Tourism in Houston

Tourism in Houston

                After leaving New Orleans probably later than I left any other place, around 3:00 PM, I headed towards Houston.  The drive was unremarkable except for when I crossed the border and saw the sign for the mileage to El Paso, which was something insane like 800.  I felt like they just put that sign up to brag about the size of Texas.  It is true, however, that I would spend the longest period of my road trip in that state.  Though my time in Houston only numbered about sixteen hours.

                I arrived relatively late, around 9:00 PM or so, without a hotel reservation, and the first place I saw was the Hilton, in giant letters.  I figured, what the hell, I just stayed at the Crowne Plaza, let’s just see how much it is for kicks, and if it’s insane I’ll leave and find a cheaper place.  I drove up into the lobby turnaround area and informed the valet that I wasn’t sure I was staying yet and he told me that was okay.  I went in and talked to an agent at the front desk and asked what the room rate was, and was told that it was $119.00.  Well, I thought, that’s not bad at all, I’ll take it!  I had my bags brought up, and the bell man was very friendly, and I talked to him about how the Cubs were playing the Astros that very day, except unfortunately in Chicago, not Houston.  I tipped him after he told me everything about the room and the hotel—including that there was a cocktail lounge on the top floor, by the pool, and said good night.  I took out the Ghost and smoked a big bowl and felt like a rockstar in that room.  I saw what movies they offered in-room and decided I would rent Grindhouse later on.  I scanned the Room Service menu and decided that I would order that as well.  But first things first, whenever it was an option—get stoned, go swimming. 

                I took the elevator up to the top floor and jumped into the pool.  It was the longest one I had swum in, Olympic-sized.  I did this for a while, then went into the hot tub, where I talked with a man who was staying at the Hilton that evening with his wife for their anniversary.  Then I stepped outside onto the deck where other young people were hanging out and had a cigarette.  The view was fantastic.  I saw the Toyota Center and Minute Maid Park from my perch.  It was truly living in style. 

                I went back down to my room and showered and changed and made my way back up to the cocktail lounge to find it closed for that particular evening.  A letdown, but the bar in the lobby was open, and fairly well-occupied, and I had a couple of Bass or Sam Adams beers and continued writing my letter to Sycamore.  Then I went upstairs, ordered room service, ordered Grindhouse, smoked another bowl, watched Planet Terror, found myself too tired to watch any more, put it on pause, and went to bed.  In the middle of the night someone dropped a bill under my door for $250.00

                In the morning I smoked another, watched Death Proof in the morning and found it wonderful, checked out of the hotel and went to the Johnson Space Center.  Where I boarded the Tram Tour and was seated with another solo tourist, a cute Asian girl who provided very good company for the rest of my time in Houston.  I don’t remember her name or much about her, but I took some pictures for her and we walked around everywhere together almost as if we were boyfriend and girlfriend but really we were perfect strangers who had been seated together by one of the workers at the Tram, perhaps wanting to play matchmaker.  We saw the new space shuttle they were going to launch into orbit sometime in 2010 or after or something and that was really cool.  We went inside Mission Control.  There were no rides.  I went to the Johnson Space Center in the first place because there had been a brochure I had picked up that claimed they had a weightlessness simulator, and I really wanted to try that.  Tell me that wouldn’t be awesome!  But I think they were lying because there was no such simulator in the area, and I feel a bit angry now in retrospect.  Regardless, it was very nice to meet that Asian girl, and some of the shuttles were truly amazing to see in their full splendor up close and personal, and it was cool to see the actual, real Mission Control and I would definitely recommend anybody with an extra few hours in Houston to stop by the Johnson Space Center because it is truly one of the most intriguing tourist attractions I have been to in this country.

                After that, I headed towards McAllen, where my friend Andres was expecting me.  The drive would take six hours, or so I thought.