Saturday, October 18, we leave our friends out to Phoenix, set a trip through the desert with few places to break the monotony. Last Sunday was hot, a record of 101, so we only stayed two hours and 145 acres interesting Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden, which features arid land plants from around the world. They had lots of Saguaro cactus, which grows to 50 meters and can be more than 250 years.
Monday we left Scottsdale and drove via Apache JunctionFlorence to Tucson. A number of people warned us, there is little in Tucson and they were right! The trip on Tuesday has been from Tucson to Tombstone, first along Interstate 10, which was as dry and boring as expected, but Tombstone was a fascinating place. We wanted only had driven the 73 miles it jumped the day before, and Tucson. This is a genuine piece of Old Wild West. The number of original buildings in town is unbelievable. We visit the OK Corral shoot-outSure, but this is only a small part of the story of a city that once exploded because of its silver mines. When they flooded everything has changed, but the city is still alive, although on tourism. We returned to the road and went to Lordsburg, New Mexico for the night from an arid desert mountains with farms scattered in lush irrigated valleys. At one point we crossed 10 miles at Dust Bowl with the warning signs of dust storms.
Last Wednesday, nearly 60 miles after leavingLordsburg were cross more desert. At one point we crossed the Continental Divide, but the road signs would not be perceptible. In Las Cruces We got in a lush farming valley. Soon we crossed into Texas and were from cattle, with regard to the eye, nose and could smell the slaughterhouses welcomed by the roadside. El Paso is located on the Rio Grande River. The Mexican city of Juarez, across the river is said, much better than El Paso, but the car was not insuredfor Mexico.
We were so anxious to leave the empty desert behind us, we leave El Paso at 6:45 on Thursday to 493 miles to Kerrville. Texas has a limit of 75 miles now fits in sparsely populated areas, and this description certainly the area, "Big Bend. There is no single radio station can only be achieved in some parts. An interesting episode was arrested for finding Interstate outside of El Paso for the U. S. Border Patrol inspections. We stopped after 112 miles to Van Horn, grateful that we have not decidedthe day before and take to stay there instead of El Paso! The nearest town, 232 miles to Fort Stockton had an early lunch, there's nothing to be for another 107 miles! Fort Stockton is a place big enough. It 's the first supermarket and Wal-Mart after he left El Paso!
Kerrville is the first city in the desert ends and there is a famous tourist city in Texas Hill Country. This is a rather charming example of small town America. In mid 1800, when thisArea was settled by German immigrants, has a well preserved area of the main road and the city has a lot of old trees due to its location in the valley of the Guadalupe River.
Friday morning we went to Fredericksburg. It is an even smaller town, but with great historic main street area. The city shows its German immigrant in detail to find, in fact, anything but German food is very difficult! The city has many ancient and usual souvenir shops and a few pubs!After exploring the city that we continue on the highway. 290 in Austin. It 'was immaculate farms and vineyards along the sides of the road. Texas Hill Country deserves its reputation as a performance space. It 'amazing variety of landscapes in the desert just 30 miles west or so.
Last Saturday we took a tour of Austin Duck on a converted ex-British Army in 1960 Vector Alvis Rolls Royce powered amphibious troops. After visiting the city of Austin State Capitol and the areas that we drove into the lake,us a view from the sea! After exploring the city on foot, particularly the famous sixth district of street music in the rain because on Sunday we decided to explore two other small towns. San Marcos is a great all-Lot old square style. Gruene is once again reflected in the German countryside in 1840. All buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. Many are antique and souvenir shops and other restaurants. It 'was absolutely full of weekend visitors.Some had heard a live band in Gruene Hall, reputedly the oldest dance club and lounge in Texas.
Last Sunday we went to Luckenbach. It is a quaint General Store, U.S. Post Office and Dance Hall in 1871. It 'was made famous by two of his usual, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, who wrote a hit with the title "Luckenbach Texas". It 's a really weird place worth a visit. Then we went to Boerne, another historic town of German origin. It started to rain, sodifficult as we only stopped to fill up the car and pressed in San Antonio.
Monday was ideal for visiting San Antonio, sunny and low 70s. At the IMAX theater, we saw "Alamo - the price of liberty." The film aims to prepare us in the history of the famous siege in 1836, to see the Alamo itself, or parts that are still alive. Then we went to the villa and the oldest quarter of 1750, which is now full of crafts, galleries andRestaurants. We also have a disappointing Trolley Tour, who has spent most of his time outside the city. But the Riverwalk boat ride we got was excellent. The river is one level below the streets, and lined on both sides are pretty flowers and sidewalk cafes and restaurants on the river bank.
I can not run along the picturesque river that we never think as if you see it day or night when the lights in the trees and the lights of cafes and restaurantsriver boats add a magical dimension. We had a fantastic dinner at a table near the river at sunset, when the lights began to go further.
Last Wednesday, to Corpus Christi on the highway. 181 The flat landscape has been well maintained lush farmland. Corpus Christi has a huge oil refinery that dominates the street in the city. The only thing that was mentioned to us, the USS Lexington, a former World War II carrier. It 'was very interesting to see in this huge aircraft carriers and their readingExploits in the war against Japan. We drove along the coast to Rockport, which is quite a 'Texas Gulf Coast Resort with a downtown revitalization that is home to a colony of artists and artisans is growing.
Driving along the coastal road on Thursday, contrary to the earlier parts of Texas with a coastal plain area, effectively managed and sometimes swampy at different times. As we approached the southern tip of the island of Galveston, we lost the number of refineries and chemical plants that weres. Fortunately, there were none on the island. It is located about 30 miles from the southern city and at first there were only a few beach houses with long stretches completely deserted beach at intervals. After a stop at a motel, we went to a movie theater at Pier 21 to see how the big storm "that the story of the hurricane, city, September 8, 1900 he met told what to 6,000 deaths. After the storm, the city erected a dam 17 meters high and has raised theLand behind. The business district on the bay at least once, retaining many of its buildings remain. An old style diesel tram runs around the historic area, tram rails in the street.
Friday to avoid the long trip around Galveston Bay, we took the free ferry 20 minutes drive from the port of Galveston, Bolivar. The ferry weaves in and out of the huge oil tankers entering and leaving the Bay. Then we drove along the coast of the peninsula to join us on the road inland hadfor the last few miles in Texas. Top of Louisiana, we left the highway in Lake Charles and took the quiet rural Hwy. 14 to Lafayette. The landscape was very pleased with sugar cane and rice fields, cattle and donkeys nodded mixed. That evening we went to dinner at Prejean, an award-winning restaurant, features live Cajun Cajun music every night. We had a good appetite, accompanied by foot tapping music by a band of three pieces.
Lafayette and the communities immediately surroundingare the spiritual home of Acadiana. Acadians were French immigrants to Nova Scotia, which were banned in 1755. Many finally directed to Louisiana. Find New Orleans already regulated, they settled in what is now Lafayette. This is the origin of Cajun cuisine and Cajun music. Last Friday we saw two fascinating films of Jean Lafitte Cultural Center. It was about the Acadian exile from Nova Scotia and their arrival in Louisiana. The other was on the Atchafalaya Swamp. We had ainteresting visit Vermilionville, a Cajun-Creole Heritage Park and downtown Lafayette explored before driving out of Breaux Bridge and St. Martinville, two cities famous Cajun outside Lafayette. That night we went to Cajun Prejean for a final dinner.
Last Saturday it was foggy when we left. There is no alternative to Interstate, the 16 miles to the Atchafalaya Swamp crosses a low bridge. In the mist of the swamp has seen quite disturbing. We turned south to followthe Mississippi River on the outskirts of New Orleans along Plantation Row, a Louisiana Scenic Highway. Rural areas are very picturesque, but there are many petrochemical plants on the river bank. Due to a flood levy of 20 meters high the river can not be seen from the street. We had a great tour of the beautiful Oak Alley Plantation, built in 1839.
Then he returned to New Orleans on Interstate, who had visited earlier in the year.Leaving New Orleans across Lake Pontchartrain on Interstate. We had to leave Louisiana and turned to Hwy 90, Mississippi River Scenic Highway. After reaching the coast of the Gulf of Pass Christian, the road near the beach in Biloxi.
Sunday we had a lazy day in Biloxi and explore one of the local casino. It was quite small compared to Las Vegas. Biloxi leaving us on Monday, snaked along the Gulf Coast through Mobile, Alabama, and crossed the line in state of Florida. Uspaused, then explore Historic Downtown Pensacola Pensacola Beach over the dam and continue along the coast to coast, the forerunner of these developments, as a celebration of Disney. And 'certainly well done, and is situated on a beautiful beach of soft sand pure white powder. The fees for property owners would cry vacation in Orlando with jealousy. Not ready, their prices, we had a nice room in a quality hotel to be paid directly at the Panama CityBeach for only $ 39.
Tuesday morning we saw the sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico from our balcony on our last day on the road. We reached our journey out on Apalachicola and Carrabelle crossed. This time we saw the "World's smallest police station," we lost our journey. And 'literally a phone booth! We met with torrential tropical rain between Perry and Crystal River. What a way to welcome us back after nearly seven weeks, but after CrystalRiver was the only way home. With a few additional stops to explore and ended up traveling a total of 7,827 miles. We had fun? Yes, immensely. Being on the road was a way of life for a bit 'and now the question is: "Where Next?"
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