When I was going to university in Galveston back in the 70s, I remember hearing about Houston’s Buffalo Bayou. What I remember the most was that bodies were always being found there. More than a few like José Campos Torres, were said to have been put there by the Houston cops.
An old college chum took me for a few walks in the park when I first got here. I have to say, that had it not been for him I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near the park. I was pretty impressed. My first visits were on a gray misty day. The next in the early morning. Later I went back on a bright sunny day to see if I could get some better shots.
Anytime I am experiencing a new area, there tends to be something that grabs my attention. In the Buffalo Bayou Park it was all the bridges.The stairways were quite striking as well.Even a storm drain outflow had a beautiful quality.Despite the misty day I was able to tweak this one to make the building stand out against the sky.The city of Houston looms out over the park in the mist.The area, while quite beautiful, has a serious purpose. It is part of the flood control system of the city. This tree shows the damage that years of flooding can cause, while not killing it.In the days before the deep channel was dug from the sea into the port of Houston. The bayou was part of a water system serviced by shallow boats and barges. Some of the old docks can still be seen alongside the waterway, and a lot of the landscape features are designed to reference water and boats.This bifurcation point between where the swooping foot bridge splits is made to look like the bulbous bow of ship turned over. I didn’t like that ‘turned over’ bit, though. This silly trend of love locks which nearly destroyed the Pont des Arts bridge in Paris has invaded the bayou. The mist made the city look much further away than it is.Some deadfall wedged on a highway overpass, in testament to the last bad flooding.There were a very few others in the park that day.I really like the feel of the park in the early morning.Near one of of the entrances of the park are a grouping of these statues, called Tolerance. They are open work metal and illuminated from inside. What looks like a web of metal is alphabetic symbols from languages around the world, reflecting the artist’s belief that, whatever culture we live in and whichever language we think in, our lives are similar.At an entry point to the bayou at Crosby Outfall, this 20-foot stainless steel canoe sculpture by John Runnels is supported by two stainless steel trees. I found it it is called, ‘It wasn’t a dream, it was a flood.’Last time I was at the park this area was packed with people. The pedestrian bridges are frequent and very lovely.That is the Police Memorial at the end of the bridge.The Police MemorialOn a sunny day the photo needs no tweaking to make the building pop against the sky.Part of what I find so charming about this park is the fact that it runs under major highways. I did a lot of work for a company just north of this area and traveled the highways often, not having any idea at the beauty which was below.I think this building in the park is an event venue.In front of the building was a peaceful pond. At least it was peaceful without the crowds. Even weeds can make a nice photo.These mud birdnests were so evenly spaced that they at first looked like ornaments. I think they are swallow nests.The nests were on every pylon of the highway.Being me I am always attracted to heavy equipment and construction sights. Here the crew are stabilizing the bank of the waterway. The city mist free, and surprisingly pollution free. I guess it helps to have everyone sheltering in place.An interesting detail of one of the bridges.The magnolias were in bloom, reminding me of my mother.
With the associations which are stuck in my mind between the Houston cops and Buffalo Bayou I was struck that someone thought it was a good idea to put a police memorial in the Buffalo Bayou Park. On a sad aside, a body was found six days ago in the the Bayou, but not inside the precincts of the Park.
