The Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle @ San Juan, Texas

 Travel is about putting aside preconceptions and learning.  Somehow I got the impression that basilicas are old buildings.  Saint Stanislaw Basilica in Chickopee, Massachusetts and the Cathedral Basilica in Saint Augustine are old.





The Basilica of our Lady of 
San Juan del Valle is a
modern building.

Eric at the top of the

steps leading to the

Basilica.

In 1623 a statue of the
Virgin Mary was put on
the body of a little girl 
who had died while
prayers were said.









The girl came back to life and the story of the miracle spread throughout the area.

The Basilica is set up like an amphitheater.

A hotel, cafeteria and retreat center were built to accommodate the thousands of visitors who visit the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle each year.

The Altar

The church was destroyed in 1970 when a low flying plane hit the building and exploded.  The pilot died.  Everyone on the ground, including fifty priests survived.  Two priests saved the statue of the Virgin Mary.  A new shrine was built and dedicated in 1980.  In 1998 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops designated Our Lady of San Juan del Valle a National Shrine.  Pope John Paul II elevated the church to a minor Basilica.

The Altar of the Blessed
Sacrament Chapel







Statues of Saints on the walls of the Basilica...

Saint Juan de

la Cruz

Saint Teresa












Visitors kneel before statues and say prayers...

Father Toribio Romo

is a martyred saint.

Visitors leave flowers &
candy at the Divine
Child Statue.

Articles about the dedication

of the Shrine in 1980 &

the Virgin of Roble.

Robes that visitors have
brought to the Shrine
for the Blessed Virgin
Mary.

The Holy Water Font

The Thirteenth Station
of the Cross:
Jesus is taken down 
from the cross.





The building and grounds at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle are beautiful. 

Downpour in Harlingen, Texas on January 27, 2018 @ 3:42 pm

The rain started in Harlingen and I didn't think anything of it....  Then it started raining hard....

Several inches
of water covers
the road to
Tropic Winds
RV Resort.





Eric and I lived on top of a mountain for 28 years.  Only once while we lived there did rainwater run across our road.  I have never been in a car, in a rainstorm, in conditions like this before.

Rainwater has

moved past the

roadway, over
the curb &
onto the lawn.

The car in front of us is moving slowly...  It doesn't have much clearance left above the water.

Ripples of
water move
out from the
car & truck
in front of
our Jeep.

I can see the

wake we are

making as we

move through

the water.

Water covers several feet of lawn past the roadway.

I am mezmirized
by what I see.






There's a lot of OH -- MY -- GOD coming out of my mouth.

Water covers

most of the

parking lot

in front of

the Main

Hall.

A curb lies, unseen, beneath the water.

Our campsite 

is uphill from

the Main Hall

& there is less

water here.

Water is sluicing down the street.  The lawns have large puddles.  A neighbor, with a rain gauge, told me that three inches of rain fell this afternoon.  According to fellow RVers, flooding like this hasn't occurred here before.

People living in low lying areas have challenges that mountain dwellers never think about.  

Drinks @ Pier 19 on South Padre Island

The Pier 19 Restaurant
& Bar sign is in need
of repair.

Eric & I drive through the

KOA Campground to

Pier 19.

This would be a great place to camp if we decide to stay on South Padre Island.

This Shark advertises

for Osprey Fishing,

which sails from

Pier 19.

We are not alone...

Two people are leaving

Pier 19 Restaurant & Bar.

The view from the bar.

The line on the horizon is the
Queen Isabella Causeway.

Eric and I take our Margaritas to walk the length of the pier.

Eric shares his drink with

a thirsty Pirate.

I whisper sweet nothings
in Captain Hook's ear.

Hooker's Palapa Bar, at the

 end of the pier is closed.

A view of South Padre
Island from the pier.

Pelicans roost on the

boat slip at the very

end of the pier.

It's time to start our drive west to Tropic Winds RV Resort in Harlingen.

A Drive Along South Padre Island's Beach

During our travels Eric and I developed the habit of visiting area attractions midweek, when there are few people around.  

The Gulf of Mexico stretches out before Eric & me at South Padre Island.

I love watching the
waves roll in.

Island Adventure Park's

Zipline platform is just

past the dunes.

The Front End Loader continues

bringing sand from the Padre

Boulevard to the dunes.

Seagulls roost on a tiny spit

of land at the ever changing

shoreline.

Eric found a dead
Jellyfish.

Visitors to South Padre Island leave artwork....

Sand & Seashell

Pyramids

A Permit Fish
points north.

A collection

 of Hard Hats

& Pith

 Helmets

A Flip-Flop

Tree

This Pink

Pipe is

whimsically

decorated.

It's so restful here.

This piece of driftwood

reminds me of Champ,

the Lake Champlain

Monster.

A Great Blue Heron 
surveys its domain.

Fishermen sit & watch

their poles & lines.

Eric stops our Jeep

next to driftwood.

Action shot....

A Great Blue Heron

struts... 

Our drive on the beach

comes to an end.

Let's check out Pier 19 Restaurant and Bar.

A Day on South Padre Island, Texas

South Padre Island is about an hour east of Harlingen, where Eric and I are staying at at Tropic Winds RV Resort.

The western end of Queen

Isabella Causeway has

important signs....

Danger: Stop When Flashing and...  Slower Traffic Keep Right.

The Causeway has a gentle curving approach to South Padre Island.

I like the Island's
colorful sign.

JAWS Beachworld

welcomes visitors.

Cloud 9 Smoke Shop

The Beach Club is one of

South Padre's large

Gift Shops.

The South Padre Island
water tower is in the
middle of the business
area.

Casa Bella Hotel

& Suites

Pier 19 Restaurant & Bar

South Padre Island

KOA Campground

Driving north on

Padre Boulevard.

Sand drifts into the roadway.

Island Adventure Park

has a Zipline.

The roadway is narrowed

by drifting sand.

A Front End Loader scoops
up sand from the roadway &
deposits it on the nearby dunes.

The road ends in

500 feet.

Sand drifts in front of the
roadway barricade.






Let's turn around and find a beachfront access road.

Cameron County maintains

access roads to the beach.

No one is manning the booth midweek, so Eric and I keep the $10.00 Day Use Fee.

The beach access here is
soft sand.

Four wheel drive vehicles
are recommended.

The waters of the Gulf

of Mexico beckon....

The south end of the beach
is blocked off.

We return to Padre Boulevard.

Kiteboarders enjoy the

smooth bayside waters.

As we head west for
Harlingen, I get this
photo of the Port
Isabel Lighthouse










In October 2016 the lighthouse was closed for repairs and restoration. It's Grand Re-Opening was held on January 23, 2018.