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