On this blistery, hot, 95 degree day, we set out early for San Antonio. We had the bad fortune to crawl for many miles behind a heavily-escorted, immense tank destined for the oil fields. The Cuero-Victoria area in Texas is booming with new oil and natural gas finds, new producing pumps and, apparently, plenty of new millionaires. The trailer holding the tank was wider than two lanes so when a bridge was approached, it had to be measured to assure the tank would pass. At last there was a side road Dorothy could turn on, and we were really going to the Big City!
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| One of many Texas oil rigs. |
Of course, we had to see The Alamo. We also wanted to visit the old Spanish Missions and the fabulous RiverWalk. First stop: Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo (St. Joseph and St. Michael of Aguayo). I had first visited this mission with my mother years ago. It is both a National Park and a Catholic parish. Began in 1720, it is the largest of the San Antonio Missions. Its large dome was the first domed church in the Americas. The Park shows a movie recounting the impressive history of the area and many tribes of Native Americans. It also displays many artifacts and staffs a quality gift shop.
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| Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo, San Antonio, Texas |
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| Main Altar at Mission San Jose |
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Can you imagine the beauty of this remarkable building when completed? The frescoes and paintings must have been magnificent when new! After my father's death, in 2003, I attended a Mariachi Mass one Sunday here. There were approximately ten Mexican trumpeters and guitarists. The prayers all were in Spanish but the sermon was in English. Hymns were sung in Spanish, with great spirit. Afterwards, I bought a cassette tape of the music.
Next stop: Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepcion (Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception), started in 1755. Mother and I thought there were three old missions along the Mission Road. There are actually four on Mission Road. However, the Alamo was also a mission church so there are five missions in San Antonio.
Concepcion Mission is the largest of the mission churches and is the most well-preserved due to the roofs never collapsing as had happened in the other missions after being abandoned. The few remaining wall decorations are beautiful. This is also a functioning Catholic parish. There is a lovely, peaceful grotto with a cactus garden on the grounds.
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| Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepcion, San Antonio, Texas |
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| Frescoes on ceiling with bell tower pull, Mission Concepcion |
Dorothy, Peggy, and I wanted very much to visit the remaining two missions on Mission Road, Mission San Juan Capistrano and Mission San Francisco de la Espada but chose to visit The Alamo so we could get in before closing. Peggy had never been to The Alamo and it was Number One on her 'must see' list. Dorothy had seen it many years before and I had been there many times as nearly every time I visited my parents I had taken along one of my daughters and they ALL had to see The Alamo!
We checked in at our hotel, Marriott Riverwalk and dropped our suitcases. The panoramic view of the city from our 26th-story room's balcony was captivating: boats on the RiverWalk below and skyscrapers at eye level.
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| RiverWalk, San Antonio, Texas, as seen from 26 floors above. |
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| Afternoon skyline, San Antonio, Texas, as seen from Marriott Riverwalk |
Oh, The Alamo! Every American must make this a Pilgrimage sometime in his or her life! It embodies the very spirit of our nation: Never Give Up! Freedom is Worth Fighting For! Band Together! Do Our Very Best!! The Alamo building and grounds are much larger than you could imagine. Did you know that in the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, nearly 200 Texans held out for 13 days against impossible odds from General Santa Anna's forces from Mexico? Then all lost their lives. Something new I learned this trip: There were SIX FLAGS over The Alamo and Texas: Spanish (at two different times), French, Mexican, The Republic of Texas, the United States of America and the Confederate States.
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| Facade of The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas |
The Alamo site is maintained by the Daughters of the American Revolution. They do not permit photos but have a huge gift shop in one of the inner buildings.
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| Dorothy, left, and Peggy in front of The Alamo |
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By four o'clock in the afternoon, we realized we were so busy we forgot to each lunch. We found a nearby, cool sandwich shop, ate, and headed back to the hotel for a rest. On the way back we passed an old church, St. Joseph's, and stopped in for a short visit, thoroughly edified by the intricate stained-glass windows but especially by the Stations of the Cross with captions in both English
and German. This was a church built by German immigrants! (More on the many cultures of Texas later.)
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| Main Altar, St. Joseph's church, San Antonio |
Later, Dorothy and I sat on a lower-level balcony and watched a parade of boats glide by. We felt the need to walk the RiverWalk! Many shops later, we were lured by friendly staff at Dick's Last Chance eatery and stuffed down a fine dinner of fish and chips. We loved the casual, international atmosphere. On the walk home we were treated to another parade: horse-drawn carriages, horse-drawn lighted 'Cinderella coaches', etc. Night in downtown San Antonio is festive, crowded, and safe.
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| Jan with Statue of St. Anthony, Patron Saint of San Antonio, at the RiverWalk |
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