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We learned a lot about oil discovery, drilling and refining at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. It makes sense that Houston would be the place to learn about this interesting subject. Houston is also home to a surprising display of ancient Chinese culture. "Forbidden Gardens" has scale replicas of many Middle Kingdom treasures and is an interesting change of pace for this part of the country. The guide for our tour was very knowledgeable and we felt as if we'd traveled to the Orient--all in cowboy country! A bike trip to San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Park was a lesson in Texas independence history (and a test in heat endurance). In the Gulf of Mexico we enjoyed some sun and surf at Galveston Island State Park, where the water was warm, the waves were gentle and we had so much fun we forgot to reapply our sunscreen! |
Texas
is oil. Nowhere is this more evident than in Houston, where refineries
cover the landscape in all directions. These complicated systems of
pipes, boilers and tanks are a mass of confusion to most, and an eyesore
to many. But for those of us that drive a car (most Americans), and
especially people like us with gas eating motorhomes (as a temporary
way of life) are dependent on these huge chemistry sets for our mobility.|
"In order to obtain oil from underground, you a drill to drill an oil well. There are several different ways to drill. One way is to dig a hole straight down. You can also control a drill's direction by starting and stopping a rotary table in the drill that spins the front part of the drill. If you connect sensors to the drill, you detect what layer of rock or dirt the drill is in. When you combine steering the drill with the sensors, you get geosteering, which can be very helpful. After the drilling is complete, puncturing is used, and the oil starts flowing." --Harrison |
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Have you ever wondered what all those miles of pipes are for at a refinery? Why are there all these tall tanks with pipes running between them. Rob was fascinated with the process of refining oil, which seams like its just a big chemistry set for grown-ups! The basic principle has to do with heating the crude oil to specific temperatures, which makes the different molecules separate. The separated molecules have different weights, so they rise or sink in the tall tanks, and are pumped out. It's pretty cool. |
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"It was fun walking around with butterflies everywhere and watching people walk past with butterflies on them. Someone handed off this big one and put it on my shoulder. It tickles and didn't want to leave. I finally gave it to a little girl, but it flew off."--Amanda |
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On this spot, in 1836, Sam Houston led a victory over Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's much larger army, and Texas gained its independence. The monument is 567 feet high--taller than the Washington Monument--and boasts a 220 ton Texas star on the top (that was undergoing repairs when we were there). The tower is made of 70,300,000 lbs. of steel-reinforced concrete cased in fossilized Cordova shell stone. |
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In 1974, a Chinese farmer discovered 6,000 life-size clay soldiers buried beneath the ground. At Houston's Forbidden Gardens we saw impressive replicas of these soldiers and the Forbidden City, and learned many interesting facts about ancient Chinese history. |
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The miniature, intricately detailed buildings at Forbidden Gardens were created in China and reassembled in Houston by Chinese artisans. Only open to the public for a couple years, there is a many-year plan to add to the displays, which are already extensive. |
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"It was fun to swim in the warm water and to surf on a boogie board. My dad found lots of curly seaweed and put it on his head for a wig. He looked really funny."--Amanda |
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