Strip clubs, plastic surgery, blondes, tanned bodies, tanning salons, cheap dry cleaning, cheap beer, cold beer, no state tax, hot, sticky, humid, traffic, Mexican Food, hot sauce, Mexican people, guns, the death penalty, Republicans, George Bush, oil, football, country music, rodeo, cowboys, cheap housing, cheap fuel and great shopping. That’s what I think of when I think of Houston. That and the Texan people take no prisoners.
Not exactly a city you go on holiday to but seriously its a great city both to live and visit. Whether its for work or pleasure Houston has so much to offer. Its close to the water, theaters, great restaurants, hotels, shopping etc and there’s always a but, so the but here is its hotter than hell, Houston has been described as “the most air conditioned city on earth” yes earth!!!! humid as hell and the traffic, well, the traffic is just hell too with 72% of people driving to work. Houston is the 4th largest city in the US and is second only to NYC with fortune 500 companies. Location wise your next door to Louisiana, only a 6 hour drive to New Orleans but actually the real gem in Louisiana is Lafayette Louisiana USA” href=”http://www.irishnomad.me/lafayette-louisiana-usa/”>Lafayette and that’s only 3 hours away, 30 mins to Kemah and 45 to Galveston. Driving distance to Austin, DFW, San Antonia and many more great places Houston really has a lot to offer.
I lived in Houston for 6 years and left 16 years ago. I returned recently and couldn’t believe the growth and transformation. The “Galleria” has changed beyond recognition. This is the area I lived and to be honest I wouldn’t again.
The charm of the small neighborhood streets is gone. Single family homes have been torn down and replaced with ugly condos and high rise sole-less buildings. When visiting now your met with building and traffic everywhere with the authenticity being swallowed up, which is most definitely a shame as the Texans are probably the most hospitable of all Americans. Having a Texan for a friend makes you a lucky person. The pride they have for their state is really uplifting.
18 years and still friends
One thing for sure, Houston is not short of money. The price of property has soured since I lived here but property tax is quite high compared to other states so I guess the government will get you one way or the other:)
Living in Houston has its advantages though in the form of your proximity to great hospitals. Houston is home to some of the finest >hospitals in the world, even the Arab Royal families fly here for treatment. More heart surgeries are performed at the Texas Medical Center than anywhere else in the world. Then again, more breast augmentation surgeries are performed in Houston also.
Houston has some great areas to live and socialize in. Downtown went through a regeneration process over ten years ago and looks great, full of bars, restaurants and venues of entertainment, even a train system. Montrose is quirky and traditionally the gay area of town with some of the best bars and gay clubs in Houston, but like the rest of it growth and building has gone wild here also. The heights is very cool and many more areas also.
One of my favourite things to do in Houston is the Rodeo. Maybe its because my idea of Texas growing up was cowboys and all things Cowboy I never thought Id visit yet alone live there. There are Rodeo’s all over the state and in fact in many states in the USA but the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is the creme de la creme with its top country artist doing live shows every night and amazing cowboys doing their thing. It doesn’t end here, with great food stalls, great shopping and entertainment you could spend the entire week here and if you invest in a pass for the entire event you can do exactly that. If you cant afford that you could volunteer and depending on your committee and the work you are doing you can get in free to all of the events.
To list my favourite bars and restaurants would be a mute point. Houston is so spread out it could take you hours to get from on side of the city to the other. I have favourite places spread out all over the city and its surrounding suburbs.
For going out I love Kemah hands down. For cakes call https://www.facebook.com/jodycakeshouston and remember a gentleman’s club is a strip club.
“Heat, humidity, cowboys, barbecue, mud bugs, airports, country music, road trips, football, cold beer, guns, live music, ice houses, road houses, coleslaw, strip clubs, gentleman clubs, plastic surgery. One side of the Houston area is full of trees, another side with no trees, and a third side with oil refineries and ship channel Close to the Gulf of Mexico Myriad of housing styles. Lots of fun places. Great places to shop. Wonderful restaurants. Also get a car or find someone who has one. Public transportation is awful”.
The truth is, Texas isn’t home anymore, but I really do like it and love taking extended trips there.
And in the famous words of the great Davy Crockett:
“You May All Go to Hell and I Will Go to Texas” Davy Crockett
