Today is the feast day of the Body of Christ celebrated by Catholics, Anglicans and Greek Orthodox churches. Legend records the the city and bay of Corpus Christi was discovered in 1519 by a spanish explorer, Alanzo Alvarez de Pineda. He sailed into the lush tropical bay on the feast of Corpus Christi and named it to honor the feast day.
In the 1870’s the town became an important port for the delivery of cattle from the west to the eastern markets. The brochures for tourism label this sixth largest Texas city as the sparkling city on the bay.
In my first teaching position, several of the teachers wanted to travel for spring break to a warm area. Not to Florida, where the college crowd migrated. We had to drive to Corpus Christi ,TX and Padre Island.
Padre Island is two long barrier islands over 113 miles in length, the longest barrier islands in the world.
The fact that it was a sunny location in the spring called the 5 teachers to drive there. The trip took 2 days with a evening stopover in St. Louis. When we finally arrived , to our chagrin, the weather was cool and rainy. That weather continued till the day before we were to return.
We all hit the beach to get a quick tan. instead, we all had sunburns.
We were to be late getting back to our school jobs. I was coerced to call into the principal, Sister Theresa, to excuse us for an extra day. The others thought sister would take the news better if it came from me.
My second trip to Corpus Christi was 4 years ago. My husband and I were to travel down the east coast of Texas down to the border at Brownsville. We took our tandem and rode each day to explore cities and towns along the way.
We rented a mother in law apartment in Corpus Christi for 2 days. It was small enough to have been a single car garage. It fit our needs. I joked that I couldn’t get lost in it.
On our anniversary, we went out to a Mexican dinner. Our waitress asked us several questions about our selection. We realized we didn’t understand her with her thick accent. We smile and nodded our heads vigorously. I don’t remember what we had but I am sure it was interesting.
Whether you are celebrating the feast day or the city, a good time depends on who you are with.
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The Sparkling City on the Bay
From the native indians
to the first white man that beheld her,
A lush tropical oasis was discovered on
the feast of Corpus Christi.
Sailing into the bay, hoping for fresh water and supplies.
The explorers were grateful to make land safely.
Body of Christ, food for the soul and spirit, awaiting visitors
from land and sea.
Carol Farnsworth copyright 6/3/21
traveling up and down the blind highway 