Galveston is back and ready for visitors.
Miles and miles of Texas. Yes, it’s probably the title of a country song, but lately for me it has literally been miles and miles of Texas. That’s why not many blog postings lately. Weekend before last I was in Galveston for a couple of days and nights……Total mileage to the coastal city from Sherwood Ranch was 1,021 miles roundtrip.
On Wednesday we went to San Antonio and back. Total mileage round trip, 502 miles.
This last weekend we went to East Bernard to marry off our son to a wonderful family. Total mileage….985.
Then it was time for this week’s travels.
Wednesday……………….to San Antonio and back.
Thursday………………… to San Antonio and back.
Friday…………………………to Kerrville and back.
Saturday and then as long as I can…..here in the paradise of Sherwood Ranch. I hope we don’t have to go anywhere for quite a while.
It’s a long ways to anywhere out here in Real Texas.
But, let me tell you about Galveston. We were in Galveston for a fun weekend on the beach courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines. They put us up in the Hotel Galvez which many of you know is right across the street from the Gulf of Mexico. The
Galvez and much of Galveston was hit hard by Hurricane Ike and the Galveston Convention & Visitors Bureau along with Carnival Cruise Lines want everyone to know that “Galveston is Back!” We toured the Carnival Conquest and Carnival Ecstasy as they were in port for a day. The Conquest has been totally refurbished and WOW! It looks great.
We also own Texas Cruise Company and specialize in cruises out of Galveston. That’s why they wanted to show us and a few other travel agents around town.
Guess who is going on a honeymoon cruise on the Carnival Conquest? I’ll tell you 
about that one and the wedding in more detail later on. Here, Ramona had to stop by the Conquest Spa and get a quick neck massage. She loves the Spa on cruise ships and the Spa on the Carnival Conquest is one to die for!
It’s an understatement to say that Galveston has hardly stopped to catch its breath on the road back to recovery. The Galvez is back better than ever. We put on our flip-flops, grabbed a towel, and walked across the street into the Gulf. It’s that accessible.
The Tremont Hotel, another old Galveston standard re-opened last weekend. And all along the seawall the hotels and motels are ready for visitors and ready to serve you. Moody Gardens looks great and we took a tour of the exhibits at Moody Gardens including the aquarium there. We’ve also stayed at Moody Gardens and yep, it’s a pretty fancy place for a country boy.
If there is a runner-up to Real Texas friendliness, the folks on Galveston Island have to be considered for their “can do attitude” and friendliness.
Here’s a contrast for you. We visited New Orleans shortly after Katrina. There are some there that are still waitin’ for their FEMA check. I actually heard that come out of a New Orleans resident’s mouth. “I ain’t leavin my trailer ‘ ’till I gets my FEMA check.”
It’s amazing the difference in attitudes in the Texans from Galveston and some of those in that state to the east. Galveston wasn’t waiting on anybody. From the pictures I saw of the debris field on Seawall Boulevard after Hurricane Ike made a direct hit on the barrier island we know as Galveston, it looked like it would be a while before Galveston recovered.
Not so. They are open and ready for business.
We stayed in a great hotel, swam in the Gulf, walked on the beach, ate till we busted at Fisherman’s Wharf, brought back a bucket load of shrimp to come home with, and enjoyed the weekend very much.
The fish markets are open every day and are located on 19th street. Just head down to the water on that street and there they are.
We also took a short tour of the island and saw a lot of the restoration work going on. Lots on new roofs, paint jobs, new landscaping, and cleaning up has been done. We went out to Beachtown, an exclusive area of large new home, and the building techniques they used worked like a charm. Minimal damage to those very nice residences.
Friendly folks those Galveston residents. Hard workers and ready for business. Can’t beat that.
It’s a Texas Thang.
I’m David Werst back home in Real Texas full of shrimp
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