PHOTOS OF PAST TRIPS

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BRANSON
November 3-7, 2019

The Clarion Inn, our hotel

Pasgetti's, our first meal in Branson

Shopping mall next door to our hotel

Great shows on the Branson Belle Showboat

Will Rogers Museum in Claremore OK

NEW ORLEANS
December 3 - 7, 2018

On December 3 thirty-four travelers boarded the Western Motor Coach bus to spend a week in N'Olans. Most people had been there at least once, but for a few this was there first  time to visit the Crescent City. All of us saw some places we had never seen before. We had a great time and left our mark on one of the great cities of the US.

DAY 1
Some of us were lucky and got to see some of the stars of NCIS: New Orleans during the filming of one episode at the Aquarium Museum. Scott Bacula and Lucas Black were nice enough to visit with us. We had some free time in the French Quarter and ate supper at the Western Front Restaurant  near the National World War II Museum.

DAY 2
It was cold when we visited Destrehan Plantation, but we enjoyed it just the same. This was a sugar plantation established in 1787. Our tour guides were dressed in period costumes.

That night we went to City Park to see the Christmas lights.

DAY 3
On Wednesday we got a tour of the city of New Orleans. We revisited City Park by daylight, saw the street cars, passed many homes built in the shotgun and camel-back styles, walked through one of the old cemeteries, and went back to the French Quarter where we ate lunch. That afternoon we toured the World War II Museum.

DAY 4
Thursday saw us at the Mardi Gras Museum where we learned a lot about what it takes to put on the 72 parades that the city hosts during Lent.  That afternoon we boarded the Creole Queen stern wheeler for a short cruise on the Mississippi River.

Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/ Great Smoky Mtns
July 22-28, 2018

There were fifty of us that boarded the Cowtown Charters bus on July 22, 2018. Unlike my first trip to Pigeon Forge in 2012 all fifty people returned six days later. Our bus driver, Ernest, was an excellent driver and a joy to be around. The shows, exhibits, and scenery were wonderful. We went to the Titanic Exhibit, Soul of Motown Show, Hatfields and McCoys Dinner Theater, Darren Romeo's Magic Show, Smoky Mountain Opry, and the Hit Parade Show. Ernest drove us all the way up to Clingman's Dome above 6,000 feet of elevation. Weather was perfect every day and jackets came out up in the mountains. There was shopping, of course, at the Old Mill, Applewood Farms, Gatlinburg, and the Incredible Christmas Store. I wouldn't mind making this trip again for a third time with a group of people as nice as this one was.

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
December 5-8, 2017

Fifty travelers left Baytown on Tuesday, December 5, and fifty-one returned on Thursday, December 8. No, nobody gave birth on our trip to San Antonio, but a resident of the city came back to Baytown with us to spend time with a friend. We had a great time on the trip in spite of the weather. It was cold and rainy.

A traffic jam near Seguin on IH-10 delayed our arrival. When we finally arrived, we went to El Mercado for lunch and shopping when we arrived. Afterwards, we were given a guided tour of the historic King William District. Our tour guide, Judy, provided interesting details about the homes.

Later that day, we toured the beautiful old San Fernando Cathedral. We had dinner on the famous River Walk at Michellini's Italian Restaurant. To complete our first full day in San Antonio we took a very cold ride down the San Antonio River on two of the cruise barges. At least, it didn't rain. The Christmas lights were spectacular. Finally, we checked into our hotel, the Pear Tree Inn, and fell exhausted into our comfortable beds.

After a filling breakfast we headed out to pick up Guide Judy. It was supposed to rain that morning and the itinerary called for us to be outside part of the day. So, Judy put the itinerary on hold and we went shopping at a factory, The SAS Shoe Factory. It was a very interesting place: popcorn for a nickel, antique and classic cars, and shoes galore. Several of us won $50 gift certificates just for being on the bus. After that, we went to the San Antonio National Missions Park to see a film and tour one of the historic missions. We ate at the River Center Mall and then headed over to see the IMAX movie about the Alamo. After the movie, we went across the street to go in the Alamo itself. When you think about the courage those men showed who died there defending liberty for Texas, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, William Barrett Travis, James Butler Bonham, you can't feel grateful enough. Then, it was time to eat again. The Lone Star Cafe provided that meal. A group of mariachis did a great job serenading us. It was a tired litter of puppies that fell into bed the second night.

We left the hotel early to return to Baytown on Thursday. But, we had one last stop in San Antonio, The Institute of Texan Cultures. The Institute was built for the HemisFair that was held in 1968 and showed how the development of Texas was based on the influence of so many different cultures from around the world. We finally squeezed in a group picture, although a few stayed on the bus rather than puddle jump their way inside the building.

There was another big traffic jam near Seguin, just like the first day, however it was on the westbound side this time, too. We found a great place to eat in Seguin, the Dixie Grill. Rain followed us all the way home, but we knew snow was not far behind. When we awoke in our own beds Friday morning, this is what Carolyn and I saw out our back door...

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GOING ON THIS TRIP WITH US!

BRANSON SHOW TRIP
October16-22, 2016

Trip to
SAVANNAH/BEAUFORT/ST. SIMON'S AND JEKYLL ISLANDS
April 24-30, 2016

THAT'S ALMOST ALL OF US!

TRIP TO
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
October 24-30, 2015

Washington D.C.
April 22-30, 2015

TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS
DECEMBER 1-5, 2014

Mount Rushmore Trip - June, 2013

BILTMORE-ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA TRIP
November 25 - 30, 2012

PIGEON FORGE 2012
April 2012