My sister has a crush on Galveston, Texas, and every time she comes to visit, we try to spend a day there. It’s only an hour away, and we’ve even gone during her winter trips, bundled in sweaters, our photos showing bodies rigid from trying to stave off the icy Gulf breeze. It’s not always tropical days and sultry nights on the Gulf Coast.
Cousin Ron calls the Gulf of Mexico the “Faux-cean.” NOT! Waves? Check. Can you surf them? Sometimes, so check. Sandy beaches? Check. Seaweed? Check. Salt water? Check. Seashells? Check. Jellyfish? Check. Dolphins? Check. SHARKS? Check.
That makes it an ocean, dammit.
The Texas and Louisiana beaches aren’t as pretty to me as the white sands of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. And nothing beats the greens and blues of Florida’s Gulf water. But the reason my sister likes Galveston is because it’s old, a little worn down, so it has the same appeal as most Southern cities. In the South, we don’t like everything shiny and new. We like our cities the same way we like our people–with a little mystery, a bit of weathering, a smattering of insanity, and a lot of charm.
On Sunday, Tom and I duly threw the sister in the car and hit the road. Please don’t judge all of Galveston by these photos, as they were mainly taken on the Strand, which is the touristy section of town. They can’t even begin to convey the amazing homes, gardens, and architecture elsewhere on the island. Next trip, maybe.
Here are a few things that caught my eye. In some cases, it almost felt like some of you were standing next to me. I’ll leave it to you to figure that out.
click here for more photos than you can shake a cat* at
