Despite it being mid-February, baseball somehow ended up playing a major part of my most recent trip to Houston.

As I have written here many times, the Astros organization has been extremely friendly and cooperative to Global Traveler. Once again, the Astros delivered by giving us a behind-the-scenes tour of Minute Maid Park, which happens to be my favorite baseball park. I saw parts of the park usually off-limits to all, including the press.

The front entrance is inside the old Union Station. Much of the original magnificent architecture still stands. The train on the left field wall pays homage to this history.

We went behind the manually operated league scoreboard, one of the league’s largest. Using three people to operate, it is one of the park’s busiest areas on game day.

They have also been testing solar lighting in the offseason to see how the grass responds. If all continues to go well, they will be installing these lights permanently.

The entire organization, especially the new ownership, is excited about celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Astros this season. It will be a festive season.

Around Minute Maid Park, the city of Houston is making renovations. BBVA Compass Stadium is being built to house the Dynamo (MLS) in 2012. A tram is planned to connect these stadiums to the Toyota Center (home of the NBA Rockets).

We also took an impromptu tour of Annunciation Church across from Minute Maid. Completed in 1874, it was the second Catholic church in Houston. The gothic forms of European cathedrals are magnificently recreated here. It is simply beautiful.

Finally, we stopped in to see my friend, former major league pitcher David Clyde, an instructor at the Miracles Baseball Academy. The academy focuses on the total player, both on and off the field. We caught up on things, including his 2009 induction into the National High School Hall of Fame.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist