Today’s post is 1100 words, 31 photos, a 6 minute read. Enjoy!
Hi everyone,
Today is December 24, Christmas Eve. A Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. It’s also my mother’s birthday, she turned 95 today! She’s doing well, somewhat forgetful and at times still the feisty lady that birthed and raised five kids, milked cows twice a day, and had dinner on the table every night. She is the hardest working person I know. So Happy Birthday Mom!
This week I begin a brief tour of east Texas beginning in Houston and the gulf city of Galveston. But first…..
Our first stop in Texas was at the information center where the friendly attendant helped me find information on the places I planned to see while my Traveling Partner was at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. Texas is a big state, there’s a lot to see and do. I think it would take years to cover all the interesting and scenic places. I’ve been to a few like Luckenbach, the Alamo, Terlingua, Big Bend National Park, and Marfa. Those places were fun and memorable, I’m sure I can add more adventures to my list.
Houston
Can’t you just hear Willie Nelson singing: “Going back to Houston, Houston, Houston.” Or was it Dean Martin? Did you know there are over 100 songs about Houston? During my short stay, I didn’t hear anyone singing about Houston. But I did see a lot of tall buildings while walking over to the George R. Brown Convention Center with my Traveling Partner. We even passed the House of Blues, no one was singing there either until later that night. I like the patterns, textures, and lines make by the architects and builders of these buildings. The pandemic and the work from home movement has had an impact on downtown Houston. Some of the shops and restaurants have closed or scaled back. The ballpark and the convention center are working hard to bring people back. One consolation, the traffic is tolerable!
On to Galveston
I had a couple of days to explore before meeting up with my photography friends so headed down I-45 for the one-hour drive to Galveston. Our photography group originally planned to meet in Galveston but we changed our minds when we found out the Lone Star Motorcycle Rally was being held at the same time. It’s a good thing we did. This year was the biggest rally ever with 150,000 motorcycles and 400,000 people! I was in Galveston a couple of days ahead of the rally but preparations were well underway.
After crossing over the Galveston Causeway onto the island, I decided to keep turning right to check out the beaches and marshes on the west end, leaving downtown for later. As I drove along, I couldn’t help but think of the words from Glen Campbell’s song: “Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea winds blowing…..when I left Galveston.”
The city of Galveston, population 53,695, was founded in 1838. Prior to that, the island was under control first of the French and then Spain. Visitors can see the influence of both in the historic city center. It was on Galveston Island on June 19, 1865 when U.S. Army General Gordon arrived and announced to the enslaved African-Americans that slavery was no longer legal, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This event is now commemorated by the federal holiday Juneteenth Day.
Galveston is subject to hurricanes. The Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900 devastated the island with massive flooding, nearly wiping out the town. The death toll was estimated at 8,000. There have been many hurricanes and tropical storms since then but none as catastrophic as the 1900 hurricane.
Today the economy of Galveston is dominated by tourism, shipping, health care, education, and financial services. 
The morning of my visit the weather was chilly (about 50° F or 10° C) and the wind was out of the north at 25 mph. Normal temps this time of the year run in the low to mid-70s. That said, I wasn’t too worried about encountering snakes because of the cool weather but I did watch where I stepped. The most common venomous snakes on Galveston Island are diamondbacks.
I pretty much had the beach to myself. There were a few people off in the distance walking along the shoreline. In the photo below, note the drifting sand from the wind. Needless to say, I didn’t tarry long on the beach. It looks like fun place to be when the weather is more pleasant.
There was a bit of beauty on the sand dunes.
The thirty-two mile coastline of Galveston Island is filled with single family homes, condos, and apartments. Most are built on stilts in the event of a hurricane or storm surge. I liked the use of pastel colors that provided some variety. Below are a few examples.
On the west end of the island is the Galveston Island State Park. This 2000 acre park protects dunes, wetlands, bayous, and shoreline. The park provides opportunities for outdoor recreation such as fishing, bird watching, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, picnicking, and camping. 
On the way back to Galveston driving along Seawall Boulevard, I spotted the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier. There wasn’t much going on the day I visited, much too cold for pleasure. This version of the pier opened in 2012 after the previous Pleasure Pier built in the 1940s was destroyed by Hurricane Carla in 1961. The pier fell into disrepair until it was revived after 40 years. 
From the Pier, I continued east on Seawall Boulevard until it ended at East Beach. Along the road was an estuary where birds were enjoying their mid-day meal. 
The Strand Historic District
The Strand in downtown Galveston was likely named after the well-known London street called the Strand. Or it could be after the German word that means beach, as the Port of Galveston is just a block away. Either way, walking The Strand is like going back in time. In a way, it reminds me of some parts of the French Quarter in New Orleans – the elegant, detailed buildings, the covered boardwalk, the shops. 
Recognized as a National Historical Landmark District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Strand Historic District features several historic markers and plaques. A couple of examples are displayed below. 
As I walked along The Strand, I smelled the waft of cooking food. Without hesitation, I entered the restaurant and ordered a bowl of gumbo with french bread. It hit the spot giving me enough energy to keep exploring.
The other thing I noticed on The Strand was that beer trucks were everywhere unloading pallets of beer. They were preparing for the arrival of the folks for the motorcycle rally in a couple of days. There were are few early arrivals getting ready for the fun.
By mid-afternoon, I decided it was time to head for the ferry terminal on the east end to catch a ride across Galveston Bay to the Bolivar Peninsula. I’ll pick up the story there in next week’s blog post. 
By the way, if you missed last week’s post, click here to read about Hot Springs National Park.
Until then, Merry Christmas and happy travels!
Tom