So, it’s June 2020 and we’re in the middle of a pandemic, as well as, a fight for racial equality and police reform. I badly needed a break from The News, my house, and too much alone time.
Fortunately, my friend
Karen called at the right moment with an invitation to her parent’s house located on the river in New Braunfels, TX. Her parents had a similar inclination and had decided on a quick trip to Port Aransas at the Texas coast with some friends, leaving Karen and I alone to have time to catch up after these long months of social distancing.
New Braunfels is a special town as it’s located where two spring fed rivers, the Comal and the Guadalupe, converge. Needless to say, the water is a gorgeous blue green color, crystal clear, and lined with lovely properties with large trees. Floating the river in a float, aka Tubing is a popular activity here along with swimming, kayaking, and hanging out by the water drinking beer with friends and family. Really
anything to do with enjoying life, the river, and just chilling. Schlitterbahn, a well-known water park is also very popular during normal non-Covid 19 times. The town is best known for its German Heritage and in November hosts the largest German Festival in Texas called Wurstfest. We shall see if that can happen this year, but I feel it will probably be cancelled like everything else right now. There is a cute Farmer’s Market every Saturday where you can procure local produce and homemade goods, as well as, a charming downtown with bars, restaurants, shops, and historic buildings.
Anyhoo, after my arrival and settling in, we got down to the task of getting the kayaks and us in the water ASAP, so that we could explore both rivers by boat. After much cajoling and some awkwardness, I was finally able to get my
dog, Ike, in the kayak and although timid at first, he settled into sitting still between my legs and taking in the sights and sounds of gliding through the water. Upstream on the Guadalupe, we came across some small islands and decided to stop and hang out under the shade of giant cypress trees. Ike ran around exploring the islands with a new dog friend while Karen and I caught up over a couple brewskis. All the negativity of the months of dealing with our current situation melted away and I became deeply and blissfully, relaxed. We spent the next two days exploring both rivers by kayak and the town by foot.
Karen's parents were due to return the second day, but I was so contented to be there, I asked if I could stay another night. Remembering that her parents were in Port A, as we Texans like to call it. I suggested that they stop at one of my favorite seafood shops in the town, Paul’s. I know that you can buy fresh, never frozen Gulf shrimp and oysters along with a variety of fresh fish that thrive in the warm waters of the Gulf. Well, teamwork makes the dream work,
and they consented to do the run. I promised to make them a dinner fit for kings. On their arrival home, we all got into helping with the food prep and margarita making. It truly was a most memorable meal enjoyed alfresco on the porch. The next day, I returned home feeling like I had the best vacation of my life and fired up to write this post. All I can say is thanks for the reset and getting my creative juices flowing!! 💗
