Road Trip 2013 - Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and heading home!

The last leg of the trip was via the great state (and long, hot, boring roads) of Texas!

First up - Galveston - oh Galveston!.....such a mixture of opulence and deterioration.....the grandest of grand?  The Bishops Palace.....

Such an ornate mixture of colored stone, carving, woods, stained glass windows, luxury materials and furnishings.....it is on the American Institute of Architects list of 100 most important buildings in America. 

 Described as Victorian, I found it more Gothic in structure......

 Amazing and beautiful.......

 However, most of Galveston looked like this, a city in need of a lot of TLC and one that has weathered many storms and recessions....I would so love to do this as a fix up but way over my pay grade:

Then on to Corpus Christi so Steve and his brother could pay respects to their dad who is buried there.....

.... right across from Selena....not a bad place to spend eternity!  We also went to Padre Island  and drove around where Steve grew up and the base his dad was stationed on.... can't find my pics of that!

 Stopped in San Antonio for the RiverWalk....it was so hot and humid....not at all like the experience I had a few years ago when Mom and I went and strolled for hours and enjoyed it all.....

 The next a.m. a quick stop at The Alamo.....and headed to Scottsdale via crossing New Mexico....

 The only highlight of New Mexico.....Dan got to break out his First Aid kit when Steve hurt his  toe.  Steve was in pain the entire time with his back and tailbone and spent most of the trip laying on my lap in the back seat as it was the only position he could be in pain free.  I admire the fact that he wanted to do this trip amidst all the pain, pain patches, aching and RX before facing surgery and knowing it will be a long time before he is able to do anything....

 Then after hours and hours crossing the desert...on to Scottsdale!

 Spent time with my brother and in Old Scottsdale....

 Stopped in to see my favorite of favorite Hollywood transplants....

 Enjoyed one more beautiful Scottsdale sunset.....

 ...and crossed the desert between Phoenix and San Diego one more time....

So happy to be home and preparing for Steve's major surgery and a plethora of other things going on.  Grateful and appreciative for this time together and for the next chapter!