Trespassers, Part 2

September 14th, 2010 Posted in Heydey Galvez, Tour Galvez
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Pull in, I directed the driver, my long-suffering yet quasi-adventurous brother-in-law Ken, pull in! And drive around back!

It was a rapidly disintegrating, Spanish stucco affair, with low arched walls and a red-tiled roof. In the weeds, it was. Literally. And, therefore, right up my alley.

Through the gate—we're in!

Through the gate—we're in!

We came to a full stop around back of the house, whereupon Kenny, happily game, and I (the others being put off by the potential for rattling vipers, biting mosquitoes, and stultifying humidity) waded through a thick stand of weeds (where, I realized later, there may well have been a rattling viper or two, the island having once been known as “Snake Island” and for very good reason) and made our way into a rear courtyard. What a sight we saw!

But first, an editorial comment: If this is, or was, a “mansion,” my name is Wallace Simpson. Read the rest of this entry »

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Gambling in Galveston?

September 3rd, 2010 Posted in Heydey Galvez, Party Hearty Galvez
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Like chips and hot sauce or fleas on a dog. Duh!

Once again, the issue of bringing gambling back to the place where gambling was invented (at least in Texas) is heating up, with yea-sayers and nay-sayers on both sides. What a shock.

Historic Galveston seawall

Historic Galveston seawall

But if you ask me, I’m ready to hang my chad and vote YES.

What, are you kidding me? BRING IT ON!

It’s past time for us Galvestonians to recapture a bit of our colorful past. And making a shiny coin or two in the process for this beleaguered but beloved old town wouldn’t hurt my feelings a bit.

By the way, here’s where I snatched the great historic graphic pictured here. And look closely—I do believe that’s the famous Balinese Room pier stretching out into the Gulf, site of all manner of early-forties hijinks, Read the rest of this entry »

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Go Fish, Galvez!

September 3rd, 2010 Posted in Recovery Galvez, Sportfish Galvez
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New 61st Street fishing pier

New 61st Street fishing pier

Old 61st Street fishing pier

Old 61st Street fishing pier

Time to bait your hook, load up the cooler, and head on over to the brand new 61st Street fishing pier—hooray!

At last, the long-awaited and welcome replacement for that lovable old, fun-and-funky fishing pier at the end of 61st that was dashed to the depths by Ike almost exactly two years ago.

While I dearly miss the historic original, its reincarnation measures up pretty darned well, even in the fun-and-funky department. Excellent job, folks!

I took this great shot of the old fishing pier on a trip down to the island in March of 2008, back when I was still living up in Washington state.

I was down here on a mission then, to take a read on the lay of the land (flat), the smell of the air (salty), and the prospects of finding just the right old Craftsman house that would fit me like a comfy old shoe and cast the swing vote on my decision to move here (bingo!).

That was the spring of ’08, and just a scant six months later, Hurricane Ike blew in and sucker-punched this grand old dame, changing her landscape, if not forever, certainly for awhile. In the process, Ike erased the 61st Street pier Read the rest of this entry »

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