San Antonio - October 2011

Hello San Antonio, Texas!

I say that because I've been to San Antonio several times (my son and daughter-in-law live there) and yet, I'd never fallen in love with the place. Yes, there is the Riverwalk (very commercial but entertaining nonetheless), and there is easy access to Austin (one of my favorite Texas destinations), and Fredericksburg (a quaint German community), and great food, and The Alamo. But I'd never visited any of the missions until this time. Now I'm a San Antonio fan!

Living/kitchen of Salado Creek Villas

Dining Room

We stayed at the Salado Creek Villas through our timeshare.  When you fist arrive,
there is a massive asphalt parking lot and not much else. The place has been designed to look like the wild west. They haven't exactly mastered that look. However, I could imagine horses tied to the porch rails. The pool is nice and the rooms have been updated and are homey and comfortable. The location had easy access to freeways and all the places we wanted to go. It is on a busy by-pass road which means you can't walk without lots of exhaust, heat, and noise. Our unit was at the back of the property and was quiet. Salado Creek was clean; the staff pleasant. They made sure all of our needs were met. If you are looking for a fancy resort, this is not the place to stay. However, I recommend that you not judge this property by its parking lot. http://www.shellvacationsclub.com/club/resorts/salado_creek_villas/index.jsp

Master Bath

One of the many trailheads for walking

walking paths

John and I love to walk. The Salado Creek Villas were close to several walking trails that weave through the city. It was a great surprise to find one close to our condo. Almost every morning, we walked for several miles, heading in a different direction each day. There are lots of trees and marshy areas so bring bug spray. Many families (residents?) were on bikes; the trail went on and on and on. 

During the middle of our week in San Antonio, we spent a day in Austin (a must for me). Austin is built on the Colorado River and is known for its food and music and fun-loving. There are trails along the river where people ride bikes, jog, stroll--and power walk. If you don't want to walk, you can rent kayaks. I've done this in the past and it is a great way to see the city from a different point of view. Wildlife--such as these turtles sunning themselves--are visible from the trail or water. You can also see ducks and geese and other wildlife on the river. If you go to Austin, make sure you explore the city during the day and night. Maybe you should plan to stay awhile. 

Austin

Turtles on the lake

Sunset from The Oasis Restaurant

I must wrap up my day in Austin at The Oasis. The place is huge and now has several different restaurants occupying the property--and they all overlook Lake Travis. Texas has suffered major drought conditions in recent years and the lake was 30' below normal last fall. But the height of the lake doesn't harm the breathtaking sunsets you'll enjoy while dining on Tex-Mex. http://www.oasis-austin.com

During this trip (my fifth) to San Antonio, we visited some of the many missions and what a treat. I love old buildings. When I travel to Europe I take more pictures of the ancient architecture than anything else. I was pleased to find great structures here in the United States. The following pictures are of the various missions we visited near San Antonio. Please note that we also visited the Alamo--the most famous of all the missions, but in my opinion, the least impressive. Spend a day and enjoy. http://www.nps.gov/saan/historyculture/index.htm

Entrance of Mission San Jose

Loved this shot through a mission window

In October, the flowers were vibrant

The color!

The designs!

The forts!

The interior!

Exterior!

All so beautiful

The Alamo

There are trolley tours (we did not do this because I prefer to see the city by foot), but it sure seemed popular. Lots of people hopped on and off all day long.

Kids and their new coonskin caps!

A family of young kids modeled their new coonskin caps. I couldn't resist snapping their picture!

One of the many restaurants on the Riverwalk

The Riverwalk should not be missed. The first time I visited this place I was awestruck and rightfully so, it is the hub of the city and very crowded. There are tons of eateries, bars, piano bars, steak houses, Tex-Mex, and more. You can't go hungry or thirsty for very long on the Riverwalk. We took the boat tour--which includes a narrative by a guide and boat captain. There are many pedestrian walking bridges so you can go from one side of the man-made river to the other. And it makes the boat ride even that much more exciting.

Boat ride on the Riverwalk

View of the church steeple from the Riverwalk

Dining at LaGloria's - GREAT FOOD!

Our traveling companion found this restaurant on one of the best places to eat in San Antonio: Street Foods of Mexico. I'm sure glad she did. The casual atmosphere complimented the simple, but delicious, reasonably priced menu. Everyone enjoyed his/her meal. We'll be sure to try something different on our next trip to San Antonio! http://www.lagloriaicehouse.com P.S. We never miss a chance to eat at Rudy's when we are in the south. If you like barbecue, give Rudy's a chance. We like the barbecue sauce so much, we buy four bottles at a time and have it shipped to Oregon several times a year. Neither of these restaurants are fancy, but they are good. Enjoy! http://www.rudysbbq.com/page/home