It’s been a busy, fun few days.  We left San Antonio just before the big rains from Hurricane Patricia hit.  We drove through rain all day to Galveston.  Sometimes it was heavy and at other times just sprinkles.  The news kept saying the worst was yet to come.

I always wondered who were those nuts who drove or even got outside during a hurricane?  Well, we were some of the nuts out driving in it trying to get to our motel we had booked for three nights.  Said prayers all the way to Galveston.

A little rain didn’t keep us from stopping at antique stores and a quilt shop.  We found this cute little shop in El Campo, Texas.

Cedar Chest Quilt Shoppe. It was such a cute store and the ladies that worked there were so nice. We told them we waited until we knew a hurricane was coming before we came to Texas!  This shop had so many fabrics I liked.   I think I have bought enough fabric to keep me busy right through Christmas.   See the quilt blocks on the outside of the shop?

It was raining so hard when we got to Galveston with the waves crashing on the beach.  There were actually people surfing.  Crazy.   Hurricane Patricia is making a swath through southern Texas, Louisiana all the way up to Kentucky.   We found a restaurant for dinner and while we were there, the lights went out.  They didn’t know how to do the bill without the computers.  There were very few in the restaurant, but we felt safe and the lights did finally come back on.

The next morning we found a place called The Sunflower Café.

If you are ever in Galveston, run, don’t walk to this café.  The best Belgian waffles with berries I have ever tasted.  With whipped topping and syrup, yum.   We actually were looking for another restaurant I had read about in the paper, but it was closed.  Serendipity.  We were meant to eat here.

Who wants to ride a ferris wheel in a hurricane?  Me!

We braved the wind and water to be by the beach.  Don’t I look like I’m having fun?!?

Driving down palm tree lined streets to see the sights.

Just like houses in Charleston, Savannah and Wilmington, I am in love with these houses. Look, this person is someone after my own heart.  Flamingos on the front porch.  A big oak tree spreads its limbs over the house.

Lace at the windows.  Colorful houses.  No taupe houses allowed here.

I could have spent the whole day just driving by these houses and taking pictures.  I like to think about the people who live in them. I hope they love them and are happy living in them.

 

Ghosts would be happy to live in this house.  Such potential.  A real fixer upper.  It could be so beautiful.

Driving toward the pier, it looked like a giant ship was sitting in the street.

Several people in our motel were going on this ship.  We talked to a couple who had just gotten off it and they said it was quite a ride through hurricane winds.    Glad it made it safely to port.

I have to tell you about a restaurant we ate in in San Antonio.  Once again, we got off the beaten path and drove out of the downtown to see what we could find to eat.  We weren’t even sure what we were hungry for.  Suddenly we saw lots and lots of cars parked all around this little restaurant.  Let’s go try it, we said to each other.  So, in we went and there was a fun atmosphere with people carrying large bags of food for take out, families sitting and eating and laughing.  A little older lady came up to us with a pad and pencil and asked what we wanted.  I ordered the fish, shrimp and oyster platter.  Huge orders of fish with bread and French fries.  Paper towels at the tables for napkins.  All very informal and the food was very good.  While sitting there, two policemen came in and seemed to know everyone and one of them started stacking the children’s booster chairs like he worked there. We were the only non-Latinos there and we loved it. This is what I love to do when on vacation.  Eat with the locals, not with the tourists and this was definitely a restaurant popular with the locals.

We went on a ferry ride today.  More about that later.  Adios, Amigos.