Here's the view from Kory's condo balcony with the bay to the left and the city line to the right.
We had some of his FEMA friends over for memosas and snacks before heading off to the 'Dickens on the Strand' festival that afternoon.
From L to R, Kory, Anne, Cindy, Mary, and Barry sip memosas (made with strawberry champagne for a twist recommended by the host extraordinaire) and delve into far too much shop talk for our one day off. All these people are planners and are on a long term recovery team to help rebuild the communities affected by the hurricanes. They love their jobs.
The Dickens on the Strand 35th annual festival promotes the Victorian era and heritage of the historic downtown area. The festival originated in 1973, and a bit of destruction from Ike did not falter the tradition, despite 12 feet of flooding.
Galveston's downtown area is teemed with antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants. During the festival, the streets are lined with costumed patrons, entertainers, vendors, and food and drink stands. Bring on the turkey legs and mulled wine.
The next several pictures are from the festival's afternoon parade including a re-enactment of Charles Dickens' novel "A Christmas Carol".
me and Kory at the festival
We happened upon my Austin co-worker and friend JT at the festival! He and Lauren were costumed up and fully participating in the day's festivities. JT is working with FEMA in Galveston - we're everywhere!
Mary, Cindy, Kory, Anne, and Barry did their part to support the local economy buying up all the local Texan merchandise they could get their hands on.
