Continuing South

We set off on San Luis Pass, Galveston. We have to cross back onto the mainland; the gps wants us to turn around and go back the way we came. Surely there is a bridge? Yes there's always a bridge. So why do we have to turn around?
I ring the RV Park we have just left and ask if we are able to go over the bridge ... "yes - sure".

It is a toll bridge; the toll house entrance proves a tight fit!  But ..... he is good!!!!

Real estate along Jupiter Beach

 

Galveston is on Galveston Island, a barrier island.  It has a rich history which includes Native American Indian, Spanish, French and American. Originally a notorious hideout for slave-trading Gulf Coast pirate Jean Lafitte, Galveston remained in Confederate hands from 1863 to the end of the Civil War. It's golden era was the latter part of the 19th century and by the end of the century it was a booming metropolis, the centre of trade in Texas and one of the largest cotton ports in the nation.



On 8 September 1900 Galveston was battered by the most deadly natural disaster to strike the country. Known as the Great Storm it is estimated that between 6000 and 12000 people were killed. Galveston never fully returned to it's previous level of prosperity.

Tragedy struck again on 13 September 2008 when Hurricane Ike struck. The island continues to recover.

The toll bridge

It's a restaurant!

Today the waters of the gulf are sparkling. The highway then takes us inland; we are on our way to Corpus Christi, one of the fastest growing cities in the state.
We are travelling through vast open fields of rich looking black soil; a crop duster in the distance flies very close to the ground. It is quite windy in these open spaces too! Lots more trucks and more bridges.
Then into the madness of  city peak hour traffic as we approach Corpus Christi on our way to Colonia del Rey RV Park.

This is a biggie!!