§ I Disagree to Agree!!!

Wednesday morning it was overcast and turned rainy! Once again, I stayed home, trying to entertain myself without TV! So, I went out and skimmed the news feed. There were a couple of articles that 'caught my fancy'. One was "What Color Should You Wear according to your zodiac sign". Ha! I scrolled down to find Aquarius, and it was one of my LEAST favorite colors! Aqua?! No way. Purple maybe or dark forest green, but aqua. I quickly left. Guess I was born under the wrong sign. LOL


The next article was under the "Local" section of my feed. Here again, I have to disagree with this reported write-up. Where I reside, Corpus Christi, Texas, it was ranked 53 of the top 100 cities in the WORLD, one of the most "loved" destinations to visit ....again, in the world! I swear, where do these journalists get their info? Well, this one happens to come from www.sentiment-index.com. Hmmm.

The Sparking City by the Sea beat out top destinations like French Polynesia, Niagara Falls, Dubai, and Santorini, Greece.
“This is another example of how fortunate we are to live in Corpus Christi because it shows that people want to be here,” said Brett Oetting, President and CEO of Visit Corpus Christi. “Every year millions of people choose to visit Corpus Christi and this ranking shows that they leave happy and fulfilled.” The Leading Places list is based off of consumer sentiment – what people really feel. Tourism Sentiment Index looked over more than 1.6 billion online conversations and content pieces publicly available about 21,330 global destinations to identify the 100 Most Loved Destinations.

Read more

I will step down from my podium now!! I personally would rather watch it rain. See ya later. Bud is taking me out for my birthday lunch. 74 and not afraid to admit it.

§ Bridge Over Troubled Waters....

On Sunday morning, very early...just as the sun was rising, I left for Sunset Lakes Park in Portland Texas. Reasoning behind such an early beginning, I had to use the Expressway to reach the park. And this is where the new expansion bridge is being built....where the Expressway and Interstate 37 and Highway 181 intersect. I have been avoiding that area for a couple of months. I knew it would be a messy situation and no doubt narrowed sections of highway because of all the building and construction going on. To my surprise, since it's been such a while since I've been there...I was in awe, a bit anxious, and quite confounded at the sight! And I was sure glad it was Sunday, early enough for very little to no traffic congestion. I know for sure I'm glad I'm retired and not having to drive this each day to get to work during rush hour.  There wouldn't be enough tequila in stock at home for me to get through this mess each and every day...twice!

What used to be used to enter the I 37 corridor and cut off to highway 181 from Crosstown Expressway, it was a simple maneuver before this new bridge. Just one exit ramp. Now? Oh my goodness!! The exit ramp is now UNDER an overpass. Kinda awe inspiring yet tricky to actually find if you're not familiar with the city. Then, there are a few unfinished sections of highway above my head as I exit! Scary? Kinda! After getting through the construction, I'm now on my way to cross the still existing, still being used, Harbor Bridge. Once crossing THAT, there is more construction on the other side of the ship channel/Port of Corpus Christi. And narrowing lanes and curves. I slowed down to a snail's pace through it all. Finally reaching the causeway that crosses the North Bay and River outlet. Home free! Walking the trail at the park, I enjoyed the ambiance of what nature and beautiful weather laid in store for me, but Hmmmmm, now I had to go back the way I came. Through it all, AGAIN!!


Not bad here, coming OUT of the construction zone
I still sit here at the computer typing this up, seeing the conglomeration of constructions, pylons, stanchions, at one point what seemed like I'd drive right into an unfinished highway section above my head...head on,  and marvel a bit...breathlessly. To see this all come together in a matter of a couple more years will be an engineering feat.

Views from walking the trail...






...and to continue showcasing my Trolls...

↓ My 26th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed Masked Trick r Treater circa: 80s

§ North Beach Video...

I've shown walks along the North Beach in my blog a few times. This time around, I would like sharing a country western songster that made a new, recent, video of his song "A Woman Like That". It was filmed on the very beach of Corpus Christi. And, I think it turned out great.  Tastefully done, showing a bit of the city's culture too.   Here is Johnathan Len's newest released song:

The ship in the background is the USS Lexington, a WWII aircraft carrier that is permanently docked on the shore and now a military museum. This vessel has been used in a few movies and documentaries also.

 

Read more on Johnathan Len HERE

§ Along Shoreline/Ocean Drive...Part I

Hurricane Hanna is now in the past, making landfall south of Corpus Christi. We had high winds, lots of rain, and threatened with tornadoes. The worst was, electricity went out & stayed out for a day and a half. Once the power was restored, I was again a happy camper.


As you know if you follow me somewhat, I try to get my morning walk each day [some days are skipped, but I try]. And I sit early in the morning, before I leave the house,trying to figure out where to go for a different scene and little to no people out and about at that hour for virus issues. Recently, I took a leisurely stroll along the downtown area, on Shoreline Blvd. Part Culture such as art centers, entertainment venues, the yacht club, a park like median between the four lanes of traffic. One side going south on Shoreline is the motel/hotel and restaurants, while the seaside is the culture, parks and seawall. As I said in between the traffic lanes, there is a green belt so to speak...here, I walked the other day:

I stopped in the shade for a while to cool down and sit by the fountain at the art center...I like to call it the fountain of youth.

I then walked the seawall back to the car.  It was getting a bit too populated by that time, traffic, joggers, walkers, boaters and city workers working on cleaning streets, mowers, and landscapers.  Time to leave this area.  And head further down the boulevard to where  Shoreline turns into Ocean Drive.  More smaller parks along the sea side and residential area on the dry side....

Part II coming up.

§ Seawall Walk

I set my camera on panoramic to get most of the seawall in one photo
...the white you see is the walkway & benches and miradors...
...it's approximately 3-4 miles long...
nesstled between the bay and yacht club/parks/beach with
another art center, banks, hotels and restaurants on the other side

The last of the series of my seawall walk consists of heading toward the harbor bridge that crosses the ship channel on the way to Portland Texas. Here, is where I was sure it'd be breezy. But nope. I searched the channel banks as far as I could without falling in the water [don't worry, there is a fence barricade] -I was looking for waterfowl that would normally have hitched a ride as a stow-away aboard tankers coming into port. Nothing this morning. With the hour of the day, the sun position was perfect as I watched the shadows of large semi-trailer trucks above me and listened to the traffic just over my head. I walked a bit more before I headed back the way I came. Some of the sidewalks that meander around the cultural centers was closed for repair work....the coastal ground shifts constantly and roads, streets, and sidewalks are always in need of repair. Anyway, this is a bit of what I encountered...

Along with the new expansion bridge being built [many delays in that "typical politics"] there is also a new port o' call building being constructed - in the photo.

The "old", still in use, Harbor Bridge from a different perspective.  The first of the series of four [above] is one of the four [two on each side] colossal stanchions that hold up the weight of the massive bridge.  It really doesn't show the size much, but trust me, they're big - about the size of a mountain cabin A Frame, and probably from the ground up ---my guesstimation would be about 200 feet high, weighing tons.

About a couple city blocks away from the bridge/stanchions is the Buccaneer Commission. Annually, a large weeks-long event is called Buc-a-neer Days. Parades, Dances, Historical events, pirates, Crowning of Queen and King, one of the largest rodeos in America, etc. is held. [This year, because of Covid 19 it has been cancelled --- or hopefully just postponed 'til Fall. Time will tell] Anyway, this is where all the planning and work on the event is done. It's a year long job. I cropped this one photo to show you the sword-fish rodeo rider that is the logo.

...further along the area on different streets I can find many go-to venues.  Selena Auditorium that hosts the Corpus Christi Ice Rays [hockey] and oftentimes Disney on Ice shows, plus American Bank Center that has off-Broadway shows and many concerts with celebrities such as Willie Nelson, George Strait and more of the 'modern' stars.  There is an art museum, an Asian history museum, a science and history museum, a playhouse [Harbor Playhouse] which is one of my favorites!  There, they have classic plays and musicals such Christmas Carol, Cats, and many others from well known authors' stories made into plays...with a very large sized stage [and the many we've attended, well done and quite entertaining!]  In the same area, is the historic homes showcased each year with a street fair. Also, across the water, the nationally-famed Texas State Aquarium and USS Lexington [WWII aircraft carrier turned museum]. On the back side of the bridge along the channel is the Houston Astros' Farm Team Ballpark, Whataburger Field.

Top left/right -Asian Museum
Bottom left - Texas State Aquarium
Bottom right - Harbor Playhouse


...this concludes my round-about walk along the seawall and beyond.  Oh, one more thing.  catching fish or  virus?

Part II 

Part I

§ Wings...

Part 1 of the seawall walk was all about shrimpboats.  This part, part two is a few of the winged creatures as I sat on the wall by the water watching the activity on the bay...

The loud squawking of the Great Blue Heron broke my reverie. It flew up to the light pole just a short distance from me and perched. In fact, it allowed me to walk right up under it before it took off for better horizons...

...the brown pelicans seem to ignore the social distancing rule also! Out in the bay, on the breakwater they were! Corpus Christi's "Chamber of Commerce" nickname is "The Sparkling City by the Bay". This seems to epitomize the name:

These two gulls followed me when I walked to the end of the area to get a panoramic view of Shoreline and the walkway that follows the gazebos and the yacht club to end at a sandy beach. Anyway, I think they were expecting me to magically produce a snack or two. Sorry to disappoint.

Next, in my final and last post at the seawall, I ventured off the sidewalk, and walked behind it, to the harbor bridge. I ended up taking a few "off perspective" images and will share; all upcoming in a short while.


PART I

§ The Sea Wall

Friday morning, I left home with the outdoor temperature hovering in the mid 70s. I found myself at the seawall. I didn't want to go to the islands...again. I didn't want to go to Indian Point Park or Sunset Lakes...the new harbor bridge construction has the interstate and Portland highway in construction turmoil! I didn't want to go far. 'Cause I figured by the time I got my walking in, the heat would be my own personal enemy. Needless to say, I surmised, if I walked the seawall, at least there'd be a morning breeze coming off the bay...Not on your life! It was so sitll and humid.  Not a lick of air moving. I couldn't have been more wrong. But walked anyway, I did. Not far. Only 2.5 miles of my usual 5 miles. After walking, I stopped and watched the shrimp boats. They were out in droves, so to speak. And I love everything about them [altho you wouldn't catch me on one since they're so ratty-looking; as if they'll spring a leak in the rusted hull and sink any time],  -I like the shape, the mechanisms, the netting, the shrimpers and the crew working all the paraphernalia ---not to mention the gulls and pelicans following them for handouts!!! The sea sparkled, the morning light cast the boats in shadow, it was a pretty [and peaceful] sight. One more thing...forgive me with this...but, you could say "I went OVERBOARD with the shutter button". Several; way too many photos:

...another episode of the walk along the seawall coming to a blog near you!

I just didn't take my walking all that seriously this time around; much stopping to take photos, and once I actually stopped on a bench in the shade of the watergarden to cool off before going on.