Houston, TX (USA)

Would have slept in, but noisy birds woke me up around 0545L. Actually got to watch the sun rise, as a result - not too bad. After checking out (0700L), drove south along the Seawall and found the Galveston Island State Park. It wasn't too spectacular, although it was a better beach than where the hotels were. Sun was shining brightly and there was barely any wind - almost the exact opposite of yesterday. Spent another hour exploring the island: I found the local version of Schlitterbahn (see OCT 2010) and a place called Moody Gardens (aquarium, dinosaur themed museum, garden) in the same area. Bought some souvenirs in the old town and discovered the cruise ship docks. Even checked out Pelican Island for a short time, although contruction forced me to turn around (didn't want to use up the whole day!). One downer today was that my friend (who had inspired the trip) had to depart for one of the Space Shuttle launches yesterday - wouldn't get a special toor after all... Undeterred, took I-45 north to the Johnson Space Center for a tour (arrived at 1000L). The twins visited the place last year for a school field trip but I had never seen it. [When I was thinking about it later, I realized I've now visited all of the important US launch sites - Vandenberg (1995), KSC (1997), Wallops Island (2008), White Sands (2009), HSC (2011). Plus, I got to stop at Kwajelin (2007).] Arrived to find four school buses had beat me - made the lines a lot longer and the tours drag along very slowly. Compared to the Kennedy Space Center (see AUG 1997 and JAN 1998), this place was very regimented and limited in freedom. I actually spent more time in the line to go on the tour tram than I got to walk around at any of the sites. Still, seeing the full-scale mock-up of the International Space Station (complete with two robots: Charlotte, a spider looking contraption that walks on the outside of the ISS & an anthropomorphic figure sitting on four wheels) was a real treat. I also enjoyed walking near the Saturn V (that never gets boring). Met lots of nice people on the tour - mostly locals. Didn't spend a lot of time back at the main building - just looked at the displays and decided time was running short (1300L). Decided to visit Ellington Field on the way out of town (I've landed there several times and know some guys who work there). Wasn't able to make contact with them, though - the place was still pretty interesting. Ate lunch nearby - at Sonic. Heard about major traffic on I-45 south of the city, so I took the scenic route around the east side. The bonus with this was that I got to visit the San Jacinto Battlefield State Park. It was located on Buffalo Bayou (they seem to call most of their rivers "bayous") and Burnet Bay. Visited the place where Sam Houston accepted the surrender of Santa Anna and walked along the water near the battleship "USS Texas." The battlefield monument was HUGE and had a 3-D star on the top. Didn't tour the museum inside it - instead headed back out of town. Leaving the city, used TX-225 to I-610 and then TX-288/US-59 into the downtown area. Had wanted to visit the Menil site (an Orthodox Church taken apart on Cyprus and rebuilt in Houston - spectacular iconography) but never found it (traffic too bad). Couldn't get on I-45 there, so drove out to I-610 again and intercepted north of town (gridlock...). Speeds picked up driving north, but cars were within five feet of me on all sides all the way up to The Woodlands area. Continued for many miles afterward with lots of cars...