Before we headed out on this trip, I started looking into things to do around Houston. I soon stopped, however, when I realized that we were only planning on being there 3 days and the whole object of the trip was to visit with Ken’s friends.
As it turned out, a little planning would have been appropriate. Gopal’s grandson was sick enough (stomach bug?) to keep out of daycare so they were babysitting him. Heartless folks that we are, we did not volunteer to come over there. Instead, Ken suggested we drive down to Galveston. So we did. And had a fine time.
Galveston Beach
Ken walking out to dip his toes in the Gulf of Mexico
After lunch (Landry’s Seafood) and briefly playing on the beach, we drove around the island to see what else there was to see and do. We were admiring the buildings in the old section of town and reading plaques on those that survived the great hurricane/flood of 1900, when we came across this structure. No explanation or sign anywhere. After getting home, I was finally able to track it down on Google (don’t ask me how) and found out it’s a piece of public art.
The Mardi Gras Arch – "Evoking the sailing ships that called on Galveston..."
Continuing our ramblings, we got to the dock area and saw signs for an “Offshore Drilling Rig Museum”. What’s our likelihood of running across something like that again? So off we went to the Ocean Star Drilling Rig (and now museum). We had a great time there and highly recommend it. A lucky find.
The Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig is now permanently docked
One of the many brown pelicans observed from the catwalk on our way to the rig
Various oil rig drilling bits
Cut-away of a blowout preventer stack. I don’t know how similar it is to
the one that blew on the Deepwater Horizon in 2010
126 mi, 5:30 hrs, 2:35 hrs moving
[written 1/4/14]
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