You can’t tell upon a cursory glance, but Galveston has recovered a lot since Hurricane Ike. And even though it’s in the middle of winter, people are still migrating from the north to catch a glimpse of the gulf. Even Schlitterbahn is open with its indoor pool. (I don’t see the appeal, but to each his own.) MeVs was there with three main itinerary items: The Aquarium Pyramid, Festival of Lights/Ice Skating, and Hotel Galvez/Bernardo’s.
We were particularly excited about the aquarium for the penguin population. The one in Dallas has a few scattered here and there, but not enough to satiate our need for cute glacial Aves. I do have to say the the Moody Garden’s landscaping is top-notch. There is something seductive about a line of well kept palm trees. The Rainforest Pyramid was closed for construction, but the exterior view of monoliths took us a second to take in. That is pretty much where the magic ends. The aquarium wasn’t anything too spectacular. Not even the penguins. Birds waddling around in their ennui existence doesn’t exactly scream enchantment.
The Festival of Lights was also anticlimactic. The lights were there, but the festival part was definitely left to be yearned. There were plenty of people walking around the park, but the spirit of Christmas wasn’t. Especially when I overheard a Mom reprimand her child, “Why would I get you that stuffed penguin when I can get it at the dollar store for cheap?” Yes, because holiday cheer is sold at the Dollar Tree. The ice rink was a mid-size party tent with a cramped skating area. The only redeeming exhibition of the night was a fire performer that managed to draw in a vivacious crowd generously exalting oohs and aahs.
Hotel Galvez was an interesting experience for MeVs. We came expecting a Rick’s Café Américain feel, but ended up with more of a “Hotel California” eeriness. Understandably, the hotel wouldn’t be filled with zestful humans in the winter, but the empty halls and restaurant made it hard for MeVs to not feel vacant inside. At 12:00, no bellboy was there to greet incoming patrons, no one manned the counters, not a soul could be seen. Hotel Galvez is without a doubt the antithesis of Caesar’s Palace. (Bernardo’s crab cakes deserve a mention. Nothing but crab. Seriously, no fillers. Perfect!)
The city was definitely not a marvel, but as we drove down the Sea Wall at night, we inadvertently looked up through the sunroof and saw an agglomeration of twinkling stars. It brought everything into perspective: There is beauty everywhere, no matter how simple. And we suppose that is the appeal of Galveston. It’s dirty most of the time, it’s not a city of hustle and bustle, but it’s certainly a charming little place – one we’ll certainly return to time and time again.
