Deep breath. Looong slow exhale. Ok, I think I’m mentally ready to unwind from my spring break vacation and start writing.
As much as my parents deny it, they’re becoming Ohio snowbirds. For the past two years they’ve packed their mini van full and moved to Texas for the month of March. They rent a condo right on the beach in Port Aransas on Mustang Island. I am very blessed that they choose to come to Texas rather than Florida so they can spend quality time with me. Ok, who am I kidding, we all know it’s for the quality time with my kids, not me! :)
So, last week we headed to Port Aransas for spring break week to visit my parents. Spring break at Port Aransas is… well, different. I did the whole spring break trip to South Padre Island back in my college days. It was pretty much what you see when watching MTV’s Spring Break show…hotels and condos lining the beach, bikini clad college kids packed as far as the eye can see, loud music blaring, various contests, etc. Ummm, I’ll keep this censored and let you use your imagination from there. Port Aransas…well, not so much. First off, we were actually there the week after most college spring breaks when it was a little tamer with families rather than college students. But, still, the scene is just different.
For starters, you can actually drive and camp right on the beach in Port Aransas. So, instead of seeing wall-to-wall people partying, you see wall-to-wall RVs, tents, and vehicles. It is nice that you don’t have to figure out how to lug all of your beach toys, umbrellas, food etc. all the way down the beach. Simply drive your vehicle to your perfect spot, pop your trunk, and you’re ready to enjoy the day or week.
Spring breakers planning to make a week of it have a pretty elaborate set up with canopies, BBQ grills, tents, etc. Almost every canopy I saw was shading a food table. And, guess what the table of choice seemed to be? Yes! Lifetime tables! They were everywhere! I guess it makes sense…waterproof, lightweight, and they easily fold for transportation. (Not to mention they are relatively inexpensive and conveniently available at home improvement stores, club stores, discount stores, sporting good stores and more.) People were using them to hold food, BBQ grills, water tanks, etc. My personal favorite was this Lifetime 4' table set up by a proudly displayed American flag.
Instead of standing around partying, what do Port Aransas spring breakers do? Well, after staking their ground, people start cruising up and down the beach scoping out the crowd. To cruise in true Texas style, a big diesel truck is the preferred beach vehicle. But, anything goes. In fact, the crazier the better, and the more attention you’ll get…golf carts, limousines, and even a huge homemade beach buggy made out of old army equipment. Whatever floats your boat, I guess!
The weather was fantastic and my kids have wonderful memories of building sand castles, flying kites, chasing the waves, riding bikes on the beach, feeding seagulls, watching dolphins, swimming in the pool, fishing, picking up seashells, and spending quality time with Mammy and Papa at the condo in Port Aransas. We had a blast! Sadly, Spring Break 2009 is over and now it is back to the daily grind. Sniff, sniff.