San Antonio
San Antonio is extremely easy to get to with a major airport just about ten miles outside of town. They offer an inexpensive shuttle service from the airport to different locations downtown called the Go Shuttle, but we didn't take that so I can't vouch for the service. A taxi ride for two was only $30 to our hotel, so it was a not expensive at all. There is an extensive bus system in the city, but no subway or train service, so you may be walking a lot to get around once you are in town. Most of the tourist attractions are in the River Walk area of downtown, and the area is loaded with hotels fitting all budgets.
The most famous site in San Antonio is obviously The Alamo. For those of you who are historically challenged, the Battle of the Alamo was a pivotal battle in the Texas Revolution. In 1836, led by General Santa Ana, the Mexican forces killed around two hundred rebels in the fort who had been fighting from within for nearly two weeks. From this battle we get famous names such as Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett, along with countless other heroes who have half of Texas named after them. To answer the question in your head right now, yes, this is a monument to a brutal massacre, but that massacre spurred the independence movement in the area on to new heights. News of the brutality swept through the Texas region of Mexico, leading more Texans and even many Americans to come to the aid of Texas in defeating Mexico and creating the independent Republic of Texas later that year. The first thing you will notice when you get to the Alamo is it is not big, not even by colonial fort standards. I have been several times in the past, and I remember saying it myself the first time I went, but I overheard many people walking up to the fort and say, "That's it?" Let the size of the fort sink in, but then go inside and tour the grounds. Entrance is free, and because of that there is often a line to get in, but it is worth the time. The first Saturday of every month they have actors come out and recreate life as it would have been in 1836. Some of the highlights include living quarters for the soldiers, actual cannons that were placed around the fort, and a beautiful giant oak tree that was transplanted in the Alamo in 1912.
After you have spent some time at the Alamo, walk just a block away and go to the River Walk. The River Walk was originally designed for flood relief in the 1920's, but was developed into a tourist attraction in the 1930's. The modern day walk is full of well kept gardens, beautiful waterfalls, and foot paths that visitors can spend the entire day wandering through. Now the heart of nightlife in the city, there are countless restaurants and nightclubs that line the walk, an amphitheater for outdoor productions, an art market called La Villita, and random shops for people to step into. We were lucky to be there over the Christmas holidays, so we got to see much of the walk with lights. The walk is completely safe, but does get slippery so watch your footing, especially if you plan on having a few adult beverages.
One cool site not visited by many in the River Walk area is St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Located on Commerce Street, construction on the church began in 1868. The church was built for the growing German Catholic population immigrating to the Texas area, and contains a very cool cornerstone with German writing on the stone reading, "Look, God's dwelling place is now among the people." Inside the church is adorned with the stations of the cross, but these stations are original to the church and are written out in German. One thing the visitor will notice is the church is surrounded on three sides by the Rivercenter Mall. Apparently the members of the church refused to sell the property to developers in the 1940's, so the developers called their bluff and built completely around them. The whole church can be seen in about ten minutes, and is worth stopping by.
And now a few pictures for all of you Horned Frog fans out there!
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