Day 38, Wednesday 10/23, The River Walk, San Antonio, TX

   The last mission we will visit is now known as the Alamo.  I did not realize this was one of the five colonial missions along the San Antonio River. San Antonio is one of the oldest cities in the US, in the top 20, El Paso is the oldest city in Texas.  St. Augustine is the oldest in the US, 1565. Mission San Antonio is now known as the Alamo, it is located in the center of town in San Antonio.  Visiting the Alamo is quite underwhelming.  The building is small, old and heavily damaged.  No photos are allowed inside, but the inside is not of photographic interest.  The visitors are quickly moved through, and vendors hawk their photo service (pictures of you) at the front entrance, it is surprising this is allowed. “Remember the Alamo”, is the pro-Texas phrase repeated following a 13 day siege in 1836 on the mission where virtually all of the approximately 200 occupants were killed by Mexican troops battling to take control of Texas. 

   The in town river walk is a cool place to be on a hot day.  The river bends in a horseshoe path into the town, and is depressed from the city streets and buildings, making a shady grotto for tourists.  Small river boats provide tours of the river, which feels like a canal in Venice.  Restaurants abound in the grotto, and visitors, seem to eat and drink all day long.  A few shops sell beer and Margarita’s to go, so you can walk around and drink and stay cool.  It is very unique, put this on your bucket list.  Happy hour provides a great excuse to sit and people watch, and a nice dinner can follow.

As dusk occurs, the river boats illuminate, and set up for group outings loaded with refreshments. At the end of the evening on Crockett Street (yes, as in Davy Crockett), horse drawn carriages are illuminated for a night tour of the streets.

Day 39, Thursday 10/24,

    Some days, you just have to take care of business, groceries, oil change, gifts, post office, etcetera.  If you are lucky, a nice lunch will be part of the plan, we were lucky with a nice lunch at a high top table, half inside and half out, perfect today.  It was fun shopping at the Boot Barn, who doesn’t love the artistry of a great selection of cowboy and cowgirl boots??

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   After taking care of business, I had a vigorous ride on the river trail. Few were out due to the T-storms in the forecast, fortunately, the rain was delayed.

• 2019 Fall