Houston NASA Space Center

 I find myself at this amazing place, the NASA Space Center where education on space travel is very well done.  I call this my "shuttle" pose.

Inside this huge center designed to educate all ages, we stayed from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. My brain is stuffed with facts and information about the space program.

Outside in Rocket Park were a few of these. Inside a long building to protect it from the weather was the huge rocket Saturn.

Saturn. Lots of guests from other countries were visiting.

Wonderful exhibits. That's earth in the distance.

An aluminum suitcase which brought back soil from the moon. I got to touch a moon rock!

An early space module where astronauts floated, lived and did scientific experiments. I learned that humans have been in space continuously since 2000, and that the International Space Station, housing six at a time and accepting guests intermittently, is an amazing place that would be fun to visit. 

Galveston

Galveston, the Texas island with lots of history, was a fascinating destination. This is the Bishop's Palace, one of the many beautiful mansions in the historic section. This place was one of the few that did not blow down in the 1900 hurricane that killed six thousand people.

On the porch of my new mansion.

The Catholic Church bought the Bishop's Palace after the 1900 hurricane for their Bishop. Across the street was built this church in the gothic, moorish style.

Another restored mansion in the area.

Decorating for Mardi Gras.

Some members of our group walk the Galveston sea wall. Afterward we ate gumbo for lunch

Matagorda Bay

We stayed overnight on the Colorado River about 10 miles from Matagorda Bay.

It looked like paradise when we arrived; however as soon as the sun set the fishermen arrived with noisy generators that powered bright lights shining into the river. Unfortunately that was a popular pastime.

The next day was my birthday and the group went to Matagordas Bay to take in the beauty of the area, the dunes, sea and nature center. On the way we stopped at Wadsworth Post Office where a package was waiting me from the good fairie in Fort Collins.

Later I was treated to a delicious lunch for my birthday, sitting out on the veranda overlooking the Colorado as it empties into the Gulf.

Dusk at the campsite before the fishermen arrived!

Port Aransas

Port Aransas is a nice town of 3500. Today I rode my bike around and chatted with Chip who builds sandcastles. I paid $1 to have my name carved into a dome. I'm the owner now.

Tshirt in local shop:

I'm on the free ferry for a 5 minute ride crossing the chanel for ships from the Gulf of Mexico to enter the port of Corpus Christi.

From the shore of the chanel see the size of my car ferry as a huge tanker sails through.

This is the spot from which I took the above photo.

Bird Watching is a main activity here. I went up on the platform in the photo and saw an alligator sunning in the reeds.

This photo is taken from the top of that platform looking toward the Gulf.

Yesterday was the Inauguration! To celebrate I went to Corpus Christi. This house is in the historical district. Love those wraparound two story porches.

Winter Texan

Winter Texans. That would describe those of us from all over the USA, particularly midwest, who are in Port Aransas in January. The temperature lingers around 65-70 & breezy.
Our RV group is staying on the beach. The sound of the waves lulls one to sleep at night, with the occasional generator kicking in.

Several wanted to view the Port Aransas Nature Reserve early on our first day

Swimming in this community pool is a dream. $1 per swim.

The Community Art Center has exhibits and classes.

Yummy. At the Kiwanis Fundraiser Potato Bake the high school Key Club students for community service serve us the fixin's: grated cheese, sour cream, green onions, bacon, chili, and pineapple.

Centerpieces on the tables at the Potato Bake!

National Service Day - Beach clean-up with a family from Austin, and others.

Padre Island National Seashore

One of ten National Seashores, Padre Island is the longest remaining undeveloped stretch of barrier island in the world.

You can drive all along this shore in a car if you obey the rules of the road. Some people get stuck in the tides and pay a lot to get towed out.

We were in the Malaquite campground, but we could have camped anywhere along the beachfront.

The Visitor Center was the best. We went on a beach walk with Buzz, the ranger, who told us about the hundreds of Portuguese man-o-war we saw on the beach as well as other things. Too bad it was so cold!

 Dave, a Park volunteer and bird specialist, took us out for birdwatching. It was cold and rainy so the birds were hiding out. We saw deer!

The currents throw a lot of sea trash on the shores on Padre Island. Here are some old buoys that washed up during Hurricane Ike.

The Alamo

Mission San Antonio de Valero is commonly called the Alamo. It is located between Houston and Crockett Streets downtown San Antonio. Founded in 1718, it was the first mission on the San Antonio River to protect Spain's colonial interests.

Where are all the hotels and bank buildings?

People like to have their picture taken in the front of the Alamo chapel. The Alamo is famous for the siege of 1836 where Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie and others fought to the death for liberty against the Mexican Army.

There were lots of visitors to the Alamo, several in military uniform.

San Antonio



O the beautiful and famous San Antonio Riverwalk. Many people were enjoying this area.

I thought some people might fall in the river.

 

I heard the Majestic was impressive and couldn't pass up the chance to hear the Symphony play Mozart.

 

The following day I toured the additional four Missions. They were within an area of five miles. There is a bicycle trail being constructed to connect them.

 

 Last stop, Mission Espada. Parishioners were attending Mass. All the old missions still hold services.

Fredericksburg

In Michener's Texas I read about the German settlers in Texas hill country north of San Antonio near LBJ's Ranch, and found Fredericksburg.

On the Main Street the Nimitz home designed is like a riverboat.

A European Courtyard along the Main Street of Fredericksburg

At dusk.