In Galveston
Galveston is an island on the gulf coast known for its resorts and amusement parks. In the 19th century it was known as “the Wall Street of the South” and was one of the major ports of the country until the devastating hurricane of 1900. The event is still ranked as the deadliest natural disaster in the US (at least 6000 victims). This piece of history is clearly visible as we visit the Strand in the center of the city. It’s a major street with historic buildings and once we get out of this street everything is pretty much abandoned. The city never fully recovered economically. On the beach the Pleasure Pier shows how thick headed humans can be. It’s been rebuilt 3 times after hurricanes. First an amusement park, then a pleasure pier for WWII navy soldiers (then converted as an hotel), and now an amusement park again.
The beach itself is the contrary of heavenly, it’s crossed by a large pipe and the horizon is filled with oil rigs and cargo ships. The water is brown and even the sand looks dirty. Welcome to the gulf of Mexico!
A ferry ride east of Galveston island is Bolivar Beach flats, a drivable beach, and our campsite for tonight. It feels good not being in a Walmart parking lot!
