Remember when I said that Florida was a boring ass state to drive through. Well, East Texas is in 2nd place when it comes to boring scenery. The only reason why it's second place is because of the amount of cattle located in East Texas. I get a kick out of seeing the cows along the drive. Cows are cute - it's a shame they're also delicious! North Texas, on the other hand, has some surprisingly beautiful vistas.
After leaving Oak Alley plantation, I spent the next 7 hours driving, which included miles of swamp land in Louisiana, a traffic accident causing delays in Baton Rouge, hours of boredom in Texas, and a massive traffic jam in Houston. The worst part of boring driving is that I end up spending way too much time in my head - revisiting the past 49 years of life, especially the last 5 years. <sigh> Not a good idea! Although I did see this towing company billboard as I was traversing through Texas, which gave me a laugh:
Anyway, I spent the night in Sealy, TX and yesterday morning, after 2 more hours of driving, I drove into San Antonio. San Antonio was another city that I have always wanted to visit (specifically because of the River Walk) and I am glad that I came to visit this city.
My visit started with seeing the exterior of a small house that the short story author,
O. Henry lived in during the 1880s. I was slightly annoyed that the museum was not open, despite the hours posted on the door saying that it should have been open. Sadly, I did not get to see inside this small 2-room house. It was a disappointment, but what can you do. I then moved along to visit the...
Spanish Governor's Palace: Don't be too impressed. Don't let the word "palace" lead you to expect something grandiose. It's a translation of palacio, which in Mexico means any building used as the seat of government. This was the house of the garrison's captain. It's a handsome building constructed of adobe and stone that dates from 1722. There isn't really a lot of old San Antonio left, so this is worth the visit for that alone. While the 1930 "restoration" was hardly sympathetic, at least the bulk of the original building is there and preserved and it has been furnished in an appropriate style. In 1977, a conquistador statue situated outside the palace was given to the people of San Antonio by the Spanish government. At $5 to tour the site, it's reasonably priced and worth a quick visit. Two blocks away from the palace is...
San Fernando Cathedral: The San Fernando Cathedral had humble beginnings as a parish church. It was commissioned as a simple stone church in 1738. The colonial society of the day was divided into two principal classes: the Canary Islanders, who, having been born in the Old World, were above those of Spanish descent born in the New World, which included most of the garrison and their families. But the project of building a church united them, and in choosing the patron saints, they selected one from each continent -- from Europe, Our Lady of Candlemas, and from the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe. What is seen today mostly dates from the 1870s when the church was elevated to cathedral. Changes continue into the present century. For example, the gilt altarpiece was introduced only a few years ago. The most interesting thing about the cathedral is that a coffin in the entry purports to hold the ashes of the Alamo defenders: Davy Crockett, James Bowie, William Harris, and others.
I left the cathedral and returned to my car to make my way to my hotel for an early check in and a bit of a rest. Then it was onto...
The River Walk: The River Walk is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of Downtown San Antonio. It is a public park open 365 days a year, lined with individual businesses composed of restaurants, hotels, attractions and more. It's a great way to spend a couple of hours just strolling, people watching, and enjoying the beautiful views. Any visit to San Antonio must include a visit to the River Walk. There are water taxis available to take you along the river to your destination, although I just walked. My visit to the River Walk included a stop for lunch at a Tex Mex restaurant. After eating, I headed over to...
The Alamo: Originally known as the Mission San Antonio de Valero, it is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, and the site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. "The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission, killing all of the Texian defenders. Santa Anna's cruelty during the battle inspired many Texians—both Texas settlers and adventurers from the United States—to join the Texian Army. Buoyed by a desire for revenge, the Texians defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, on April 21, 1836, ending the revolution" (Wikipedia). The Alamo is now a shrine and a museum. Currently, the mission building has a display of weaponry which would have been used during the battle, which didn't interest me very much. I'm not much for objects which injure and kill people. The grounds have been beautifully maintained and the former barracks have a complete history of Texas, San Antonio, and the Alamo. For history buffs, this site is a must see, and the best part, it's free.
After touring the Alamo, I returned to the River Walk and hopped aboard a river cruise boat which was worth the $8.50 to see sections of the River Walk that I didn't even know existed. By the end of the tour it was late afternoon and I was exhausted. I returned to my hotel where I rested, had a little dinner, and then called it a night. This cancer crap is really killing my night life, I just don't have the energy to go back out.
Check out all of
my photos of San Antonio on my
GART photo site.
Current travel stats:
Oak Alley odometer mileage: 97,019
Odometer mileage in San Antonio: 97,533
Miles driven to San Antonio: 514
Total miles driven to date: 4,544
States driven through: Louisiana and Texas
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2 comments:
Texians ? Is that really what Wikipedia had? You should be glad you got out of the South when you did. Cold, cold, cold and snow. Memphis is as snowy as PA. If this crap doesn't clear up, it's going to be next week before I can get my new car. Sonovabitch.
Yep. Texians. Weird huh? It's pretty freaking cold in Texas. Low 40s. NM is supposed to be low to mid-60s. I hear that this is the last of the snow for awhile in the north. Don't know if I believe it. :-)
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