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More Post-Ike Travel: Where's The Only Open Bar in Galveston?

As Galveston residents packed to flee last week ahead of Hurricane Ike, a biker bar along the seawall called the Poop Deck boasted it would defy official warnings and not close. We haven't read of its fate yet, but sadly any establishment facing the Gulf of Mexico along Seawall Blvd. probably sustained major damage.

But six blocks away, the party continues at Robert's Lafitte, a gay bar known for its tight door and drag shows. Despite losing all its windows and drawing three feet of water in the storm, Robert's Lafitte re-opened Monday to pass out food and celebrate the career of Tina Turner, gaining converts beyond the usual barflies:

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Tags: Hurricanes / Hurricane Ike / Travel Storms / → All Tags

Hurricane Ike Batters Southeast Texas: Galveston Soaked, Houston Tempest-Tossed

It's been an active hurricane season so far in 2008, with storms like Cristobol, Dolly, Edouard, and Gustav causing untold damage in the Caribbean and the eastern and gulf coasts of North America. Ike, the latest menace, came ashore in Galveston, Texas overnight, dumping several inches of rain and causing surging tides throughout the mostly-abandoned community. Though slightly further inland, Houston suffered as well, with scores of windows blown out of downtown skyscrapers and debris littering the streets.

Since making landfall, Ike has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm, and the early word from officials in southeastern Texas is that as bad as it was, it could have been worse. The people of Haiti, for example, have suffered greatly this season, with one storm after another destroying homes and lives, washing out roads, and requiring massive shipments of aid to alleviate some of the misery.

With its greater resources, I'm sure coastal Texas will bounce back soon, drawing visitors to the sandy beaches and laid-back bars that dot the coastline between Galveston and South Padre. It's just Florida with cowboy hats, after all. But the list of hurricanes still has twelve names on it, and it might not be long before Kyle, Marco, Omar, or Paloma show up looking for a party.

[Photo: NOAA]

Related Stories:
· Officials: No Loss of Life Due to Hurricane Ike [Galveston County Daily News]
· Hurricane Coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: Hurricanes / Travel Storms / Hurricane Ike / → All Tags

Gulf Coast Preparing for Ike as Airlines Suspend Service to Texas

Hurricane Ike has apparently claimed its first American victim, a 10-year-old boy struck by a falling branch as his parents prepared for the storm that's approaching Texas, promising a powerful sea surge, torrential rains and winds exceeding 100 mph.

Some airports in Texas have already shut down; there will be no service into or out of George Bush Intercontinental on Saturday either. A number of airlines, including Southwest, Continental and American have suspended service to certain destinations in the storm's path.

The Austin American-Statesman is using Twitter to provide updates on the storm. You can also find Ike updates by searching Twitter for #Ike.

Related Stories:
· Ike Threatens Texas with Wall of Water [Reuters]
· One Death, Many Rescue Efforts [Chronicle]
· Airline Operations Winding Down in Houston [Airline Biz Blog]
· TrackingIke [Twitter]

[Photo: BrandonW]