Galveston

It's a little late to be posting...
The few times I've been to Galveston I've been rather ho-hum impressed, I have to admit...

The first time was in college, when I'd driven 10 hours to a friend's wedding in Pasadena. After the wedding reception my driving buddy and I headed to Galveston just because, no reason.
The instant the scent of the damp, heavy, humid, gulf of mexico air filled my nostrils I got sick, really nauseous sick. I suppose it could have been the crudities at the wedding reception earlier, though I doubt it. My friend pulled into the parking lot of Joe's Crab Shack and without so much as a hello, how are you, my legs marched me and my green face directly to the restrooms where you know, the cakes and crudities saw daylight again.

Since we were young, not romantically attracted good friends, and college toughskinned, we didn't give a second thought to just parking my tiny '79 toyota corolla on the sea wall and decided on sleeping in the car. Afterall, we were good kids, and wouldn't even consider getting a motel room. What would people think!? We walked the sea wall in the dark, the gulf breeze feebly 'refreshing,' as that nauseous feeling never really let off.

We brushed our teeth with bottled water, spitting over the sea wall into the gulf of mexico. It's one of those memories I'll always cherish.
Eventually we got in the car to sleep. He in the front, somehow making his 6' 4" frame of bones "comfortable," and I in the backseat, much smaller frame, curled up in a knot.
I was never happier to get back on the interstate and head back to the high country of Arkansas.

Some years later I visited Galveston again. This time I was with my family, my husband, and my boys, then age 3 and 7. I had a much nicer time then, and I did not get nauseated from dank air. In fact, the air was not dank, that I recall. It was breezy and humid at the same time. We enjoyed it. The beaches in Galveston are flat and brown, and the waves are boring, but other than that it's rather nice. We also visited the old battleship and submarine museums and the amazing aquarium there. We ate seafood and bought souveneirs. A puffer fish on a string, a pirate ship, a canvas beach bag. We stayed in a condo highrise, and the boys discovered Cartoon Network - the Power Puff Girls rock!

It was still ho-hum, in 2002, but in a much nicer way. I am sure Galveston is a wonderful place for many people, and we have friends who go there every year and live in a condo right on the beach. Perhaps we will have more tips and insight from Galveston lovers on what to see and do while there next time.
That's it. My Galveston stories.
Glad it didn't get blown away by Rita.