I’m in Texas attending the #NATJA (North American Travel Journalist Association) conference. #visitgalveston Galveston is an island in the Gulf of Mexico, about an hour from Houston. The last time I was here was decades ago, prior to Hurricane Ike in 2008, which caused thirty billion dollars in damages. It has been rebuilt, but absolutely nothing looks familiar to me. … Read More
Galveston, Texas – Day 2
Galveston, Texas – Day 2 If I were going to sum up the day three words would suffice—history, art, and food. The first two conference speakers talked about Galveston’s history, from it’s earliest native Americans to the present day. Sam Collins, a local historian and dynamic speaker, told the story of Juneteenth. Issued in Galveston on June 19, 1865, General … Read More
Galveston – Day 3
In the morning, I met with representatives from the DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations). They gave me lots of great ideas for trips I hadn’t even considered and I’m now thinking of how to fit them into my 2025 travel schedule (2024 is fully booked). BTW, I already have two trips planned for 2025—a west coast trip and London with my … Read More
Houston, Texas – Day 1
The conference ended last night, but I decided to spend an extra day in Houston. My friend Ann lives here, and I hadn’t seen her in a while. Getting to Houston from Galveston was interesting. Last night there were massive thunderstorms with high winds. Many areas of Houston lost power and this morning many streetlights were out. I saw downed … Read More
Houston Day 2
My penultimate day in Texas focused on the art of Kehinde Wiley at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. On my final day, I hunted down lesser-known artists showing their work in alternative spaces. Sawyer Yards was my first stop. I’d read that the area is filled with murals. That is definitely true, but that’s just the beginning. Close to … Read More
Bilbao, Spain – Day 1
I arrived at my hotel at midday. With only about 3 hours sleep in 36 hours, a nap was a necessity, then it was out to explore, even though I remained a bit groggy. As it turns out, my hotel is in the central shopping area and close to the tourist office. That was my first stop. The helpful agent … Read More
Bilbao, Spain – Day 2, Part 1 – The Guggenheim Museum
Bilbao, Spain – Day 2, Part 1 – The Guggenheim Museum Today needs to be split into a couple of entries, because there is just too much for a single entry. I spent many hours at the Guggenheim Museum, it was the major reason I wanted to visit the city. Both outside and in, Frank Gehry’s architecture is captivating. Over … Read More
Bilbao, Day 2 — Part 2 – Soccer and the Old Town
Today is a big day for soccer in Bilbao — the 2024 UEFA Women’s Champions League final is being held at San Mamés Stadium. The tram into town was jammed with fans wearing team gear, singing chants and ready for a good time. When I walked back to the hotel from the Guggenheim, the streets were filled with revelers – … Read More
Spain – Day 3
Well, not really Spain, I spent a large part of the day in France. Whenever I think of Basque culture, I’d only ever heard of it in conjunction with Spain. The tour I took today taught me otherwise—parts of France are considered Basque as well. The Basque region is mostly located in northern Spain, on the Bay of Biscay at … Read More
San Sebastian, Spain — Day 1
This morning, I wondered if I would get from Bilbao to San Sebastian, at least as planned. It was one of those, if it can go wrong, it will days. The bus was scheduled to depart at 11 am. From the hotel to the bus terminal, the trip is supposed to take about ten minutes. At 10:15, the front desk … Read More