Well, we are home safe and sound. At the beach the other day, I saw a Japanese tourist walking ON THE BEACH in high heels! It made me stop and consider how different cultures view propriety of dress in certain situations. Alongside the tourist in heels, there were "locals" wearing flip flops and tiny swim suits. Maybe how people dress is a matter of "body confidence." I certainly do not feel "qualified" to wear a bikini to the beach, yet there were many people on the beach doing just that -- and not giving a hang what anybody thought about it. Our culture seems to judge people based on their attire and their fitness and I just hope I can help Melina not be consumed by false standards of beauty. She doesn't seem to be as self-conscious as I am yet and maybe with some encouragement from friends and family she will continue to believe she is beautiful, inside and out. It was a wonderful trip -- full of the sun and sand for which Melina had asked. We even made up stories about the seabirds and who they reminded us of back home. When you see her, ask Melina to tell you all about it!

The afternoon passed uneventfully. However, despite the liberal application of sunscreen, both of us are resembling boiled crustaceans. Luckily, Walmart's marketing genius is present here in Galveston and they have aisles of aloe vera with lidocaine for purchase at a very reasonable price.

We ate lunch at the Rainforest Cafe' and my relatively sullen "tween" perked up to the animatronics and purchase opportunities. After a Domino's pizza dinner, at her request, we are back down at the pool -- the best place for the free wi-fi for me, and the best place to win friends and influence people for her!

Tomorrow, we will hit the beach for games and shell seeking while, according to Melina, wearing our wetsuits in order to avoid becoming more sunburnt. Melina is working out the nationality of the current pool dwellers -- French folks who used to live in French Guiana. Today, we have met visitors from New Hampshire, Kentucky, Russia, and Germany. Who would have thought that the Best Western in Galveston was a mini United Nations?

Good morning! Waffles in the shape of Texas? Check! Made a new friend from Kentucky at the hotel pool? Check! Melina is right on schedule for the first full day of her Galveston adventure. She is back in the pool and, bearing a gift I do not possess, is talking to everyone without a hint of insecurity. There is a hotel cat that roams around the pool area and, of course, Melina has made her acquaintance as well.

Galveston, Texas May 2012

On the road again -- this time to the Gulf of Mexico to spend a few days with the sun, sand, and seabirds. Galveston, Texas is our destination as we shake off the everyday and seek to reconnect on a deeper level than our day to day living allows. That said, in order to get to Galveston, one must travel through much of East Texas and Houston. I love Texas for many things but the constant vacillation of speeds along I-59 and the toll road to get to I-45 will never be on my list of "Favorite Things." :)

We made it to the hotel in plenty of time to enjoy the last few hours of sun on the beach. After a wonderful dinner, it was time for --- swimming at the hotel! Not my idea of a relaxing end to the day, but when one is ten years old, apparently, that sounds like the ideal way to unwind before bed. Tomorrow we are plagued with decisions -- should we go to Moody Gardens? Spend the day hanging around the beach?  Or hit the historic homes and museums? Somehow, I think physical activity may take precedence over intellectual fulfillment tomorrow. If you have any suggestions for fun activities in Galveston, post them! Good night!