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Yesterday, just after sunrise, Bud and I left for a short [but what seemed to take forEVER getting there] trip to the border town of Brownsville, Texas. [South West where the Rio Grande River dumps into the Gulf of Mexico]. We've been as far as Harlingen, Texas before, but we've never driven to the Rio Grande. Guess what? We didnt' make it to the Rio Grande River this time either. We went there for a couple of reasons. To visit the one lighthouse and its museum near South Padre Island over the causeway and into Port Isabel, Texas. And then go to the largest zoo in this area of Texas. Well, while driving the desert Southwest [They call it Texas Tropical Trail, but it's more reminiscent of the Interstate Hwy 19 that goes south from Tucson Arizona to Nogales Old Mexico...sage, cactus and dirt!]...you know you're getting close to Harlingen when the divided highway is lined with tall, stately palm trees on each side and in the middle!! LOL -- that's when the tropics begin to show. Anyway, what makes the drive long for us is for the fact there are many many little towns in between where you have to slow down to 55 MPH and if it's a weekday, some towns have you slow down to thirty-five MPH!!! Ugh! I was driving, and I have a heavy foot! It's torture. LOL So, the drive is about two and a half hours from our home to the town of Brownsville. By the time we arrived it was BREAKFAST! Yay...food. Just food, and eating out of boredom from that long stretch of highway. [By the way, if you ever have the opportunity to drive #77 ---take it easy and OBEY the laws!!!! State Troopers, Sheriff's Deputies, County Constables, and USA Border Patrol all have the right to pull you over!] And they do!! Trust me. [Not to mention coming back...there is a Federal Border Inspection for each vehicle -of any kind- for illegal immigrants! And that takes a lot of time off your schedule as they check everyone's trunks...backs of cars, buses and semi-trucks for drug smugglers and smuggling Mexicans across the border.] After breakfast at a Denny's, we decided to go to the zoo first. We'd never been! And I've been to several zoos across the USA...San Diego's Balboa Park and Zoo, Denver's Zoo, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, St. Louis Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, Tucson Zoos [there are two there...one at Reid Park and another on the west side of the mountain ranges...the Outdoor Museum with Desert Animals], even the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. ---and this little berg in Southwest Texas has by far the best zoo I've ever seen. We spent hours there! Absolutely WORTH it!! Of course, I love zoos! So needless to say, we decided not to take the little jog to Hwy 100 and go to the island and the lighthouse. We shopped, then headed home. Not reaching there until nearly 6PM. [It's only about a 330-350 mile round trip...but with desolation in the landscape, it seems like a 1000 miles. LOL] Another long drive back of obeying the laws of the highway. While there, walking around and marveling at the super layout and landscaping and animal exhibits of this great area...I took pictures. And boy, did I EVER take pictures. Tons of them. They'll come to my blog soon. Whenever I get a chance to upload them. Personally I can't wait to see how they all 'turned out'. I took way too many I know. Stay tuned....
Note: Today marks the 5th year since we relocated to the Gulf Shores and our Texas home...
POSTED: Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
4:54 A.M.
that sure looks like a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteJazz! Lucky girl.
ReplyDeleteAlfazema
sssssh, don't speak so loud about the jazz festival. you may upset hubby for having missed it.
ReplyDeleteand looking forward to your zoo pictures i am!
I love me some saxophone. The festival looks spectacular.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to a zoo since Dear Daughter was maybe about 3 years old!.. And since then they have closed it down.. What a shame that was, as most of us around here remember going when we were kids, and I'm sure all planned to take our grandkids someday!... Can't wait to see your photos!.. Glad to hear you had fun at the jazz fest too! ~tina
ReplyDeletei'm also a fan of jazz festivals. i like the laid back atmosphere and soothing music.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this! I wasn't aware of this Jazz Festival, I'll have to keep it in mind for next year. We usually go to Denton for the big one there since Cait goes to UNT. And I LOVE zoos, so can't wait to see your pix. Have a great day. Kathy
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be there with you, I just adore Jazz! And happy home anniversary!
ReplyDeleteGracie at http://mylittleplace.blog.com
i had a great time looking through your blog today...so creative and unique!!!
ReplyDeletehave a wonderful day~
chasity
That jazz festival looks like it was a blast! I used to go to zoos, but haven't been in so long. You had a good trip, Anni, and I'm glad you shared it with me.
ReplyDeleteOh Jazz... How I love that. Lucky you. I haven't been to one of those since last July. Lucky me I went!!!
ReplyDeleteCheers Anni dear!!
It looks like everyone was having such a wonderful time. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteLove the collage we never have any kind of cultural anything here (burb in Los Angeles) let alone Jazz. Have a great WW!
ReplyDeleteYour page is adorable. I love the little witch peeking over the lines. The jazz festival looks like a lot of fun ... great music.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great road trip. Happy 5 years in your new home.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun festival. I love jazz music. It seems to tell a story at times. We have friends that winter near and around Brownville. I personally have never been there, but have heard it's quite beautiful. Thanks for swinging by to say hello... I love, love love your blog header.. did you do it yourself? It is incredible... hugs ~lynne~
ReplyDeleteThe festival looks like fun! What a trip and the speed limit!
ReplyDeleteHappy 5th in your new home.
Donna
Wow, great pictures. That must have been a lot of fun
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day
Good Morning Anni... Love Jazz Festivals too. Especially outside under the stars. Can't wait to see all your animal photos. It is always better to take to many then not enough! Have a SUPER day!
ReplyDelete(((HUGS)))
Donna
I like Jazz music. So much fun here. The header really looks scary. So creative of you.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day.
That looks like a ton of fun! Happy WW =)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks for leaving a fellow Texan a nice comment. The jazz festival looked like fun and I felt like from your words, I had been there too. Nice job putting all this together.
ReplyDeleteAnni,
ReplyDeleteThe jazz festival looks like it would be a lot of fun. I'm glad you and Bud got to go...and the zoo. I absolutely LOVE zoos of any kind. I'm looking forward to lots and lots of photos.
If you have time, drop over to my blog today. I did a review on The Book of Negroes.
Have a great day. I'm glad you both enjoyed your trip.
Blessings,
Mary
Have not been to a zoo for 30 years...it's about time, wouldn't ya say? Always have the best burgers and brats there--see where MY head (and stomach) is? --grin!
ReplyDeletePEACE, Annie.
Sounds like a fun festival. Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. The horse was on display last Summer, then auctioned off in Oct. 2008. Don't know where it is located now.
It sounds like you had a long but nice trip.It was very interesting reading about it. I also love to go to the zoo,
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see some more photos.
Have a blessed day.
Wowowow I always enjoy your entry, too much to learn and fun to read too! You Rock!
ReplyDeleteI hope you made some pictures of the zoo !
ReplyDeletewhat an adventure to get there and "Big Brother" is watching you all the time ! I hate that ! compared to the States we don't have a lot of controls in Belgium, but I always remember the way from Las Vegas through the desert to Los Angeles where they patrolled by helicopter and we didn't see anybody, lol !
What a fun post! I'm not a Jazz lover myself but it sounds as if you had a great time and that poster for the event is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI can so sympathize with your dread of hours of desolate road driving. My husband has family in Salt Lake City. The drive between the SF Bay Area and SLC is 800 miles and, once you leave Reno on I80 it is desert and tumbleweeds forever! Until I80 finally bypassed the 6 or so little towns along the way (The thriving metropolis of Winnemucca is the half way point.) we used to have to slow down to 35 MPH too! And, until the horrid 55MPH speed limit was lifted it would take us 12 hours to make the drive! Eeewww! Now, we can make it in 9! Yea! Can't wait to see your zoo pictures!
Robin
Oh my gosh Anni! Be still my heart! I love your blog dress! As you already know I love Halloween too! eeeehehehehe...
ReplyDeleteHubby and I are heading down to South Padre Island in Nov. to see my Dad and step mom. They live in Canada but plan to winter over in SPI this year. Usually they travel around to all the adult kids homes and stay a couple of weeks... But its such a long drive and that takes its toll on em! I have never been to South Padre Island and am looking forward to it... I saw photos and its beautiful! Sooooo hit the lighthouse Huh?
Have a fun day Anni! Happy Halloweeeeeen!
~Really Rainey
The jazz Festival looks like it was very COOL *with finger snaps*
ReplyDeleteWordless Wednesday - King of the Field
I love your header!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see zoo pictures!
I love jazz festivals! The atmosphere is always so enjoyable! My husband would get a ticket for sure on route #77..lol...he has such a heavy foot! We recently drove through portions of South Dakota and Wyoming and he was in heaven going 80 miles and hour while I sat there praying for our safety! :-)
ReplyDeleteI love zoos too! Looking forward to seeing your photos of all the animals you saw.
Happy Outdoor Wednesday!
Your photos and the collage assembled from them are really great. I'm so glad you had a good time. It sounds like it was worth the drive.
ReplyDeleteGreat post...you sure covered a lot ground here...
ReplyDelete"One hundred miles one hundred miles you can hear the whistle blow" LOL. I so have empathy with you. I'm a lead foot as well. What an exciting trip. I can't wait to see those pictures also. Wonderful of the Jazz Festival. How fun. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I love Jazz festivals! Detroit is a big Jazz and Blues area and there are serveral big events throughtout the year. We try to get to as many as possible.
ReplyDeleteThe zoo sounds awesome. And I so know what you mean about that drive! We have had to drive so many times across he width of Texas or From OK to Laredo and it is not a fun drive!
What a cute Halloween header! I enjoyed your post too!
ReplyDeleteLove that area of Texas. My Daddy used to fish down thee all the time! Yes, the border patrol does take all that searching pretty serious & they should! Enjoyed your post. Thank you for visting Ms Reba & I for Outdoor Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteThe Jazz Concert looks like a fun event. Whoa...sounds like quite a full day you had yesterday. I'm glad the zoo did not disappoint!!
ReplyDeleteIn November My oldest son and I are flying to El Paso and then driving 4 hours to a little town in New Mexico to see my middle son graduate from Academy there. Glad you made it home safe and sound...
I love music festivals, the jazz event looks like a fun time!
ReplyDeleteReally nice photos of the out door event. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love a good jazz festival!!! Great PHotos.
ReplyDeleteAnd I feel for you driving that long distance! Food always makes the drive better!!!
Rhonda
Good weather for a cool and fun jazz festival. I love your Halloween template!
ReplyDeleteYour Blog looks so great! All decorated up for Halloween : ) Looks like good times at the Jazz festival! Sherri
ReplyDeleteJust looked you up on Flickr Anni! Lovely photos on there. Why not post more? Great fun on there.
ReplyDeleteYou re so clever with your blog. Can you tell me how you add You might like also......
Haven't a clue.
You are so full of Technology! I admire you. Just cant get over what a fantastic blog you have! Well done. I love reading your posts always so....interesting!
That jazz festival looks wonderful. A great way to spend time outdoors being serenaded by great music.
ReplyDeleteKaren
Sounds like alot of fun sweetie.
ReplyDeleteThat jazz festival looks like great fun! Love your halloween stuff!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you guys had fun!!
ReplyDelete