Sunday Walk Conclusion...

Some bloggers commented this 4 part series was, perhaps, a very LONG walk. Not really; a little over 3 miles round trip from where I parked the car and back again. I just decided to take a leisurely walk around to show a bit where I live, stopping frequently to stay cooler without heat exhaustion, and to take LOTS of photos.  It's all grouped within an area of the city that is knitted together for a culture section of town.

I conclude the walk with a couple more museums, a xeriscape garden, the Houston Astro's Farm Team Ballpark, and then, the Port of Call...the 'end' of the ship channel, where all domestic and foreign ships arrive and exit our city. So, here we go...

...leaving the Heritage Park Community of Historic Homes, I'm now walking BEHIND the convention center's complex, and will head to the port of call, Corpus Christi's Ship Channel, Harbor Bridge, and back to the art museum where my car is...in between; some museums.

I walk past the Legacy Hall and the Asian Museum...

Still following the northerly compass point toward the Port, I cross a few intersections and now enter the area of the city's local science and history museum. The photo I took makes it look small, but it really isn't. It's multi-storied and has TWO sections [to the left the local/South Texas history exhibits and to the right, the South Texas Science -rocks, minerals, sea life, oil history, prehistoric, etc.]. It's a great learning center for school aged children and adults too...a hands on learning experience in several cases.

To walk a while in some shaded areas, I traversed the outdoor xeriscapes at the Science Museum. Xeriscapting is landscaping with plants, flowers, bushes and trees that survive well in drought. Along with artfully designed rocks, sand, pottery, etc. So very little watering is needed...

...my last stop was the city's Port of Call and the Harbor Bridge jutting nearly 250 feet above the channel waters [and about 140 feet ship clearance]. It's estimated that this bridge transports 26,000+ vehicles per day. [A NEW and HIGHER bridge is now under beginning construction to be opened approximately by 2021]

At night, the bridge is lighted!! During the Christmas Season, if you happen to be in the culture area as I have shown the past few blogs...the city has piped in Christmas Carols playing from dusk to dawn. All coming from the bridge. Open your windows, or walk the same route I did and you'll soon be in the holiday mood!

...What's under the bridge? Why the Port o' Call of course!! With a world renowned explorer, a Bronze Statue of Christopher Columbus, dedicating the area as seen in first photo at the beginning of this post. And a busy, 24/7, Channel of Ships!! Looking UP the channel to the turn-around, there are granaries, oil refineries storage, docks galore, and the beginnings of train tracks to ship cargo inland. Along Navigation Highway you see semi truck traffic; as the transporters collect goods and begin their journey aboard semi-tractor trailers to all across Texas and parts unknown through USA.  Looking DOWN and away from  the channel, you see the wide open Gulf of Mexico.  Perhaps in the distance you spot a tanker leaving the port on the horizon,  or one gigantic ship being piloted into the port from, perhaps, Brazil, South America.  Off to the left as you face the channel by quite a distance, the Houston Astros' Ballpark where the draftees are learning to play as the coaches watch and perhaps decide on a special player....for instance  San Francisco's Giants, Hunter Pence, had his major league beginnings with Corpus Christi Hooks to then start his very first season with the Houston Astros before ending up being traded to the Giants...

...the sun was beating down on me by now, I decided to cut my walk short of my daily goal. Back to the car through the museum district and into some cooler air of the car's A/C...

This concludes my little part of Americana here in South Texas along the Gulf Coast.  Happy 4th of July to all of us who celebrate the holiday.


part I
part II
part III