You guys are assholes who don't know what you are speaking about. Galveston has a strong history as the "wall street" of the south. Okay, make all the jokes you want. The ship channel of Houston is a major shipping port. there are refineries etc there. I doubt it was the rich who stayed. They mostly have weekend homes. Galveston is a very poor area. Much of history was washed away in this storm, but you would not know that since you are not from there. Yes, you will always have the one surfer who wants to surf the hurricane undertow, but I doubt that is who stayed. Unfortunately, much of the the public beaches were converted to private homes in recent years. These homes had no seawall, but even along the seawall there was a great deal of damage.
http://www.jhvonline.com/default.asp?so ... ne&he=.comGalveston is also a cruise port. In recent years it has been transformed from a rather poor town to a tourist location. As a Houstonian, it has been interesting to watch. There is also a large artists community. So basically I am saying, stuff it. If you don't live somewhere then shut the hell up. I stayed in Houston, because i have elderly parents who would not leave. I have now left until my house is repaired, and livable. Hopefully in ten days I can return home. You cannot imagine what any of this has been like. The sadness, negativity, depression and grief that we have all suffered.
So cram it both of you.
Houston and Galveston photos for you to look at:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/hurricaneike/pool/This is our world right now. Either come down here and help us clean it up, or shut up.