Spring has officially sprung here in Texas! Although I'm already complaining about how hot the Houston weather is (I'm going to miss English summers), I'm loving being able soak up the sun whenever I get the chance. A few weeks ago my sister and her boyfriend came home from university for Spring Break. Taking full advantage of the weather, we headed to Galveston for the day.
Galveston, Texas is only a short 45 minute trip away. To our disappointment, when we arrived on the island there was a coastal haze obstructing our view. Despite the fact the sun was shining we could barely see the water! So, we opted for a classic gulf coast lunch at the Spot, a famous cluster of restaurants on the island, then a quick walk on the beach before heading back home.
Having grown up in the Houston area, Galveston was always the perfect day-cation spot when I was younger. One of the 'older' cities in Texas, Galveston has been an important city, island, and port since 1839. European explorers however had been using Galveston Island as a stopping point in the 16th - 18th centuries before continuing on to Mexico and Central America. The island is a unique blend of Spanish, French, and Mexican history.
Galveston is most famous for being the location of the most deadly natural disaster in United States history. For those of you who aren't familiar, the hurricane of 1900 hit Galveston head on as a Category 4 storm. Winds reached up to 150 miles per hour, with somewhere around 8,000 people loosing their lives. With no warning systems in place at the time, the islanders had no idea what had hit them. Evidence from the 1900 storm can still be seen today. Residents of Galveston helped develop a seawall, protecting the island from the gulf. The wall, which now stretches over 10 miles, elevates the island more than 20 feet above sea level. Although nothing in United States' history has compared to the 1900 storm, Galveston has seen many hurricanes since, the most recent being Hurricane Ike in 2008 (or as I remember the two weeks we didn't have power or school).
Happy Thursday!
xoxo
Having grown up in the Houston area, Galveston was always the perfect day-cation spot when I was younger. One of the 'older' cities in Texas, Galveston has been an important city, island, and port since 1839. European explorers however had been using Galveston Island as a stopping point in the 16th - 18th centuries before continuing on to Mexico and Central America. The island is a unique blend of Spanish, French, and Mexican history.
Happy Thursday!
xoxo
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