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Overview

Here's a nice overview of the places we saw and things we did in the Lone Star State. You can navigate these pics by clicking the "Slideshow" button on the top. However, I also suggest you click the "View Map" button, too. Then you'll see the reason I liked Picasa so much! The descriptions tell which album the picture is from.

Oct 26, 2009

Photos: 46

Downtown Houston

We walked up and down Main Street, from the downtown Macy's (formerly Foley's dept store) to the JPMorgan Chase Tower. There was a sky lobby at the 60th floor, which afforded terrific views of Houston.

Oct 25, 2009

Photos: 35

Johnson Space Center

One of the first words entered on the moon: "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." We went to the visitors center for NASA's Mission Control, which had lots of kid-friendly activities, from shuttle and rocket mock-ups to a giant playground. I was intrigued by the tour of the actual capsules and space travel artifacts, even touching a piece of the moon.

Oct 25, 2009

Photos: 60

Houston Skyline

One of the more impressive clusters of skyscrapers in the US, there are many modern glass buildings. As someone could gather from my NYC albums, I love taking skyline shots. Many of these shots were taken from the car, as there aren't a lot of hills or water bodies to get the full view. Nonetheless, it was impressive zooming past the skyline on the elevated freeways circling downtown. Most of these pictures were taken by Dulce in the passenger's seat.

Oct 24, 2009

Photos: 27

The Woodlands with Auntie Carmel

A large suburb of Houston, we hung out with our friends Uncle Shawn and Auntie Carmel, whom used to live in Hawaii. Anya and Grant had fun hanging with their new friends: Sky, Phillip, Paul, and Rhea.

Oct 24, 2009

Photos: 40

San Antonio de Bexar

We all took a three-hour road trip, Grant and Anya's longest (hard to do road trips on Oahu). San Antonio lacks the dense skyscraper clusters of Houston and Dallas, so skyline shots were hard to come by. However, I did find the older individual buildings and the street scene very picturesque.

Oct 23, 2009

Photos: 39

Remember the Alamo

My personal highlight, as a history buff. The building itself is surprisingly small; not too much bigger than a house. I guess I was expecting more of a great church-sized hall. Anya was also excited to see this, as we borrowed books and watched Alamo movies before we came out. Grandpa even sent her some toy soldiers from his homemade diorama.

Oct 22, 2009

Photos: 49

Paseo del Río River Walk

The River Walk helped make San Antonio my favorite part of the trip. Lined with restaurants and shops, it's incredibly scenic to wander around; I swear I was snapping photos every few feet. To complete the experience, we had dinner on the San Antonio River itself.

Oct 21, 2009

Photos: 54

Downtown Dallas

Anya remarked "That looks like New York". Not a whole lot to comment on, walls of buildings, but without the lively street scene of San Antonio or even Fort Worth. The downtown Neiman Marcus was fairly interesting, as was the park with the cattle herd. Anya's favorite was the "Princess ball"; because it lit up at night.

Oct 20, 2009

Photos: 74

JFK's Dealey Plaza & Aquarium

"JFK was the president who was shot on the X", should you ask Anya what happened in Dallas. We skipped the museum in the School Book Depository, but the two had fun crawling on the infamous grassy knoll. My friend Marcus recommended the Dallas World Aquarium downtown. Not at all what I was expecting; it was half rain-forest and half aquarium. Good call!

Oct 19, 2009

Photos: 52

Texas State Fair

"Our state fair is a great state fair". A far cry from Hawaii's, which is in a parking lot. We took an early train in the morning to avoid the crowds (good thing) and we did all the rides with zero lines. To complete the day, we had the traditional Corny Dog.

Oct 18, 2009

Photos: 64

Dallas Skyline

Like Houston, some of the better photos came from Dulce shooting from the passenger seat. I did find a nice vantage point across the Trinity River for the night shots, though.

Oct 17, 2009

Photos: 43

Fort Worth

They say Dallas is where the East ends, and Ft Worth is where the West begins. The other city of the Metroplex, it's pretty much linked to Dallas. The similarities end there. The fourth "skyline" in our trip, it's more modest, but downtown seems a bit more lively. Anya was thrilled by the Water Garden, and both kids enjoyed the trolley ride around downtown.

Oct 16, 2009

Photos: 42

Ft Worth Stockyards

Glass skyscrapers? Rocket ships? Trendy furniture stores? Where's the "real" Texas? Right here, with the western wear stores, cowboy booteries, and even a good old-fashioned cattle drive. And don't forget that Texas barbecue! Howdy pardner, indeed.

Oct 15, 2009

Photos: 41

Eating and Shopping

Let's see: BBQ, Tex Mex, Cajun, Biscuits & Gravy, Chili, and Whataburger. Between the catfish, etouffee, brisket, and ribs, Texas a great place for food. We didn't do that much shopping for "mainland supplies", since Target is now in Hawaii. That said, Ikea was a very interesting store, which I enjoyed more than I thought I would.

Oct 14, 2009

Photos: 85

Two Texan Keikis

So, did the kids have fun? The big question when flying 8 hours with a 4-year-old and 7-month old. Our hotel suite was excellent for families, and they both enjoyed the pools. The parks and playgrounds allowed them to burn off energy, especially giving Grant some "out-of-stroller time". So, yes, they both had a wonderful vacation on the mainland!

Oct 13, 2009

Photos: 60

Anya's Impressions

Anya drew some "cards" using the hotel stationery. They were pictures Anya drew for us about her trip. We were surprised by her memory and even her wit.

Oct 13, 2009

Photos: 8

Texas Cities
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Linked Galleries View All

	Martha's Vineyard photos
	New York 2008 photos
	Grant in Tōkyō photos

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