Texas Road Trip 2011

This summer, I was able to take a road trip in Texas, something I had been planning to do before I moved up north, but was never able to accomplish. Although the boss wasn't too happy about it, I'm so glad I was able to see friends I haven't seen in ages!

I flew into the hometown, spent a couple of days by myself and with the parentals, then left on my super awesome road trip.

My first stop was to finally meet this cutie:

Elizabeth Anne Letz.

One of my best friends, I've known since we were 3 when we started dance together, JennyNikki, had a beautiful baby girl a couple of months ago. I wish I had been there to see this baby girl after she had been born, but was so glad I was able to see her now! She is absolutely adorable!

She looks a little shocked here to be taking a picture with me, but that really wasn't the case. I even got to hear her giggle a few times :)


And, from a pic that Jenny took, sweet Elizabeth is standing on my suitcase. She was quite good at that, even though she hasn't quite accomplished sitting up and crawling yet. She only needed minimal help to stand. I can't wait to hear when she can crawl! Jenny will have quite the handful!!!

After spending the night with my friend and her awesome family, I met up with another friend from college, Diane, before heading out of town. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture with her. Don't worry, the next time our schedules align (she's in med school, so I know she's incredibly busy, but she graduates in June!), I'll make sure to get a picture of the two of us!

On the way out of Houston, I managed to hit the lovely (not!) Houston traffic. Made me miss my small town life, and even though there is some traffic, it does NOT compare to this...

...however, on the way to my next stop on the Texas coast, I got to see beautiful Texas sunsets.

My next stop was to visit another friend from high school, my friend KT. She somehow managed to find an awesome job on the Texas coast, working at a museum. Knowing her, this really isn't a surprise, and I'm super glad she's happy with her new job!

While with her, I got to meet her fish, Darth Betta...

...whose fish bowl is the Death Star. Get it?


While there, we took a quick tour of Goose Island, where these awesome oak trees grow...


I got to see one of the oldest oak trees in America, the Big Tree (imaginable name, right?). That's it to the immediately left of me...

the 'big tree'

I love the story that accompanies the tree...

we then drove across the bridge....

to the city of Rockport!

While in Rockport, my friend KT showed me all the fun places. Since she works at a museum there, she was able to show me all the cool sites and since she's a history major, she knows all the juicy details of each site. I loved the backstage (and free) tours of everything!

the Fulton Mansion...

...and the view from the front doors. Maybe I should move to the coast for awhile. If I wouldn't miss the view of my mountains, I totally would! Maybe for my next job/post doc...

Around the corner there is a windmill in a tree. Apparently there was a hurricane over half a century ago which landed this windmill in the tree, and it was never removed. The tree just grows around it now...

Since KT is a museum employee, she knows all the best places to visit. Including the Bay Center, where we saw this huge globe, and got to see all these cool applications that were able to go along with it, including major flights flying around the globe, the ice/snow movements of the winter season, and the hurricanes/tropical storms that were developing. How cool?

We were also able to pose with the super large globe. I admit we had much too much fun...

haha!

and my fav... the world on my finger!

She also took me to where she works...

She showed me all the exhibits and explained them all. I admit I had an awesome time playing on the exhibits. I would make a good captain, no?

The view from the lighthouse adjacent to her building. I really should move to the coast...

KT took me to visit the Texas State Aquarium. It was toooooons of fun, even though I got awkward tan lines!!!!

The walkway to the aquarium. See the whales?


Just a bunch of pictures of me posing, since KT took my camera and I didn't get any of her...


I tried to touch the stingrays...


I did succeed, and they were super slimy!!!!


KT took a picture of me inside a bubble inside an aquarium.


I even picked up a hermit crab! It was small, but the point is that I gathered up the courage to actually pick one up....


I'm so glad I got to see my friend KT!!!! We had an awesome weekend!!!!

After Rockport, I drove to Austin to have lunch (man, I really missed -and still do- Mexican food!) with the brother.

Not the best picture of him....


...and not the best pic of me. Oh well, at least I got to see him!!!!

After a quite brief trip to Austin to see the brother, I drove to San Marcos to see another friend from college, my friend Elise!!!! She wanted to take me floating on a Texas river, but since Texas has had a lack of rain, and we didn't have time to make it to the Comal River, we decided to hang out by the pool at her new place...

Oh Texas sun, how I missed you...


Elise took me out to some Mexican food, which I desired greatly, and we took quick pictures with the Dos Equis man...


hahaha!!!

After San Marcos, I visited the sister in my old town of Fort Worth. I managed to have lunch with my lab and some friends from my old grad school, before I spent the afternoon in my old lab. I really, really enjoyed it! I loved catching up with everyone! I then was able to spend the afternoon and evening with the sister.

She took me to her favorite bar, where they specialize in Prohibition drinks. What fun!

She then took me to this awesome hamburger place, where we got great mugs of beer and fried pickles. Oh, how I miss Texas....


We then spent the evening in her awesomely decorated apartment, where we had wine and watched Disney movies..

After spending time in Fort Worth, I took a roundabout trip home, where I passed through my college town. How much it's grown!!!

Oh, AC, I missed you!

After making it home, I got to spend another day with the parentals before I headed back. I ended up bringing the kitten home. I wish I could have found someone up here to care for him, but I live a little out of the way, and I needed a place for him to get a lot of attention while I was traveling. My parents volunteered to care for him, so I'm glad he got a place to hang while I was gone!

He got to hang out wherever he wanted, included Dad's desk, while the parental's watched TV!


When he wasn't teasing the dogs, he chilled in my room on my bed...


...or in the bathroom.

I'm so incredibly lucky that I was able to spend some time in Texas. I don't know when I'll be able to do it again, but I'm incredibly lucky that I was able to see my friends this summer. Thanks to all that let me stay/meet with them. I can't wait to go back!!!

-amyg