THE ENGLISH MERCHANT'S INN

This splendid historic gingerbread mansion, once owned by an English cotton merchant, is easy to spot: a British flag flies above the porch. No sooner do we push open the door than we are transported to an ancient Texas full of stories. Each room is richly and tastefully furnished - Mary, the host of the Bed and Breakfast, is a professional interior decorator, the walls are covered with antique paintings.