March 2008 Archives
Oh look, I have a trilogy!
Day 3 of my pseudo-Hawaiian vacation began with breakfast at the aforementioned Golden Corral, which isn't nearly so impressive in the morning hours. It wasn't horrid though, so we ate then headed back to the hotel room to get changed for the day's excursion to Schlitterbahn. Yes, here it was, the beginning of March and about 60 degrees outside, and we were hauling ass to a water park. The interesting thing about this water park, though, is that one section of it is covered and open year-round. The air inside is heated, as is the water. It was near sweltering when we first went into the covered area... 98 degrees according to a thermometer in the children's area. The water was lukewarm, and it was nice.
Day 3 of my pseudo-Hawaiian vacation began with breakfast at the aforementioned Golden Corral, which isn't nearly so impressive in the morning hours. It wasn't horrid though, so we ate then headed back to the hotel room to get changed for the day's excursion to Schlitterbahn. Yes, here it was, the beginning of March and about 60 degrees outside, and we were hauling ass to a water park. The interesting thing about this water park, though, is that one section of it is covered and open year-round. The air inside is heated, as is the water. It was near sweltering when we first went into the covered area... 98 degrees according to a thermometer in the children's area. The water was lukewarm, and it was nice.
Saturday morning came early, but it wasn't too difficult to get everyone up and going. We went and had breakfast, then headed to Galveston's historic Strand District. Our first stop was the Railroad Museum. Kobey wasn't terribly impressed with the displays inside the main building, so we made our way to the model railroad building. This was a bit more exciting--the display takes up most of a small room. At first glance, it doesn't seem like much. I was thinking "oh wow... two trains", but when you look closer and see all the detail, it is quite interesting. There were buildings and landscapes, and it was detailed right down to the garbage cans behind the shops. There were deer in the foothills of the mountains, rivers, lakes, a farm, many businesses, a car accident scene-complete with flashing lights on the police car. It was really neat!
Afterward, we walked through a few rail cars on the first track that housed memorabilia and facts of the history of the railroad. Again, Kobey wasn't really into it. The next track proved a little more exciting as it was actual train cars as you would have found them through the years. Kobey's favorite was the sleeping cars. We had to persuade him to come down off the bunk so we could continue on. We looked at a variety of different styles of train cars before coming to the last track... Track 5. There were only 3 or 4 cars on the last track, and a large group of people milling around.
I had, without Kobey's knowledge, purchased tickets for a train ride. We pointed to the shiny engine and caboose and told him that it was a special train that everyone really wanted to see. So as it pulled into place, we stepped on and kept him distracted for a short time until we started moving. His eyes were HUGE! The attendant told us to wave at anyone we passed, and Michael and I were kind of tickled that so many people waved back. We traveled past the cruise ship terminal and the original depot for Galveston Island. We then proceeded to go back to the museum in reverse! It was a short trip, but well worth Kobey's excitement.
After leaving the museum, we headed up The Strand to explore the shops. We stopped by my personal favorite business there, the candy factory. Kobey got 2 chocolate-dipped strawberries (each was bigger than his palm!), Michael got Tiger Butter and a chocolate soda, and I chose some assorted truffles. We sat at a small table and enjoyed our treats before heading back out. About another block down, we saw the horse-drawn carriages. We stopped to look at the prices and were offered a discount for the hour-long tour. Neither Michael nor myself had ever done it, so we agreed. (and trusting souls they are, you pay AFTER the tour) Our horse was named Doc and we learned he has an affinity for red wine. The driver was a friendly woman that was, in my opinion, a little too interested in sharing the details of Galveston's Red Light District with us. She brought us through neighborhoods that I had never seen before. The streets were lined with gorgeous Victorian homes and she told us a little bit about most of them. She also showed us one of the gorgeous historic churches, which received chuckles from Michael and I when she pointed out that the round window at the top of the face of the building was, in fact, a pentagram. She told us that it was intended to be the star of Texas, but that the contractor had gotten irritated with his client about something and purposely installed the stained glass window in a way that the five-pointed star was inverted! I couldn't help but laugh about it. Our driver also gave us some history about the hurricane of 1900 that all but destroyed the island. She pointed out a clock on the corner of one of the streets, which is still set to the time that it was when the storm hit the island and the clock stopped working. That kind of gives me goosebumps. We also were shown the building where a member of Hillary Clinton's campaign team would be later that day to help rally support for her candidacy.
Apparently the hypnotic sounds of horseshoes on the paved roads proved a bit much for Kobey, because when we finished up the tour, Kobey was unusually cranky. So we ended up having to cut our activities short and went back to the hotel for a nap.
We had to go to Wal-Mart that evening for me to get a swimsuit and Kobey got a couple of puzzles to keep him occupied in the hotel room. We ate at Golden Corral, and I immediately got hooked on it again. (I hadn't been in years!) Then we headed back to the hotel room to just hang out and watch TV.
Afterward, we walked through a few rail cars on the first track that housed memorabilia and facts of the history of the railroad. Again, Kobey wasn't really into it. The next track proved a little more exciting as it was actual train cars as you would have found them through the years. Kobey's favorite was the sleeping cars. We had to persuade him to come down off the bunk so we could continue on. We looked at a variety of different styles of train cars before coming to the last track... Track 5. There were only 3 or 4 cars on the last track, and a large group of people milling around.
I had, without Kobey's knowledge, purchased tickets for a train ride. We pointed to the shiny engine and caboose and told him that it was a special train that everyone really wanted to see. So as it pulled into place, we stepped on and kept him distracted for a short time until we started moving. His eyes were HUGE! The attendant told us to wave at anyone we passed, and Michael and I were kind of tickled that so many people waved back. We traveled past the cruise ship terminal and the original depot for Galveston Island. We then proceeded to go back to the museum in reverse! It was a short trip, but well worth Kobey's excitement.
After leaving the museum, we headed up The Strand to explore the shops. We stopped by my personal favorite business there, the candy factory. Kobey got 2 chocolate-dipped strawberries (each was bigger than his palm!), Michael got Tiger Butter and a chocolate soda, and I chose some assorted truffles. We sat at a small table and enjoyed our treats before heading back out. About another block down, we saw the horse-drawn carriages. We stopped to look at the prices and were offered a discount for the hour-long tour. Neither Michael nor myself had ever done it, so we agreed. (and trusting souls they are, you pay AFTER the tour) Our horse was named Doc and we learned he has an affinity for red wine. The driver was a friendly woman that was, in my opinion, a little too interested in sharing the details of Galveston's Red Light District with us. She brought us through neighborhoods that I had never seen before. The streets were lined with gorgeous Victorian homes and she told us a little bit about most of them. She also showed us one of the gorgeous historic churches, which received chuckles from Michael and I when she pointed out that the round window at the top of the face of the building was, in fact, a pentagram. She told us that it was intended to be the star of Texas, but that the contractor had gotten irritated with his client about something and purposely installed the stained glass window in a way that the five-pointed star was inverted! I couldn't help but laugh about it. Our driver also gave us some history about the hurricane of 1900 that all but destroyed the island. She pointed out a clock on the corner of one of the streets, which is still set to the time that it was when the storm hit the island and the clock stopped working. That kind of gives me goosebumps. We also were shown the building where a member of Hillary Clinton's campaign team would be later that day to help rally support for her candidacy.
Apparently the hypnotic sounds of horseshoes on the paved roads proved a bit much for Kobey, because when we finished up the tour, Kobey was unusually cranky. So we ended up having to cut our activities short and went back to the hotel for a nap.
We had to go to Wal-Mart that evening for me to get a swimsuit and Kobey got a couple of puzzles to keep him occupied in the hotel room. We ate at Golden Corral, and I immediately got hooked on it again. (I hadn't been in years!) Then we headed back to the hotel room to just hang out and watch TV.
After much discussion and a reality check or two, Michael and I determined that we just could not afford a trip to Maui this October for his sister's wedding. With a quick "maybe next year" to appease ourselves, I immediately immersed myself into planning a mini-vacation for us. Kobey was set on going to the beach and having a picnic (not necessarily at the same time), so we planned around that. I checked around, did some research, spending hours on the web daydreaming about the perfect no-fuss vacation, I decided to stay close to home and visit Galveston Island. I figured since we knew how to get there and how to navigate the island, it would be easy. (no printing out several pages of driving directions only to find out, in the middle of a town where you have never been, that the mileage is 13 miles off! Don't ask...)
I made reservation for The Commodore on the seawall in Galveston, and we left before noon on Friday, February 29. Our first stop was Wal-Mart in Bridge City for sand toys, a kite, and batteries for the digital camera. Our first adventure came about upon exiting Wal-Mart. At this particular store, they have a corn dog stand outside. The aroma reminds you of a fair or carnival, and Kobey let us know quickly that he was hungry. There is a lone picnic table beside the stand, and it turned out to be the site of our first Wal-Mart picnic. Kobey was ecstatic! He shared his nachos with a flock of eerily brave grackle.
We finally set off on our way. Despite the lack of toys or other entertainment, Kobey managed to keep himself occupied with reading signs along the road. As we waited in line for the ferry at Bolivar Peninsula, we laughed at the seagulls and listened to Michael read from his Drizzt book. Once aboard the ferry, Kobey couldn't get out of his seat fast enough. We stood outside the car and watched the pelicans and seagulls.
We went to the hotel straight away to check in and unload the car. Then we walked across the street to the beach to play in the sand. I will tell you right now that despite the firm warning "Stay out of the water", we all ended up drenched. It is impossible to walk along the water's edge and not get soaked to at least your knees. Kobey's pants were holding so much water that he couldn't keep them up and flashed all the passersby with his spiderman underwear. I took some photos of the surfers, Michael and Kobey, the water and the beach. I sat where I felt was a safe distance from the water to show Kobey how to build a sandcastle.
First of all... I suck at making sandcastles. Somewhere deep in the back of my mind, I had myself believing that I was a true architect of sand. I packed the bucket with not-too-wet sand and patted it firmly down, then flipped it over and onto the beach. I tapped the bottom of the bucket to release the sand and lifted it away slowly, expecting perfection. I watched in disappointment as the sides of my castle began to crumble. Luckily, Kobey was too busy splashing along with Michael in the water to notice my failure. I patted the sides of my sand hill and watched them play in the water. I might mention that my shoes were beside me, with my camera inside one, a safe 12 - 15 feet from the incoming waves. The next thing I know, my shoes are floating away from me and my butt is soaked because a rogue wave came crashing all the way up to where I was sitting. Kobey ran up to me screaming and complaining that his sandcastle was getting wet as I scrambled to grab my shoes and check my camera. Luckily, they survived. We walked along the beach a little more, then made our way back to the hotel where we cleaned up and changed clothes.
We decided to go to The Rainforest Cafe for dinner. I have to say that after having experienced Disney World, this place just didn't appeal to me as much as it used to. Kobey liked it though (and who doesn't love glasses with flashing LED lights in the bottom?) We ordered a Volcano for dessert, which is accompanied by waitstaff and patrons alike yelling "VOLCANO" as they bring it to your table. For those of you that don't know, the Volcano is their signature dessert. Vanilla ice cream surrounded by rich chocolate brownies, hot fudge, and caramel; and is topped with whipped cream and a sparkler. The three of us split one and left a bit overly full. (though Michael's wallet was $95 lighter-ouch!)
Outside the entrance to the cafe is a store with touristy stuff, and now, a build-a-bear workshop. Kobey is a fanatic about stuffed animals, or as he calls them, friends. We were in the spirit of vacationing, so promised him something. He was hovering over a basket of toy alligators when he spied the furry friends out of the corner of his eye. We were led over to the build-a-bear area, where he pored over the selection of friends for several minutes before choosing a giraffe. We complimented him on his choice only to be informed that he needed one more. I looked at Michael and he nodded, so we waited while Kobey picked out a leopard also. He got in line, picked out hearts for each friend, made wishes, and had them stuffed. When they were filled to his liking, they were sewed up and we went to "groom" them. Thankfully, Kobey decided to bypass the clothing/accessories. But as we got up to the cashier, he told us that they needed babies. And, as luck would have it, they just happened to have miniatures for sale. So we ended up with four friends when we walked out of the store.
We went back to the hotel and took showers/baths, then called it a night. (after all, shopping is exhausting if you do it right!)
Stay tuned for Day 2!!
I made reservation for The Commodore on the seawall in Galveston, and we left before noon on Friday, February 29. Our first stop was Wal-Mart in Bridge City for sand toys, a kite, and batteries for the digital camera. Our first adventure came about upon exiting Wal-Mart. At this particular store, they have a corn dog stand outside. The aroma reminds you of a fair or carnival, and Kobey let us know quickly that he was hungry. There is a lone picnic table beside the stand, and it turned out to be the site of our first Wal-Mart picnic. Kobey was ecstatic! He shared his nachos with a flock of eerily brave grackle.
We finally set off on our way. Despite the lack of toys or other entertainment, Kobey managed to keep himself occupied with reading signs along the road. As we waited in line for the ferry at Bolivar Peninsula, we laughed at the seagulls and listened to Michael read from his Drizzt book. Once aboard the ferry, Kobey couldn't get out of his seat fast enough. We stood outside the car and watched the pelicans and seagulls.
We went to the hotel straight away to check in and unload the car. Then we walked across the street to the beach to play in the sand. I will tell you right now that despite the firm warning "Stay out of the water", we all ended up drenched. It is impossible to walk along the water's edge and not get soaked to at least your knees. Kobey's pants were holding so much water that he couldn't keep them up and flashed all the passersby with his spiderman underwear. I took some photos of the surfers, Michael and Kobey, the water and the beach. I sat where I felt was a safe distance from the water to show Kobey how to build a sandcastle.
First of all... I suck at making sandcastles. Somewhere deep in the back of my mind, I had myself believing that I was a true architect of sand. I packed the bucket with not-too-wet sand and patted it firmly down, then flipped it over and onto the beach. I tapped the bottom of the bucket to release the sand and lifted it away slowly, expecting perfection. I watched in disappointment as the sides of my castle began to crumble. Luckily, Kobey was too busy splashing along with Michael in the water to notice my failure. I patted the sides of my sand hill and watched them play in the water. I might mention that my shoes were beside me, with my camera inside one, a safe 12 - 15 feet from the incoming waves. The next thing I know, my shoes are floating away from me and my butt is soaked because a rogue wave came crashing all the way up to where I was sitting. Kobey ran up to me screaming and complaining that his sandcastle was getting wet as I scrambled to grab my shoes and check my camera. Luckily, they survived. We walked along the beach a little more, then made our way back to the hotel where we cleaned up and changed clothes.
We decided to go to The Rainforest Cafe for dinner. I have to say that after having experienced Disney World, this place just didn't appeal to me as much as it used to. Kobey liked it though (and who doesn't love glasses with flashing LED lights in the bottom?) We ordered a Volcano for dessert, which is accompanied by waitstaff and patrons alike yelling "VOLCANO" as they bring it to your table. For those of you that don't know, the Volcano is their signature dessert. Vanilla ice cream surrounded by rich chocolate brownies, hot fudge, and caramel; and is topped with whipped cream and a sparkler. The three of us split one and left a bit overly full. (though Michael's wallet was $95 lighter-ouch!)
Outside the entrance to the cafe is a store with touristy stuff, and now, a build-a-bear workshop. Kobey is a fanatic about stuffed animals, or as he calls them, friends. We were in the spirit of vacationing, so promised him something. He was hovering over a basket of toy alligators when he spied the furry friends out of the corner of his eye. We were led over to the build-a-bear area, where he pored over the selection of friends for several minutes before choosing a giraffe. We complimented him on his choice only to be informed that he needed one more. I looked at Michael and he nodded, so we waited while Kobey picked out a leopard also. He got in line, picked out hearts for each friend, made wishes, and had them stuffed. When they were filled to his liking, they were sewed up and we went to "groom" them. Thankfully, Kobey decided to bypass the clothing/accessories. But as we got up to the cashier, he told us that they needed babies. And, as luck would have it, they just happened to have miniatures for sale. So we ended up with four friends when we walked out of the store.
We went back to the hotel and took showers/baths, then called it a night. (after all, shopping is exhausting if you do it right!)
Stay tuned for Day 2!!
