Sat 14 July 7187 steps
Song: Glen Campbell, Galveston oh Galveston
As a kid at school, one of my favorite poems, by John Masefield, started with the line “I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky.”
That is how I felt after Austin. I looked at the map not sure of where to go next and saw Galveston. Glen Campbell started singing in my head “Galveston, Oh Galveston, I still hear your sea winds blowing.” So that was it and off we set.
There were the usual roadworks outside Houston and I have never seen so many flags. I realized that every car dealer along the way has at least 1 huge flag blowing in the wind.
What a good choice it turned out to be. You cross this bridge to Galveston and it is so pretty. Our campsite was right on the bayou and there was a free concert at Saengerfest Square in downtown Galveston where, for a couple of blocks, you can walk about with drinks in your hand. We popped into a liquor shop and bought 2 cold beers and 2 dinkies of chilled red wine and returned to the square. It was so chilled, there were chairs and tables available; the band, Campfire Soul, was superb, playing a mix of Blues and Rock. The crowds were relaxed and friendly. Some bring picnics. Some get up and dance. We found 2 empty chairs, sat down, watched the crowds and listened to the music till the band took a break. Then we walked around again. There are horse carriages for tours, a variety of clothing stores, souvenir shops, art galleries and loads of places to eat, all open till late. Remember the sun only sets after 8pm. We had a great meal at Shrimp and Stuff. We walked around some more and came across an ice cream shop with a board saying “Name of the day is Kim.” I went in to ask what that meant and got a free double scoop ice cream which was delicious.
Chuckle of the Day: We stopped for lunch along the way and I ordered the “new boneless buffalo wings.” Not sure what I was expecting, but now know that is just another way of selling nuggets.
What I learnt: Galveston, while in Texas, is not about cowboys. We saw no hats or boots on the square or in the restaurant. It has an island feel and they have had the spirit to recover after having been devasted by Hurricane Ike and then the BP oil spill. If my family would join me, I could live there.
Kim's journey 