South Padre Island Part 1

(Click on the photos to enlarge)
One of the bands I work with was hired to
play at a beach-wedding reception, in the ballroom
of the Bahia Mar Resort on South Padre Island, Texas.
If you look at a map, find the southernmost tip of
the state (Brownsville) and then move a few miles up the
coastline.

South Padre is separated from the mainland by the
Laguna Madre, which is also the start of our country's
vital IntraCoastal Waterway. Barges carry freight traffic
along a shallow channel that's protected from the dangers
of the open ocean beginning here in the Gulf of Mexico to
the upper regions of the Atlantic coastline.

The Bahia Mar can't touch the quality
of the major hotel chains on the island, but it provides
a good experience for those who aren't burdened by too much
disposable income, and it's really quite attractive by day
and by night.

The first night's stay was comped by
the wedding party, but unlike the rest of the band we
elected to stay for an extra day and night.
After driving for five hours to get here it was an easy choice,
especially since we had enjoyed our visit last summer so much.
(Please see the archives from June 2005, and stay tuned
for parts 2 and 3 and...)