TXD T1325.6 T697 2001/08 Texas State Document University of Texas-PanAmerican

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he staff at the Greater Houston CVB want to get the word out: Yes, Tropical

Storm Allison left destruction and chaos in its wake, but the Bayou City's convention and tourism industry is intact and open for business.

"While a great many people suffered personal tragedy, Houston is recovering from the flooding caused by Allison," says GHCVB president and CEO Gerard J. "Jordy" Toilett. He notes that downtown's George R. Brown Convention Center and the facilities at Reliant Park suffered no water damage from the flooding and are operating normally. And except for the Warwick Hotel in the Museum District, which did sustain some damage, the city's largest convention hotels are open for business.

What about top area attractions like Space Center Houston, Six Flags Astroworld and Waterworld, Splashtown, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Museum of Fine Arts? They're all open and operating as usual.

And while the resident opera, theater, symphony, and ballet companies in the Theater District sustained flood damage, all performances are back on schedule, although some have been temporarily relocated to other theaters. (Jones Hall, one of the worst-hit venues, is closed for repairs, but is expected to be open by September, in time for the upcoming symphony season.) Theater patrons are advised to allow extra time for parking; it may be necessary to park a few blocks away and walk, if a theater doesn't offer valet parking.

Houston's Museum District had virtually no flood damage, with the exception of the Contemporary Arts Museum, which has now reopened. All other museums in the district have remained open. In other words, Houston is alive and well and ready to welcome visitors.

MUSEUMS

Groundbreaking ceremonies took place iii January foi The Harry and Anna Jeanes

Discovery Center, a major component of The Sue and Frank Mayborn Natural Science and Cultural History Museum Complex, on the north side of the Baylor University campus in Waco. The center will house the university's Strecker Museum collections and will include exhibits that simulate walking under a 90-million-yearold sea, spelunking in Hill Country caves, and visiting a family who lived here some 10,000 years ago. Children's World (an expansion of the Ollie Mae Moen Discovery Center) will offer hands-on experiences focusing on energy, transportation, health, and even television and weather studios.

Plans call for completion of the center in 2003. The Mayborn Complex also encompasses the Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village, a re-created 1890s riverfront community. Call 254/710-1110; www.baylor.edu/-MuseumStudies/ futureplans.htm.

exarkana's Museum of Regional History (formerly the Texarkana Historical

Museum) opened in June with

sparkling new and expanded exhibit

spaces and collections areas. Among

the permanent exhibits is a firstfloor gallery dedicated to area musicians Scott Joplin, Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, and Conlon Nancarrow. Second-floor exhibits chronicle the Caddo Indians and early Spanish and French explorers, while other displays cover the railroad and the Red River Army Depot during World War II. Also on the second floor, researchers

can peruse regional historical documents and more than 10,000

photographs in the Wilbur Smith Research Library and Archives. The museum is at 219 N. State Line

Ave.; 903/793-4831; www.texarkana museums.org.

After completing RioScape Discovery Park in March 2000, the McAllen Inter

national Museum (at 1900 Nolana) continues its dynamic program of expansion. Under construction are the Welcome Pavilion and the Discovery Pavilion, along with a museum store, a theater, additional classrooms, and a small cafe. Tom Rockwell, grandson of artist Norman Rockwell, designed the exhibit spaces for the Discovery Pavilion, which will include a gallery with art by individuals and groups from throughout the area. This pavilion will also feature interactive dis

plays where visitors can delve into art and science. The expanded facilities are scheduled to be completed

by this September, with the exhibit

spaces opening in the fall of 2002. Call 956/682-1564: www.mcallen museum.org.

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t DINBURG. TEXAS 705394939 BAYOU CITY UPDATE

TEXAS * TRAVEL LOG

TRAVEL TALES

ORANGE TIC Since the new center overlooking Blue Elbow

Swamp opened in May 2000, the staff has sighted alligators, snakes, wild hogs, turtles,

crawfish, and all kinds of birds. The most recent encounter had

counselors joining the ranks of

the regional wildlife, as they spent most of the day on

hands and knees in search of

a cold-blooded critter. The

slithering salamander was first

spotted near the copy machine.

"Our only hope is that the elu

sive amphibian wasn't repro

ducing more of its slimy friends," said counselor Dan

Perrine with a laugh.

VALLEY TIC "Forget about things that go bump in the night!" exclaimed counselor

Albert Garza. "The ghosts

around here come calling in

the middle of the day." For

years, counselors have heard

strange voices, clearly whisper

ing their names. But it was

cold chills and goose bumps

for manager Sam Martinez

when he saw a figure in a

bright red shirt blocking the

doorway. Then, spookily, the

unwelcomed visitor silently

faded away.

TEXAS TRAVE L LOG

is published monthly by the Texas Department of Transportation, Travel

Division. Please send news items of

interest to the Texas travel industry

to Texas Travel Log, PO. Box 141009, Austin, Texas 78714-1009.

(512) 486-5861, FAX (512) 486-5879.

Deadline for each newsletter is the 20th of the month preceding the issue date.

Contributing Editors: Texas Highways editorial staff, Rosemary Williams

Design/Layout: Kirsti Harms

COMING UP

eaWorld San Antonio has begun offering Adventure Camp for Adults.

If you've ever had the desire to feed a pod of dolphins at 5:30 in the morning, take a wet-suited dip with a beluga whale, enjoy an after-hours tour of a world-class aquarium, snorkel with stingrays, or learn the basics of animal training (positive reinforcement is the only method used at SeaWorld), here's your chance.

The schedule is grueling, with days beginning at 5 a.m. and ending as late as 11 at night. You'll shovel snow, heave icy buckets of herring, and carefully slide vitamin capsules into the gills of slippery fish. You'll also play ball with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, feel stingrays suck squid from your fingers, touch the glistening skin of a killer whale, and, above all, see how these animals are kept healthy and happy. SeaWorld hasn't taken animals from the wild in two decades, and it's particularly exciting to see new mothers with their offspring. The three-day sessions of Adventure Camp for Adults run throughout the month of September and in early October. The fee is $600, which includes dorm-style lodging (bunk beds, shared bathrooms and showers), plus meals and all activities. For more information about camp for adults or other education department programs, call 800/700-7786.

LONE STAR RANKINGS_

overall, and second in the United States and Canada.

arfa's Chinati Foundation, with large minimalist artworks by the late Donald

Judd and other world-famous artists (see the story in Texas Highways' upcoming October issue), was part of a "7 American Wonders" piece in the UK edition of Conde Nast Traveller July 2001. The noted West Texas art enclave was among select company: The feature included the Frank Gehry-designed Experience Music Project in

Seattle, the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, the LVMH Tower in New York, Arquitectonica's American Airlines Arena in Miami, and the Cesar Pellidesigned Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.

From this year's 2001 "Great Lawns of America" list, compiled by Michigan State

University turf-grass scientist Dr. Trey Rogers for lawn-mowerengine giant Briggs & Stratton, USA Today recently published "10 great places to find splendor in the grass." Among them was our own State Capitol grounds in Austin.

eb search engine Trip Advisor (www.trip advisor.com) recently

announced "Best of Summer" attractions for the U.S. Included were San Antonio's SeaWorld and the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

EVENTS

or Texans in search of their

family roots, "Dig'n Up Bones Texas Style," a

genealogy seminar at the Alamo on August 24, may provide a hidden link to the past. Sessions, led by certified genealogist and instructor Brenda Kellow, begin at 9 a.m. with an introductory lecture, followed by presentations about researching military records, land grants, tax rolls, migration patterns, and Republicera lineage societies.... call the DRT Library at 210/225-1071, or email drtl@drtl.org.

ops! Some travel-industry folks are going to have a tough decision to make.

Historic & Hospitality Accommodations of Texas (HAT) ha: announced that its annual confer ence will be held September 911 in Galveston. Unfortunately, these dates conflict with the upcoming Travel Summit, slated for September 9-12 in Austin.

Cosponsored by the Texas Hotel & Motel Association, the HAT conference will include two days of educational workshops on

CAR-HOPPING Lowrider fans of all stripes-all ages, all colors,

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alas' luxurious Mansion and certainly all levels of devotion to their hobby-head to on Turtle Creek once again appeared among the Grand Prairie on August 19 for one of Traders Village's twi

elite of exclusive international yearly Lowrider Shows. You should, too. You'll see some 20 hotels in Travel + Leisure's annual World's Best Service vehicles on display, most tricked out with glitter, chrome, ai readers' survey poll. In the magazine's 2001 world rankings for top brushed paintings, fake fur, and impressive hydraulic system

hotel service, the cosmopolitan the latter of which prove integral to the popular car-hop accommodation was sixth best

contest. The lowrider culture isn't limited to those with d

ver's licenses, either; kids bring their beautified b

and model cars to compete for their share of the

show's 150 trophies and $1,000 in cash prizes.

... call 972/647-2331; www.tradersvillage.com.

AUGUST 2001

topics of importance to B&B own. rs, innkeepers, and related businesses. It also includes a two-day

Exhibitors Trade Show, which is preceded by an Aspiring Innkeepers Workshop. For details about the conference, call 800/ HAT-0368, or contact HAT's Web site: www.HAT.org.

PLACES O nJuly 28, an Eagles con

cert kicked off the grand opening of Dallas' Amer

ican Airlines Center. With its state-of-the-art systems and ameni

ties, the $420 million sports and entertainment venue, designed by David Schwarz (who also designed The Ballpark in Arlington and Fort Worth's Bass Performance Hall), will be home to the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and the NHL's Dallas Stars. Other bookings include the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus (Aug. 112) and the Backstreet Boys (Aug. 31). Call 214/665-4200; vww.americanairlinescenter.com.

Folks with the Texas Hill

Country River Regiona visitor's bureau formed to

promote travel in the limestonestudded valleys of the Sabinal, Rio Frio, Leona, and Nueces rivershave taken much of the work out of planning a vacation in their part of the state. In a free brochure that's yours for the asking, the THCRR lists dozens of places to rest your head-from cozy cabins along the Frio to swanky lodgings with claw-foot tubs and gourmet breakfasts. Some spots have amenities like go-kart rentals, horseback riding, fishing-gear and bicycle rentals, volleyball and horseshoe setups, and nature trails.

The aforementioned diversions notwithstanding, the TCHRR's brochure lists a gamut of other activities, too, plus events like October's Bike Classic (Oct. 123).Watch some 17 million

exican free-tailed bats emerge from the Concan bat cave. Take a hayride, or saddle up at one of the area's many stables. Shop for antiques, or tuck into a greasy-

spoon burger in Sabinal. Take a drive along scenic FM 187 north of Lost Maples State Park, where you'll see ample examples of the sinkholes that feed the Edwards Aquifer beneath you. Play golf. See art. Take in a musical at Uvalde's 1891 Grand Opera House. Check the Texas Hill Country River Region's Web site, www.thcrr.com, or call 800/2100380 for a brochure.

EXHIBITS -----------------------

he work of noted Texas realist painter R.E. (Rod) Penner will be featured at

the Amarillo Museum of Art September 8 through October 28. Penner's portfolio, "astonishing" in the words of AMA director Patrick McCracken, makes you reconsider the norm. At first, you may question whether you're looking at a meticulously crafted painting or a Texas-size photograph. Why? Well, the artist's paintings begin with his Cibachrome photographic prints of familiar sights-main streets to

ordinary homes-in small Texas towns. He then replicates these images on canvas or illustration board with acrylics or watercolor, moving an occasional object, altering colors, or adding detail.

His finished works evoke contrasting responses of melancholy and

warmth, desolation and serenityeverything that small towns can be, and why their charms captivate. The Amarillo Museum of Art, 2200 S. Van Buren (806/371-5050; www.amarilloart.org), is an Edward Durell Stone-designed building on the northeast corner of Amarillo College's Washington St. campus.

Vikings did not have horns

on their helmets, and they were more likely to be

before it can be shipped to a butcher. Featuring Julia

Roberts' niece, 10-year-old Emma Roberts, the film

also has appearances by country music's George Strait,

Robert Earl Keen, Charlie Robison, and Hollywood stars

Bruce Willis and Emma's famous aunt, Julia.

What beloved four

legged creature is buried at Fort Sam Houston?

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farmers and fishermen than devoted pillagers. Learn more about these Nordic explorers at the Houston Museum of Natural Science through October 14, when the museum hosts the exhibit Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga. The exhibition features some 300 objects, including jewelry, medieval church carvings, elaborate silver-inlaid swords, a whalebone ironing board, ivory chess

pieces, and manuscripts that record the adventures of Greenland explorer Erik (the Red) Thorvaldson and others. ... call 713/639-4629.

through September 16, The Menil Collection in Houston presents the

Yves Tanguy Retrospective, a collection of paintings, drawings, and one sculpture culled from a larger show that recently drew crowds to the Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart, Germany. Together with Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, and Alberto Giacometti, Tanguy is associated with the Parisian avant

garde of the 1920s. The 71 pieces on display depict, for the most

part, a cryptic pictorial vision that Max Ernst described as "the border area between inner and outer worlds." A companion exhibit

(through Sep. 9) called Exquisite Corpses, based on a literary parlor game played by Tanguy and other artists of the Twenties, sheds even more light on the Surrealist mindset.... call 713/525-9400.

HOLY COW! The Associated Press and Austin American

Statesman report that film writer/director and

y Snyder native Barry Tubbs has brought some

celebrity dazzle back to his West Texas hometown.

Tubbs is making Grand Champion, a movie about

children who make off with a gold-medal steer

-I-I-I-I Month Percent Visitors Percent

TRAVEL CENTER

AMARILLO

ANTHONY

DENISON

GAINESVILLE

LANGTRY

LAREDO

ORANGE

TEXARKANA

VALLEY

WASKOM

WICHITA FALLS

CAPITOL

CENTER TOTALS

Month

Visitors

13,965

12,285

31,224

35,955

5,361

10,212

46,578

53,163

18,564

42,474

21,162

8,952

299,895

Percent

Variation*

-25.20

+4.46

+5.55

+3.88

-2.40

-30.77

+3.89

+26.01

+5.74

-15.82

+11.65

Visitors

Year-to-date

78,684

101,088

174,861

195,612

47,175

55,458

302,805

257,919

204,861

233,340

111,588

Percent

Variation*

-13.22

+31.04

+1.14

-3.34

-11.10

-15.77

+6.77

+6.29

+26.68

-17.14

-1.74

-3.27 70,527 +23.25

+0.60 1,833,918 +1.75

This Mo. Y-T-D

Mail Services

Automated Attendant Road Condition Calls

649,107

221,702

Dial toll-free 1-800-452-9292 for travel assistance

from TxDOT's Texas Travel Information Centers

(8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, Central Time)

Internet address: www.traveltex.com

www.texashighways.com

www.dontmesswithtexas.org

Data as of July 31, 2001 *Compared to last year

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