Houston.

While I can’t remember the last time I visited Houston (I was two or three I think), I was excited to see my family that lives there. Our cousins Stella and Dan welcomed Rachel and I into their home late on Saturday. We hadn’t made the best time with all the rain in Austin but had navigated the looping freeways in Houston without too much trouble.

“The rain is coming” We insisted. Part superstition, I was traveling with an Oregonian after all, and part actual radar predictions, we were sure the rain would come. Boy, did it rain down.

Early Sunday morning I woke up to the sounds of the storm beginning and it did not blow over for nearly twenty-four hours. Snug in bed I could hear thunder and the pound of fat raindrops. Stella and Dan told us they hadn’t had rain since January, nearly nine months! On Sunday they got nearly five inches of rain.

Rachel and I attempted to go exploring and were semi-successful. We drove past the Orange Show Center for Visionary Arts but most of it seemed to be outside, not where we wanted to be! Next we visited the Art Car Museum which showcase several cool “Art Cars” as well as an exhibit that was all art produced by women. Much of it had very powerful messages and unique presentation. We really enjoyed our visit there. One of the ladies who worked there started up a conversation with me and promoted owning an art car. Little did she know that Velma is well on her way.

Curious I asked, “Do you own an art car?”

“Oh yes, I’ve owned five or six.”

Whoa. It is such a stretch for me to even imagine owning one and she’s already cycled through five? Go figure.

Exiting past a ghoulish looking art car, (part Where the Wild Things Are and part your worst nightmare plus a dash of fur) we headed to the Beer Can House. That is right, a house entirely decorated by beer cans. And yes, all the beer was consumed. One man began the project of decorating his house with beer cans buying “Whatever’s on special” for the job. Unlike most college houses that attempt to decorate with alcohol paraphenila, the Beer Can house is very neat, the cans are cut up and placed precisely and the tabs dazzle as an outdoor curtain.

At this point we had been driving around the rain for quite a while. One more stop for some delicious Enchiladas de Mole and then home! Once safely inside and dry we spent a quite evening with Stella and Dan cracking up at America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Monday was the long-awaited trip to the Space Center Houston. Dan use to volunteer here so he and Stella were wonderful tour guides! We took the tram around Johnson Space Center, watched a video about the U.S.’s achievements in space, and touched a moon rock! Sadly this was also the last place my Oregon water bottle was sighted L

After learning all about space exploration to the present I had a lot of questions about what will come next, but alas the exhibit is not quite up to date as that. We gave our minds a rest while Stella and Dan took us on a lovely tour of the Kemah Boardwalk and out for a delicious seafood lunch at The Aquarium, so called because it has fish tanks everywhere!

Loading up the car once more Rachel and I said our goodbyes and headed to our final stop in Texas: Dallas and the State Fair of Texas.

With love from the Road,

Cara