It’s a tough life and with little time off when on duty.
When I’m off I either head back to Austin, where I have my home base, and just sleep for days on end or I take trips around Texas…I wish I could go further but I need to stick around in case of emergencies.
Nevertheless, Texas has much to offer: vibrant cities like Dallas, Houston, and Austin, each boasting arts, culture, and modern attractions with Austin, in particular, standing out for its eclectic and free spirit, often described as an island in the Texas Hill Country.
The state is also known for its quirky attractions. Whether it’s the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo or the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas (topped with a cowboy hat, of course), you’ll never be bored here.
Deciding on the itinerary for Texas if you are a newcomer is not always so easy, because it is a very large state, because there are so many things to see and, personally, because I do not have much time available.
Now Spring is approaching and, every spring, wildflowers bloom across Texas, painting roadsides, meadows, and prairies with vibrant colors. A memorable way to see these blooms is to take a drive on roads which winds through canyons, rolling hills and the hinterland.
I love the bluebonnets, the state flower of Texas. In the spring they grow everywhere and so the fields change color, the roads have blue edges and Texas longhorns graze among them. It is a very nice blue flower which covers the prairies as blue velvet.
On my last two trips, I went to two very different places: one trip was to Amarillo and the wonderful Palo Duro Canyon and my other trip was to South Padre Island and Corpus Christi.
In the Texas Panhandle near Amarillo, you’ll find Palo Duro Canyon State Park, home to the second largest canyon in the country, about 120 miles long.
Several Texas longhorns (cows) from the state herd live here, and you can spot them near the park headquarters. There you can also find (but not so easy to spot to be honest) horned lizards, turkeys, deer, bobcats, coyotes, snakes, and more.
On the Gulf of Mexico, Corpus Christi is a coastal city with protected beaches, a naval museum, and marine life sanctuaries. Activities like fishing, nature tours, and water sports like windsurfing and kite-boarding are popular. A dinner of local seafood is a perfect end after a day spent exploring the USS Lexington and the quiet South Texas Botanical Gardens.
Corpus Christi is one of the most famous seaside places in Texas, full of villas nestled on the bay, seagulls and fishermen.
The main wooden pier is full of fishermen of all ages, each with their own chair, busy fishing, in absolute silence.
Corpus Christi is one of the most fashionable areas to spend the holidays and it is evident from the size of the yachts docked at the piers and million-dollar villas overlooking the ocean.
The sea is not so beautiful and, of course, I would not recommend anyone to come to Texas for the sea, but I absolutely recommend a trip to Padre Island, turtles first and foremost.
South Padre Island is indeed an amazing place which becomes even more magical every august when baby sea turtles hatch from their eggs on its beach.
I did not get to see them because it was not the right season but I have heard it is the experience of a lifetime.
