#29: Houston Astros' Minute Maid Ballpark

Saturday night: Houston Astros, here I come! I was actually staying at a hotel near the airport that night (since I had an early flight and didn't want to get up any earlier than I absolutely had to), which as I found out, wasn't all that far from the ballpark. So, I drove to the hotel for a minute to check in, freshen up, and then made my way to the stadium. This is how excited I was as I made the turn and saw the ballpark for the first time ...
As I was walking toward the stadium, I ended up buying a ticket from some ticket brokers on the side of the road for $10 and decided that I could pretty much sit wherever I wanted. I went into the Team Store to try to find a baseball that I liked for my case, but much to my dismay, I found that they didn't have any that were up to par in my mind. But, the a/c did feel good! I walked around the stadium, admired the view, and then made my way to my seat. I spent the game seat-hopping. I sat for 3 innings in the seat I was assigned to, and then moved closer in. Same thing 3 innings (and an ice cream sundae) later. In a way, it was nice to be by myself and have the luxury of moving around without making a scene. Ushers are a lot less likely to notice if its only one person!

The game was actually very exciting ... at the end of the first inning, the score was 6-3 Astros, there had been 9 hits, including 3 home runs. The rest of the game wasn't quite that crazy, but it was definitely not boring, that's for sure. Minute Maid ballpark was great! I loved it. The cool train in the outfield moves when runs are scored (which was a lot during this game). I'm still not sure why they have a little hill in centerfield, but it didn't seem to detract from the game, so I guess if nothing else, it is certainly something unique. Probably one of the best things about it: air conditioning. Yup, that's right, its an indoor ballpark, but not a lame indoor one like Tampa or Minneapolis. The entire outfield is surrounded by glass, so it doesn't feel enclosed. Let me tell you, it was nice to not have to sit in the heat and humidity of Houston at the end of August for a baseball game! After "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the 7th Inning Stretch, they did a rendition of "Deep In the Heart of Texas" ... while the Texas flag wove on the screen. The Astros certainly know how to please a crowd. And I hate having all these pictures just by myself! Oh well, I wasn't going to not go to the game just because I went by myself. Not the first time, and probably not the last ... it was totally worth every minute. One down, one to go!