Houston TX

We arrived in Houston Texas for 3 weeks while the circus played the Reliant Stadium. This is the largest arena RBBB play and it was pretty big. Someone said that if you walk the circumference of the area the concessions are on it is one mile. I'm not sure if this is true but it is big. Most of the arena staff seem to drive even inside the building. Animal open house looked really great with large banners and loads of trees and plants. It was just like a jungle, actually too much like a jungle and the bugs loved it too.




Across from the arena we had lots of shops including a Fiesta. This has become one of my favourite grocery stores. They do lots of nice stuff including a great international section. The UK section had more than the usual Tetley teabags, Marmite, Digestives and chocolate. It even had things like Scotch pies and black pudding. The Indian section was also good.

Since we were here a while we got a CityPass which resulted in us visiting losts of museums. Luckily most of them where within easy reach. Unfortunately I was quite disappointed with a few of them. We did pretty well on public transport. The buses and Metrorail where very easy to negotiate and only cost $1.25 each time.

The Children's Museum was one of the best we have been to in the US, and we have been to a lot. It was so good we went twice while we were here and I'm sure Willow would have liked to have gone more. It is a shame it is a children's museum as there are lots of parts adults would enjoy but you really need a child to go, otherwise they look at you a bit oddly. A bit like they looked at me and Tweed when we went on our own, Willow was already inside with her grandparents. Willow's favourite bit was Kidtropolis but she quite liked FlowWorks as well.



The Houston Museum of Natural Science could have been good but too many of the exhibits where not included in the general admission. Now I accept and understand by doing this it helps to keep the cost of the general admission down allowing more people to be able to afford it, but when there are at least 3 extras to pay for and they each cost more than the general admission I think it is way to much.

Houston Zoo was really nice. The children area here was pretty big just by itself and was set out really well with a good layout. Willow hoped to be able to pet a pig as she fell in love with one in Corpus Christi. She had to make do with brushing goats, she seemed happy with this.




The Downtown Aquarium was very disappointing, the aquarium area at the zoo was much better. The aquarium did have some tigers though and you don't see them every day. Oh hang on a minute maybe some people do. Joined to the outside of the aquarium was an area that was a bit like a mini fair which again cost more money as did seeing the sharks.

The last museum we went to was The Health Museum. It was pretty good, certainly better than the name suggests and the only interactive health science center in the US. The best bit was the Cartoon Network Animation Studio, though I'm not sure what it had to do with health. We also saw a 3D (nearly 4D) movie called Planet You.

Hermann Park was right next to the museum district and housed the zoo. It also had a miniature train you could tour the park and a play park and water park.

Whenever we are somewhere new we try to get to the visitors center and Houston was no exception. This one though is unlike any other we have been to. It is like an attraction in itself. It is one of the largest in the United States and from personal experience I would say the best, certainly so far. It even does tours!

Willows had a PR at Fox26 presenting the weather. At the time she said she didn't enjoy it and didn't want to do any more TV but she seems to be changing her mind as time goes on.



Very close to the train, well walking distance any way, was a beer can house. 50,000 flattened beer cans cover it, and the wall and fence are even made out off them.





While we were in Houston so was Circus Vazquez, a Mexican circus. It is a great show and even though very little English was spoken and we don't speak Spanish we still really enjoyed it, which shows how good it was.



House of pies is a restaurant in Texas that sells, well as the name suggests pies. I didn't actually go but sent orders with other people. The egg custard pie which is really a custard tart to the UK dwellers was really good and definitely made me want to try more from there, so I think it is just as well I didn't go myself.

We didn't get to the space center as it was a bit out of the way but I'm not to worried about that I think we managed to fit a lot in while we stayed here.

I liked Houston but when you are use to moving every week three weeks seems so long and most people were very happy to leave when we did.