March 15, 2017. En route to Ireland

LOCATION:  Houston international Airport.  Soon to be in up in the friendly skies of United (?) WEATHER:  Nice, I think, although we have been indoors all day

 

I'm writing this post early as we will be up in the air within the hour.  

 

We started the day in Harlingen, Texas.  It is close to South Padre Island which is getting really busy with spring breakers.  George fortified himself with a Texas-sized waffle...

We flew to Houston where we have a 4-hour layover.  I was busy on the phone with Medicare and Social Security.  I'm really trying to resolve my termination of benefits/reinstatement before I leave.  I am so tired of bureaucracy! 

We found a great Louisiana-style restaurant near our gate for a late lunch.  We sat at the chef's bar, watching the kitchen staff busily preparing meals.  

 

One of the restaurant's specialities is oysters.  This buy guy shucked up a couple of free samples for us.  Yum!

We shared a sushi roll with tempura soft-shelled crab.  Really good!

Then, we shared a bowl of gumbo.  Great fun sitting at the bar and chatting with the staff.  

We were lucky to ge re-routed to Shannon via London, and not snow-bound Newark, where the airport is still closed, which was our our original connection.  We leave at 4:00 PM today and arrive in London tomorrow at 6:00 AM.  Then, on to Shannon, then Limerick, Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!