We started the day off with a Christmas morning get together with the neighbours. Coffee and Bailey's was the beverage along with cinnamon rolls, various cakes, pastry, scones and cookies.
All the goodies!
After our great morning event we decided to cool off at the pool as we had about an hour to put in before getting ready for our lunch reservation the 12 of us had. Janet and Ron were nice enough to ask us to join them in their car to go over to South Padre Island to the Pearl Hotel located right on the beach and The Gulf of Mexico for a Christmas Buffet. Their buffet had a large selection of food which included mussels, shrimp and snow crab along with the usual turkey and ham. They started off by providing champagne or champagne and orange juice. It was a great meal.
The bridge over to South Padre Isand
The full gang.
Afterwards we walked out of the restaurant to the beach and checked out the area. The red flag indicator was up warning of some pretty high waves created by the winds. The water felt pretty cold but there were a few kids in the water, of course the temperature didn't bother them. The hot tub at the hotel was occupied by the older people.
Looking north from the hotel beach area.
When we went back to the car, Ron took us for a tour up the island along the road which runs parallel to the beach. The houses and commercial building gradually reduced in number as we headed north until there was just vacant sandy dune lands on both sides of the road with "for sale" signs posted on them. The road then just stops, with a couple of barriers at the end. This is were everyone gets out and checks out the sandy area and then turns around and heads back to town. The winds created sand drifts across the ocean side lane of road which are cleared by a truck with a snow plow on it. The road wasn't that long about 12-15 miles.
Drifting sand
End of the road.
By the time we got home it was time to skype my brother and family in Brampton where all my siblings were spending Christmas. We had a great session with them and watched as they were opening their Secret Santa gifts.
They really haven't had any snow to mention there.
It was a very nice Christmas Day.
