The Rio Grande Valley has many visual gems. Because of the growth spurt in the 1990s, many new houses, office buildings, churches, and hospitals have been built. This gives large sections of the Rio Grande Valley a very modern look. A prime example would be the McAllen Convention Center shown below.

While living in the Boston area I found that most houses fit into 3 or 4 styles. Here in the valley their is a wide selection of styles. The variety of housing gives neighborhoods their own unique personalities. My Favorite houses are brick with Spanish tiles.

The landscape is somewhere between green and dessert. There is no shortage of trees. However, large trees are not that common. The grass is usually patchy unless someone pays a substantial price in time or money. The best part of the landscape is the sun and the moon. We have terrific sunrises and sunsets. Many times the sun or the moon hand in the sky at unbelievable sizes.

McAllen has recently finished building this state of the art Convention Center. It is located just North of Ware Rd. and the Expressway.

The Iwo Jima Memorial is located in the parade grounds of the Marine Military Academy. There is even a small museum across that path that you can visit. One of the soldiers that raised the flag at Iowa Jima is from Weslaco, Texas.

Texas Travel Information Center is located under the intersection of Hwy 83 and Hwy 77. The offer free video of the area and some maps incase you need to find your way around. They can also give tips on finding some of the best food and lodging establishments in the area.

This piece of landscape can be seen right across from the La Plaza Mall and the Miller International Airport.