Texans take BBQ very seriously, the people across from us had this wood-burning BBQ on wheels and cooked on it last night. There was a lot of smoke but I'm sure it produced great food.
The campground has a grove of pecan trees and here are some pecans growing on the tree. We also love watching the abundance of birds (grackles and mockingbirds) and squirrels.
We drove the 5 miles to town and parked next to the "Buckhorn Museum and Saloon" which covers history of Texas and has also wildlife exhibits from around the world. We really liked the large heads of animals protruding from the second story.
The 18th-century mission church of the Alamo, where William Travis (commander of the Alamo), Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie and 188 others waged their last stand against 1,500 Mexican army for Texas independence is a sacred shrine of liberty in Texas. The defenders of the Alamo held out for 13 days against Santa Anna's army who had indicated that they would not take any prisoners. "Remember the Alamo" became a battle cry to continue the fight to win an independent Texas which reminded soldiers that the Mexican army would take no prisoners and also the heroic struggle against overwhelming odds.
Davie Crockett's vest is on display and numerous other personal items and guns belonging to him, David Bowie and other heroes of the Alamo. We visited the rooms in the mission where the women, children and slaves (the only survivors of the Alamo) stayed during the battle.
Above the well used by the mission in the courtyard, this century-old "Live Oak" tree provides an impressive canopy. The leaf does not resemble an oak but the bark does, also this tree does not lose its leaves in the winter. 
We walked into the Coyote Ugly bar thinking it would be fun to have lunch there, but the music was blaring so we looked further.
Found a great Mexican restaurant right beside the Riverwalk and it was a perfect day to sit outside.
The Riverwalk is a two and a half-mile stretch of cobblestone and flagstone paths along the San Antonio River. The River Walk was conceived in 1929 as the downtown had serious flood problems and construction started in 1939. It was designed similar to the canals of Venice and the curved bridges certainly remind me of Venice. Lined by bars, shops and restaurants, the River Walk is the heart of San Antonio and a big tourist attraction. You can take boat tours along the waterway. 
Mike and me enjoying our lunch.
The Riverwalk is lush with tropical plants. Noticed there is no guardrail next to the river and realized this could not happen in Canada (too many regulations!).
The San Fernando Cathedral (oldest cathedral in the US) is the church from which General Santa Anna flew the red flag of "no quarter" (will take no prisoners) on the tower at the beginning of the seige. He had the few surviving soldiers shot and then all the bodies were burned.
Entombed in the chapel are the remains of Travis, Crockett, Bowie and other heroes of the Alamo. A plaque on the door to the church says "Be silent friend, here heroes died to blaze a trail for other men".
Mike bought some western boots and belt at "Paris Hatters" which is primarily a hat store. The store has been owned and run by the same family since 1917 and its hats have shaded the heads of Farrah Fawcett, Johnny Cash, Pope John Paul II, Queen Elizabeth and many other celebrities.
No comments:
Post a Comment