Houston, Tx. (Day 3)

Dana and I both slept well, getting eight-plus hours of rest—a good start to the day. I heated water for the coffee, and soon, two cups of pour-over coffee were brewing. This morning, the smell of freshly brewing coffee was just what we needed to jolt us awake.

After breakfast, all of us headed out to start the day.

During our time in Texas, we discovered a breakfast food called "kolache." It’s a bun-like bread with a hot dog or sausage nestled in the middle. I thought it might be a possible addition to The Brew's breakfast menu. We tracked down a place called Artesian Bread Gallery - European Bakery. When we arrived at this nondescript bakery tucked into the corner of a small strip mall, our expectations weren’t very high. However, as soon as we entered, the tantalizing smells and delightful sights blew us away. We instantly wanted to try everything. We purchased a variety of pastries, and then the owner generously began cutting samples for us to take along. The ciabatta practically melted in our mouths, and the pretzel was far beyond anything I’ve ever had from a pretzel shop. By the time we finished indulging in the goodies, we were full and happily done with bread for the day.

I had read about a system of tunnels located in downtown Houston. When I hear the word "tunnel," I usually think of dark, dank, waterlogged culverts infested with rats—and maybe alligators. Since I didn’t know what to expect, I was hoping for the best. After all, an adventure never hurt anyone.
We found the entrance to the tunnels, and—thankfully—there were no rats. A more accurate description might be "developed underground walkways with tiled floors and walls, numerous restaurants, a variety of shops, bright lighting, and a pleasant atmosphere." We strolled through the tunnels, enjoying the cool temperatures and unique experience.

Emerging from the tunnels, we were reminded that the rest of the world was still blazing under the scorching sun. We wandered around for a bit and came across a coffee shop nestled among other shops. We stopped in, relaxed in the air-conditioned space, and cooled off before setting out to explore some murals. While the murals themselves were somewhat underwhelming, the adventure did allow us to see more of downtown Houston.

We eventually made our way back to the car and decided to visit McGovern Centennial Gardens. Dana and I had been there the day before and figured Jeremy and his family would appreciate it too. We took in the variety of plants and enjoyed wandering around. By the time we climbed the circular tower, we were ready to give our feet a break.

The day wasn’t over yet—we had one last task to complete. Joshua’s phone had taken an unintended trip to Denver before making its way back to Houston. According to the tracking app, it was somewhere in the baggage claim area. Once we were all in the car, we headed to the airport, navigating busy streets and mostly guessing where to park. On our first loop around the terminals, Jeremy pulled into what he thought was a parking garage, only to discover it was reserved for valet parking only. After waiting our turn to exit, we embarked on lap two. We passed the AB Parking Lot and decided we might do better heading to "Arrivals" to drop Jeremy off. While Jeremy and Shivy headed inside to locate the phone, I took lap three, switching drivers as we went. Not long after, Jeremy called to tell us they had found the phone and would be waiting outside. Completing lap four, I pulled up to see them standing there, relieved. We switched drivers again and left the airport, more than happy to see it fade into the rearview mirror.
By this time, it was 4:30, and we had a 45-minute drive back to the hotel. We decided to stop for dinner before settling in for the night. We ended up at BJ's Restaurant and Brewery. While the food took a while to arrive, we made quick work of it once it did and left feeling satisfied and ready to call it a day.

Now, we’re all at the hotel, watching a small storm pass through as we wind down after a long but enjoyable day.

The nature of humanity, its essence, is to feel another’s pain as one’s own, and to act to take that pain away. There is a nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness. John ConnollyLes mer