When is Two Weeks Too Long?

After several weeks of “wandering aimlessly” (well…not exactly aimlessly) Chris & I decided to make some sort of “plan” for where we wanted to spend Christmas. Based on our current rate of travel and our sketchy route, I made the executive decision that San Antonio was likely to be the closest destination for that date. Since I made the assumption that RV parks were likely to be at maximum capacity around the holidays I did something I am loathe to do. I made a reservation. San Antonio is a rather historic area so we decided to stay two weeks but because we (I) want to be near water for the celebration of the New Year a second reservation was made for one week in Corpus Christi beginning New Years Eve.

As it turns out, we may have been a bit optimistic about wanting to be in one place for two whole weeks. The first few days were taken up with doing laundry, finishing up Christmas shopping, shipping gifts and exploring the sights in San Antonio. Upon arriving we were told about a Christmas dinner that is hosted by the park with guests pitching in side dishes and encouraged to sign up. It sounded like a good idea. It turned out to be a good decision. After a quiet morning in the coach having dinner with 108 other gypsies was a lot of fun. It was especially nice not to have to do all the preparation and cleanup, not to mention finding somewhere to put the leftovers. 

Wouldn't you just love to spend some time just sitting in this beautiful garden?

San Antonio has some interesting attractions. First of all, this is the site of The Alamo. Since it is such a large part of Texas history, it is a bit of a surprise to discover how small the place is. The entire complex only encompasses 3 acres and the main building (originally a mission church) is quite small. When it was turned into a fort a long, one story barracks’ was built to house the soldiers. The walls inside the chapel as well as those surrounding the entire fort, are extremely thick (close to 3’) adobe. 

I don't know the age of this tree but it was very old and very large and being held up with cables. In the background is the old, old well.

Inside the gift shop is a scale model of the entire complex showing it during the attack. Given the number of troops vs. enemy, it is pretty easy to see why the battle was lost. One of my favorite spots was a beautiful, shady corner that was pure tranquility just looking at it.

The San Antonio River flows right through the middle of town and over the years the area has been transformed into a lovely sanctuary, just steps below the hustle and bustle of downtown. Apparently the work was begun in 1929 and has produced a nice, wide walkway that meanders along both sides of the river, under numerous bridges (each with their own unique style) and past restaurants, shops and manmade water features. If one desires a ride on the water, that is easily accomplished by boarding one of the numerous barges manned by helmsmen/women who are also well-informed guides. 

Our first trip down the Riverwalk was a Tuesday afternoon and we practically had the place to ourselves. We were able to stroll leisurely down the river taking lots of photos and stopping for a delicious lunch at Durty Nelly’s Irish Pub. It was too easy! We were lulled. 

This is a stage on one side of the River. The seating (amphitheater style) is on the other.

 

The restaurant, Boudro’s, is apparently “The” place to eat along the Riverwalk and we decided to try it out last night…a Thursday…3 days before the Alamo Bowl between the Oregon State Univ. Beavers and the Univ. of Texas (Austin) Longhorns. It was a MUCH different experience! We arrived after 6:30 to find a 1-1/2 hour wait at the restaurant and the sidewalks packed. We decided to see if there was another restaurant with less wait time. This time the walk involved much caution in order not to be knocked into the water. We finally stopped at the Lone Star Café which didn’t have a line down the block.

 As we were waiting for our dinner a large group of Beavers fans came in to eat as well. Dressed entirely in orange and black with big beaver heads on the front of their shirts, they were hard to miss. Chris & I, not exactly your avid sports fans (to put it lightly), deduced that there must be a bowl game in town. This was confirmed after a quick chat with one of the fans who was as disappointed as we were that winter coats were required in Texas! At any rate, we will be spending the balance of the weekend away from town!  

After almost two weeks in one place, Chris & I are both beginning to get a case of “Itchy Feet” so we are looking forward to moving on. It is time for a new patch of scenery and a new adventure. Corpus Christi on Monday!