ROAD TRIP, WEDDING, ROAD TRIP. PART 1

 

Well, I'm back! After a 3 week vacation across the country. The blue yarn sort of follows the trip

 

 Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Calabassa , California on I-10. Can you get these kind of magnets in Europe?

 Road trip ready? Napkins, flashlight, hand sanitizer, Hula Kitty, check! Ready for a 6 day car trip!

Alabama Welcome Center

 The Doctor. The sign on the door is priceless.

        Mississippi Welcome Center( like the sign says, duh)

 You just never know what you'll find at a welcome center. This is a practice model of a lunar lander.

 Boot prints from a real astronaut

 Look, it's me! Day one and still looking fresh. It was around 100.

 Random signs along the road in somewhere Lousiana. We spent night one in Port Allen, Lousiana. Across the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge.

 Giant star? Must be the Texas Welcome Center.

Six Flags Over Texas.

 The welcome center had a nature trail in the back. Here's a swamp.......

 ....and a alligator snapping turtle. I don't ever want to run into a real one.

No comment, just obey the sign

 Out in the middle of nowhere is Buc-ee's. A giant truck stop, store, rest area, tourist trap. You just have to stop.

 Shamu was on the elevator door at the hotel in San Antonio.

 Night 2 we had dinner here, La Fogata. Amazing Mexican food.

 San Antonio is famous for the River walk. Which is hidden under the street in the downtown area.

 The green railing is street level and the tables are basement level. Lots of shops, bars and restaurants. Which make me wonder how many people fall into the river. Not all of the walk ways have railings.

 Selfies at a roadside rest somewhere in Texas.

 The somewhere in west Texas. Nothing but ranch land.

We spent the night in El Paso, Texas. And the next morning we took a trip to San Elizario, Texas and toured an old mission.

 San Elizario was in Mexico, but a flood happened and the Rio Grande changed course. This beautiful church is the highlight of the town.

Giant Jesus.

The Virgin

Billy the Kid

 This is the old jail. Legend has it that Billy the Kid broke into it to help a friend escape. Hmm......it might be true. A movie called Fandango was filmed here and there are a lot of art galleries. It would have been a nicer time if the Boarder Patrol helicopter wasn't flying low over the town. Mexico is about 1/2 mile from this building.

New Mexico

At the welcome center. We spent the night in Demming and the next morning spent 2 hours at the local museum. The museum has a large collection of Nimbres (probably spelled wrong) pottery. The pottery is as beautiful as ones we saw in Greece. Except there are no human forms, just animal and lines. The place is full of all kinds of interesting things: cars, a bell collection, geodes, cowboy stuff,  a lace and quilt room, old fashion medical stuff, and a huge room full of weird dolls. 2 hours well spent.

Phoenix, yes, it's 3:51 pm and it's 112. Notice that we are in a tunnel under the city, out of the sun. People live here, by choice?

Spent the last night of the road trip it Blythe, Ca. right at the Colorado River. I promise I didn't jump out of the car and kiss the ground.

If you are ever on a road trip on I-10, you have to stop here. It's in Cabazon, Ca. Why stop? The best date milk shakes on the planet. This place has been here since the 1930's and sells, well, dates. A must stop place.

This is Friday and day 6. We made it to the wedding hotel around 3pm. And ran into tons of family in the lobby and pool. The bride and groom live in Culver City, but the wedding was in the Santa Monica mountains and Calabassa is about 15 minutes from the site. It's also the hometown of some people who have a reality show(hint: all their names begin with K).

Man, that was a lot. Which is why  3 parts. Next up: The Wedding!!!

As I was using my brother-in-laws computer, I could only do one Weird Doll Wednesday post. Never fear, it will be back! Heck yeah, I got 5 new weird dolls. Stay tuned!