San Antonio Surprises

The next leg of our journey took us a short hour and a half drive southwest to San Antonio.  I hate to admit, but we almost bypassed this stop in our attempt to get out west.  As it turned out, we were very surprised by the city's rich history and charm.  It is quite possibly my favorite city so far, but I said that about Austin too..

When we arrived late morning, we kicked into full tourist mode starting with a visit to the Alamo.  Texans refer to this place as a shrine, hallowed ground where a few brave men fought for independence from Spanish rule against impossible odds.  Originally built as a Catholic mission, the Alamo was later fortified for battle. It was truly awe-inspiring to learn about the chain of events and see the place where the epic scene unfolded.  Although the revolutionists lost their lives down to the last one (including my childhood hero, Davy Crockett) "Remember the Alamo" became the battle cry that led to the ultimate victory at San Jacinto and the formation of the Republic of Texas.

Next we made our way to Riverwalk, where the banks of the San Antonio River have formed a city of their own.  Just below the street level are miles of riverfront sidewalks connecting restaurants, shops, hotels and even an outdoor auditorium.  We took a river boat tour to see the sites and get our bearings, then grabbed a bite at Casa Rio, established in 1947.  Robert Hugman, the architect who designed Riverwalk created a haven on the water complete with cyprus and live oak trees for shade, making it a subterranean retreat from the heat.

                  

After lunch we took the steps up to the city and walked to the San Fernando Cathedral.  Dating back to 1731, it is the oldest cathedral in the United States. Entombed in the cathedral are the remains of three of the heroes of the battle of the Alamo: Travis, Crockett, and Bowie.

                 

By mid afternoon, the intense Texas heat finally drove these Floridians to find water.  We checked into the El Tropicano and made straight for the pool to cool off.  The hotel itself had a retro-chic and colorful vibe, including a large iguana that surprised me when I looked up from my deck chair into his glass case.  

                

Relaxed and showered, we made our way back to Riverfront for a date night.  Brian felt the urge to return to his Italian roots, and I have never said no to pasta (which may be my problem) so we enjoyed a delicious meal at Michelino's.  I ordered a margarita and found out that everything really is bigger in Texas!

                 

After dinner we wandered the river popping in and out of shops and bars where the music called to us.  Our last stop was the Iron Cactus where we shared the fried cheesecake, the house specialty.  Tired and happy, we returned to the hotel to pack up and prepare for the next stage of our journey - camping!  Adios to air conditioning and comfortable beds for a while...