Up, Up, and Away!

Skyline of Houston, TX

Upon the morning of my departure, I was ready to go.  While I managed to find some great things about downtown Houston--mainly the beautiful architecture and Discovery Green--I think I spent all of my options there with just a couple of days.  The day of my return flight was a long one--my gate changed twice, the last time really close to the time of boarding--but at least the flight was smooth and relaxing.

The weather alternated between dark rain clouds and blue sky.

Often, cloud litter would fill the sky.

Mountains just look like little bumps. Remarkable in miniature.

Slow accumulation of white thunderheads across the sky.

Followers of this blog know about my love of beautiful cloud formations, especially puffy white thunderheads.  Here, these beauties "pose" for a picture from a different angle.

Entering the vaporous thicket.

Dark storms.

Above and below, dark clouds break apart slowly, permitting sunlight to wash across the desert.

Camelback Mountain, Phoenix, AZ

Finally, home!  I was so happy to see my mountain again.

Random Scenes from Discovery Green, Houston, TX

Discovery Green is a very cool interactive green park situated in the middle of downtown Houston.  It is a beautiful park where families go to picnic and play.  If downtown Houston itself feels deserted, Discovery Green is where urban Houston comes alive.

Here, botanical beauty complements sleek urban architecture.

Usually, this water feature is a very popular play spot.  I took this photo on the morning of my last day in Houston, at a time before the park became fully populated.

This water feature was already teeming with activity.

This beautiful pond is bordered by prairie grass and other plants.  I love prairie plants and the rich texture of their foliage, especially when they are swayed by a soft breeze.

Monument Au Fantome by Jean Dubuffet.

I don't know what this metallic heart is meant to represent and I saw no plaque providing a title or description, but I find the inclusion of hardware images, such as hammers and axes, to be a little disturbing.  What does the industrial theme of this heart mean?

Landscape and architecture come together in harmony.

I haven't really enjoyed the tangled shade provided by a canopy of trees since I moved away from Chicago and the Midwest.  This was a nice reminder of how soothing it can be.

I love these fun, multicolored structures (above and below) and wondered what function they might serve.  Were they some type of play toy?  A couple of explorers informed me they served as entrances to an underground parking garage.  That was a mundane revelation, but I still found them so aesthetically pleasing that I had to photograph them.

City framed by a garden.

More Beautiful Architecture in Galveston, TX

Historic Sacred Heart Catholic Church is one of the many architectural gems you'll discover while driving along one of the main thoroughfares of Galveston, TX. This whitewashed Spanish-style church provides a clean palette to offset the intensity of the deep blue sky.  It helps to provide a lot of beautiful brightness to the surrounding environment.

Bishop's Palace, a beautiful Victorian mansion.  I could live here (and would if I could afford it).

Very stately, with an almost Southern flair.  I love the iron balcony detail that is reminiscent of the French Quarter in New Orleans.

This statue reminds me of old photos I've seen of the Statue of the Republic, a giant statue that graced the grounds of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.

Palm trees help to create a sense of luxury to compliment the grandeur of Victorian architecture.

Downtown Galveston, TX

Galveston is a small Gulf coastal city with a lot of charm.  A survivor of multiple hurricanes, including a large one in 1900, Galveston today sports some beautiful historic architecture that has repeatedly withstood the destructive force of nature.  Being located right on the Gulf, oil, from what I understand, is a big industry in Galveston, and so is tourism.  Along downtown Galveston's historic main street, a tourist can enjoy a wide selection of restaurants, entertainment venues, and art galleries and boutiques.  This is a gem in the state of Texas, and for multiple reasons.

Since I love both architecture and history, I fell in love with many of the old buildings that have stood strong against the test of time and disaster.  I was on vacation, and walking about town with a group of friends, and so I didn't pay much attention to plaques that were placed in front of the buildings.  But I know beautiful architecture when I see it and I want to share some great specimens here with you.

The sad thing is that many of the historic buildings in downtown Galveston are currently vacant, even though they are being kept up rather well.  The vacancy they endure tends to cast a slight shadow of desolation upon the downtown core, and while it is not overwhelming, it does help to provide an undercurrent of the bittersweet upon all of the downtown activity.  Let's hope that changes soon.

I love old Victorian buildings with their rich architectural detail, especially when they are festively decorated "painted lady"-style.

I have never had the pleasure of taking a cruise and was stunned to see the sheer size of this gigantic cruise ship.  When they compare these massive ships to small cities, they are not exaggerating.

Classic nautical themed photo.  Since childhood, I have been fascinated with ships and the open sea.

Above, the Galveston News Building, which was built in 1884 and survived over a century of fair and stormy weather.

Above, perhaps my favorite historic building in downtown Galveston, with all the ornate, multicolored architectural detail of the period that I love.  Vacant, like a number of buildings downtown.  I envisioned opening a coffeehouse here, or a vegetarian cafe, something much needed in the meat-obsessed Lone Star State.

A beautiful and stately historic building.  Downtown Galveston has successfully preserved its old time charm, which is very different from the strip that fronts the Gulf of Mexico.  Galveston is definitely worth the visit.

Horizons

Two beautiful photos of the Gulf of Mexico taken while I was in Galveston, TX.  These pictures of water, combined with the current season, remind me of the Jewish custom of tashlich, a practice conducted by Jews on Rosh Hashanah in which we cast off our sins from the previous year, embodied in the form of bread crumbs, and scatter them upon a large body of water.  Enjoy the beauty and, again, have a blessed new year.