Cross Country By Train Pt. 3

 

Good Morning San Antonio!!!

 

We arrived early in the morning, and I mean early! It didn't seem to faze the kids though. They were ready to go after 16 hours on the train. I have been up now for around twenty hours and still have a full day to look forward to, but I am pumped. This is the first time for Hillary and the children to experience Texas, and San Antonio is one of the best places to experience this great state!

The Tower Of The Americas is a 750 ft observation tower/restaurant seen in the background of the photo above. From 1968-1996 it was the tallest observation tower in the United states.

 

There is a Denny's restaurant conveniently located about a quarter of a mile from the train station so we gathered our luggage and made our way down the street to get an early breakfast. Our motel was not far from Denny's, so we worked our way there hoping to drop off our luggage. Our luggage consisted of 2 rolling suitcases, 5 backpacks, laptop bag, camera bag and binoculars. We were able to leave most of it behind the counter at the motel which was a blessing since check in time was 11 hours away!

 

As we left the motel and ventured out into the unknown world of a pre-dawn Downtown area, we did so in a tactical mindset. Keep close and keep your eyes open. Surprisingly, we encountered no one. We ended up with a very peaceful, safe, and unique self-guided tour of the Heart of the city enjoying the Riverwalk with a Ghost town feel.

Having three members of my family from The Volunteer State, two of which at 7 and 8 years of age think they can repel Santa Anna's army by themselves, I keep a watchful eye for the invading forces. You can almost feel the Spirit Of Alamo Past. As we stand here wrapped in an eerie quiet calm in front of this rugged old Mission (around 5 o'clock in the morning), I wonder what it must have been like on that morning of March the 6th before daybreak around 5:30. Silence breaks with the sound of small arms and cannon fire. Around a couple of hundred brave men fighting for Texas, fighting for freedom, knowing their fate yet standing against an army of around 2,000 were awakened to battle by shouts from Santa Anna's men, "!Viva Santa Anna!" It is a very sobering landmark, and definitely one to experience in the predawn hours without the hustle and bustle of tourists.

 

Before we head on to explore some more a Park Ranger came out to say hello and the children were able to chat with him for a little while.

 

 

 

We are ready for a break from walking... So what else is a family to do when everything is closed? Well, why not go to the two story McDonald's!? And go we did!

 

You may be asking, "Are they eating ice cream and sundaes before daybreak?"  Why, yes. Yes, they are. This is one of the perks of being on vacation. Live a little, loosen up your collar. It won't kill them. Children are very resilient. They seem fairly happy to me. We have to remember we were children at one point in our lives as well, and, to me, this is important. They will remember these moments.

 

 

 

As the sun rose on this fine city, traffic began to increase with cars, cyclists, and buses as folks started their day. We decided to take a stroll down the Riverwalk with a little fog accompanying us on our way.

There are plenty of photo opportunities here. Plenty of plants, flowers and birds to incorporate into your shots as well as the diversity of structures. For example, this bridge.

Here is a shot of my princess posing for the camera of which she seems to have quite the knack.

 La Villita. San Antonio's first neighborhood. This is an Historic arts village area. There is an amphitheater which looks across the narrow river where plays and other events are held.

Here is a picture of the Bexar (pron.: bear) County Courthouse taken from the Riverwalk. Notice the Green light located on the bridge. The river makes a turn here and the light changes from red to green depending on river traffic.

 Here are a couple of shots of the Emily Morgan Hotel. It is a beautiful piece of architecture, as are many of the downtown buildings. If architecture is your thing, then you will definitly be pleased what this city has to offer.



 

As the day progressed we worked our way back to the Alamo. If you are expecting to see tumbleweeds roll past this old mission, roadrunners scurrying  around and miles of nothingness between you and the horizon, you are in for a shock. It is located right in the middle of the city which for me is extremely convienient for exploring the city on foot.

 

Tourist traffic has grown, and we no longer are the only ones here as we were at 5:00 am. It is bustling, and we are excited to relive the battle through the tour guides. Taking pictures inside the Alamo is not permitted; however, you are welcome to photograph while on the grounds.

 

 

 

 

There is a Mission Trail available that allows you to see the other four Missions that are part of the city. We look forward to exploring those on our next visit.

 

There is so much to do and so little time it seems, so my next installment will be of our time spent at the San Antonio Zoo, Japanese Tea Gardens, and our dinner on the Riverwalk at night. Stay tuned!