journey

After Las Cruces we return to Texas and reach El Paso in the last western tip of the state. There’s actually not much to see; however, the view from the fine people’s quarter down to the city and to the houses of the Mexican city of Ciudad Juárez on the other bank of the Rio Grande is magnificent. Oh yeah, there are also three historic Spanish missions.

A look at the map shows us that we have to cross Fort Stockton and the wasteland of central Texas again. Kerrville and Boerne are nice little towns to take a break; the destination, however, is San Antonio, the oldest city in Texas. The Spanish-Mexican influence is unmistakable, especially in the five historic mission stations. The Alamo still stands as a symbol of the Texas fight for freedom. The beautifully designed river walk leads to all important attractions. New Braunfels is another city founded by Germans. Lots of murals refer to the German origin, and at the Gruene district both locals and tourists meet for a good meal and a lot of fun.

If you’re already in Texas, you should also go to the sea. Kingsville is home to the King Ranch; you can visit the largest ranch in Texas on a bus tour. In Corpus Christi we look at the Gulf of Mexico for the first time in our lives – we have never been this far south on the globe. We follow the coast, although mostly inland, pass Padre Island National Seashore and take a look around Varner-Hogg Plantation, an old sugar cane plantation from the 19th century.

Once more we spend the night at the seaside (in Galveston), then we leave the coast and drive via NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (a must for all friends of space travel) to Houston, the largest city in Texas. Historic downtown and modern city center are both worth seeing; those who like to see public art will also find what they are looking for.

We definitely can’t miss San Jacinto Battleground; it was here that the Texans won their independence against the Mexicans. Via Beaumont and the Big Thicket National Preserve, a swampy pine forest with snakes, alligators, carnivorous plants and lots of mosquitos, we reach Livingston. Next is Huntsville, home to the Sam Houston Memorial Museum for the first president of the independent Republic of Texas.

In Waxahachie, the red county courthouse tells a very special love story; this is our last stop before Dallas, the final destination of our tour. Once again, we experience a very interesting city; the assassination of John F. Kennedy is a major topic in town. Our round trip through Texas ends with an excursion to J.R. Ewing’s famous Southfork Ranch in nearby Parker.