Houston Astrodome 2018 Domecoming

Last night, the Astrodome Conservancy threw a "Domecoming" party to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of the Astrodome, the Eighth Wonder of the World.  Tickets were free, but all 25,000 were spoken for within 2 hours. 

A $105 million plan was approve to convert the Astrodome into an event center with 9 acres of covered space.  It was meant to be a last look inside the dome before the construction starts in October.  Memorabilia was on display from the Houston Oilers and Astros and former players came to see the dome one last time. 

Fans showed up wearing all sorts of vintage Astros and Oilers gear and the Houston pride was definitely felt while waiting on the long lines.  The event went well past the original planned time, but it brought back a lot of nostalgia and memories for native Houstonians.

Willis and Jennie's Photo Session in Houston

Willis and Jennie had a quick shoot with their videographer so they had extra footage to put into their wedding video.  It was a great opportunity for me to tag along to grab a few pictures of my brother and his soon to be wife.

Anthony and Gabriela's Maternity Family Session in Houston

Anthony and Gabby are expecting their second child and I was honored to do their maternity session literally 2 weeks before their due date!  We went to this great spot in Houston with lots of mature oak trees that created the perfect backdrop for this shoot. 

Day Trip to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

For our last day, we decided to explore the nearby country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Once again, we were able to sign up for a day tour the evening before.  Our tour bus left from Pile Gate at 8 am.

As you can see, most of the city is still sleeping.

Pile Gate

Our first pit stop to use the restroom, get coffee, etc. Up to this point, the drive along the coast of Croatia was incredible. On your way there, make sure to sit on the left side. You'll get the best views.

After about another hour on the road, we ended up at our first destination: Kravice Waterfalls, which is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Kravice Waterfalls is a popular place to swim and picnic in the summertime. It's also a beautiful place to visit, year-round. 

After exploring Kravice Waterfalls, we made our way over to Mostar. We had about 3 hours to walk around and explore the city.  

These outdoor markets will make you feel like you've stepped right into Aladdin. Lots of good shopping and unique gifts for souveniers.

Lots of fine hand-made linens and copper. We bought a hand-painted copper bowl and a copper coffee grinder.

We only had time for one meal in Mostar, and we are so glad that we chose Tima Irma. Authentic, delicious, and fresh Bosnian food.

Cevapi (rolled veal sausages with pita bread and a red bell pepper spread)

Pileci raznjici (grilled chicken skewers with cucumbers, tomatoes, pita bread, feta cheese, and a red bell pepper spread.

The owner was really kind and brought us some cheese spread to try, which can only be found in Bosnia. Before we left, she gave us their postcard and a bottle of local beer.

 This is what Mostar is known for, the Stari Most (Old Bridge). Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who guarded the Old Bridge in medieval times. The bridge stood for over 400 years before it was destroyed in the war. It was rebuilt and reopened in 2004.

The Bazaar in Mostar

Stari Most

Copper and colorful fabrics in the Bazaar

Another view of Stari Most from the bottom of the stairs. The locals will collect money to see if their comrade to jump off the bridge, which seems to be a common pastime.

After returning to Croatia, we stopped at Barba (seafood meets streetfood) for dinner.

They have wooden utensils for eating, but they also supply markers for decorating them and displaying them on the wall.

Fresh Octopus Salad

Octopus Burger

Tempura Prawns

Although we spent the entire day in another country (and added a few more stamps to our passports), we made it back just in time to watch one more sunset in Croatia. The more sunsets we watch, the more marvelous they become. Until next time...

"To travel is to live." -Hans Christian Anderson

Dubrovnik City Wall Walk and Cable Car

If you only have one day in Dubrovnik, I would suggest spending it on the City Wall Walk. It may be the highlight of your visit. It's a 2 km walk around the city with dramatic views of the coast and famous tiled rooftops. The wall was constructed between the 12th-17th centuries and surrounds the entire perimeter of Old Town. The walk can get crowded during the day, so try going early. We went when it opened, which was 8 am.

There are several entrances to the Wall Walk. We chose the one close to the main street (Stradun), which was closest to Pile Gate.

Once we got to the top of the stairs, we headed to the left. This will bring you to a view of Fort Lovrijenac.

The Bell Tower and Onofrio's Fountain

Another view of Fort Lovrijenac

Nature combined with the man-made beauty of historic times creates a lasting impression.

The width of the walls ranges from 13-20 feet on the landward side, but it's much more narrow on the seaward side.

A view of Lokrum Island

The walk takes you all the way around the port on the southeastern side of Old Town.

In the distance, you can see St. Ivan Fortress. It was built in the 14th century and is now home to the Maritime Museum.

The Wall gets pretty high in some places, so don't look down if you're afraid of heights.

Minceta Tower was completed in 1464, now serves as a museum.

The walkway around Minceta Tower, also a familiar scene from Game of Thrones...

Also known as the House of the Undying from GOTs. You may recognize this as the scene where Daenerys goes to get her dragons back.

Another view of Minceta Tower

The walk takes about 1-2 hours, depending on how long you linger and/or take photos. We made it back in time to stop by the outdoor market for some fresh cherries and apricots.

We took the cable car up to the top of Dubrovnik (on Hill Srd) around 6pm. It only takes 4 minutes to get from bottom to top, which is much faster than what it took when it was first constructed in 1969.

The top of Srd is 412 meters above sea level, which provides for some spectacular views.

Cable Car up to Srd Hill

We stopped by Dalmatino's for dinner, which is known for it's seafood.

Black ink seafood risotto

Truffle pasta

Lobster fettuccine 

Hidden off of one of the alleyways in Old Town is Dolce Vita, and enticing place for dessert.

Any day that ends with real gelato, probably means that it was a good day. Today was exceptionally wonderful. One more day left on this anniversary trip, and we hope to make the most of it.