided not to bring the fishing gear this trip.  Maybe next time.

Our 1st stop at Seawolf Park was to tour the submarine and the destroyer accompany vessel. One of them was the USS Stewart.  I just don't remember which one. 



Aye! Aye! Captain!
 


Steering the submarine.  Even N got in on the fun.  He really enjoyed touching everything he could - tells you how small the submarine quarters are - He could reach everything!!  



Look Mama and C!! 




Aboard the destroyer escort.



After a lunch in the park, we headed to the Lone Star Flight Museum.  Many of the exhibits were on loan.  Several of the planes that did "survive" Hurricane Ike we could see behind some of the main exhibits.  There's lots of damaged windows and who knows how much damage on the inside.  Very glad they are back up and running though.






After spending the day at Galveston, we headed back to the Kemah Boardwalk to see the Golden Knights.  We were able to tour several other military vehicles while we waited for their appearance.



Visiting with a nurse aboard the Army's version of the Safety Helicopter.


The Apache Z and A were able to sit in on Day 2.  The others didn't want go climb in.  They all wanted to climb into one of the tanks, however.  Lots and lots of fun!!





The Golden Knights





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Texas History Tour - Texas Independence - Washington on the Brazos

 Because of all the construction on I35, it was recommended to us to travel across Central TX and use I45 instead.  So, on our trip down to San Antonio, we went north of College Station.  We decided on the way home, to go south of BCS and stop at one last history spot - Washington on the Brazos, where Texas Independence was declared.  (It's was also a nice distance from Goliad and a great stopping point for lunch) The original monument next to Independence Hall This state historic site also incorporates the etched windows.  Probably because of all the trees, these etched windows are easier to see.  We walked down the side streets of town and went down to the Brazos River.  There were lots of pretty flowers and some wild grapes along the trail. Our first glimpse of the Brazos River Here's the area where traders along the river would land and bring their cargo/passengers. Pecan tree that was here during the Texas Revolution We enjoyed the break from ridi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Texas History Tour - Spanish influence - Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo

 After a late lunch, we decided to visit the middle mission - San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo .  It was the largest mission and the one that is most well preserved, being designed a work area for the WPA in the 1930's.  They have done a wonderful job of recreating ruins and painting original colors.  There were also some architecture dig sites this summer.  Unfortunately, being a Sunday, we didn't get to meet any of the student workers.  We did however, get to visit with the park rangers, who had just recently returned to work and the park store was open as well. Mission San Jose was founded in 1720 along the San Antonio River.  It came to be the largest mission on the area with roughly 300 Indians living on the grounds.   "it's a giant turtle with a hole in the back" It's really an outdoor oven. It's a very pretty mission setting. We also saw several wells and cisterns and lots of arches, angles, and other geometric shapes.  Love the c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Texas History Tour - Spanish influence - Mission Nuestra Senora del Espiritu Santo de Zuniga

 On the grounds of Goliad State Park is Mission Nuestra Senora del Espiritu Santo de Zuniga o.  For this visit and our visit to Presidio la Bahia, we deviated from normal Texas afternoon behavior and visited both - in the heat!  Why?  Because mosquitoes aren't as numerous in the heat of the afternoon! Mission Espiritu Santo was where the CCC applied all they learned at the visitors center across the road.  Most of the buildings have been restored/reconstructed and several are used as museums.   The brickwork that we saw from the visitors center and many samples of the colors they re-created.  Spanish culture was very vibrant! We also saw many examples of geometric shapes - shaped windows, rolled arches, built-in wall basins with rounded fronts. "Pirates lived here!" ~ R This mission had many textile operations here - weaving, dying, basket making.... Looks like the window seat we saw at the visitors center. This appears to be ruins of a building....
Post a Comment
Read more