Jaunted - Tag: Galveston Field Trip

Galveston: Visiting Post-Ike Galveston

cmb — 2009-05-13T17:12:29-05:00

Jaunted contributing editor Christine Bord recently took a Volunteer Vacation to Galveston, Texas. Here she tell us what else there's to see and do in this Texan beach town.

Galveston, Texas was hit hard by Hurricane Ike last fall and the scars can still be seen from the debris on the beach to the dilapidated buildings dotting the coast. Despite the hardships Ike caused, the city is slowly recovering and there is still a lot to see and do on this unique island. It's also fairly accessible, just a short drive (about 60 miles) south of Bush Intercontinental Airport. Here’s a look at the best Galveston has to offer.

Where to Stay:
At the Holiday Inn Sun Spree Resort on Galveston’s main drag, Seawall Blvd, every room has a balcony with an ocean view. The resort gets rave reviews for its service on TripAdvisor and we found out first hand that if you call the hotel directly to make a reservation they'll throw in a free breakfast. Rates start at $170.

Galveston: Restoring Hope One Pixel At A Time in Galveston

cmb — 2009-05-05T15:16:49-05:00

Jaunted contributing editor Christine Bord has written frequently about Volunteer Travel and today, she tells us about her recent trip with Operation Photo Rescue.

Last weekend, in the dining room of Galveston’s historic Michel Menard House, seven volunteers from Operation Photo Rescue collected photos damaged during Hurricane Ike. After the on-site volunteers meticulously photograph each image, the photos are then uploaded to a worldwide network of image restoration artists (also volunteers) who will do their best to restore them. Once restored, the photos are returned to their owners at no charge.

I was one of those volunteers poring over moldy, torn and blurred pictures that were stuck to glass frames or worse, disintegrating in our hands. As heart-wrenching as it was to hear the survivor stories of those who lost their churches, cars, businesses, even pets in the hurricane, it was worse to watch the remainders of that life disappear as well.