The drive between Boerne and San Antonio is all-too-familiar to me, and I must say I much prefer it without an ice pack on my hand. And the comfortable La Quinta Inn (absolutely my favorite chain for reasonably-priced nights with great amenities) looked far more appealing than the emergency room of my former visit). I spent a comfortable night, lingered in the morning to enjoy both the local access and standard noon check-out that La Quintas offer, then headed into town to explore one not-yet-seen area: Riverwalk. Now, I had heard and read that this area of San Antonio is very cool and fun, but I just didn’t have a visual image of what it was. I figured…OK, they have a river, built some shops along it, of course – no big deal. I almost skipped it again, as I’d done in the past, but when an email from Sugar Magnolia agreed it was worth seeing, I decided I’d better check it out. Besides, I was planning to meet up with her for coffee later, and you just don’t mess with these Texas people ;) I found a parking lot just behind La Villita, a cluster of shops, art galleries and restaurants housed in the original walled village of Old San Antonio. The $4. fee seemed reasonable, payable in advance to a kind, smiling senora who greeted me cheerfully and motioned me over to a nice parking spot on the side of the lot. San Antonio (or a combination of businesses within) puts out a good souvenir map of the downtown and Riverwalk area. I had asked the desk clerk for direction when I checked out of La Quinta and she handed me, with well-practiced skill, a large, colorful layout. I carried this with me when I left the car, stopping first to admire the colorful goods available in La Villita’s shops, then heading north along South Alamo, in search of the river. Now, you can be certain that for publication of any San Antonio write-up, I’ll edit this out, but I can’t resist giving a few ODers a good laugh. So I have to admit it was about this time that it occurred to me that The Alamo must be in San Antonio. (Like all good American school children, I studied history at some point, but it clearly went in one ear and out the other. It’s without a doubt my weakest subject, matched only by Science.) Looking at my trusty map, sure enough, it was exactly two blocks away. Leave it to me to drive thousands of miles and stumble upon The Alamo by accident. I made a mental note to stop by there later on.
I often boycott tourist-type areas, not caring for the crowds and consumer hype. But I happened into San Antonio on a weekday, off-season, and so I found this popular tourist area calm and peaceful, not in the least bit crowded, and very easy to explore. The landscaping was nothing short of spectacular, lush and green and perfectly blended with the old Spanish architecture of surrounding buildings. I wandered around, watched the tour boats float by and checked out many of the local eateries, finally grabbing a table right next to the river at The Republic of Texas, where I had a fairly good enchilada/taco combo plate. Lunch special, not too much. I watched aggressive ducks and black crows wait anxiously for crumbs. With dozens of restaurants lining the walkway, they certainly know where to hang out ;) Continually lured by historic hotels, I couldn’t pass by La Mansion del Rio Hotel, an impressive building that rises proudly above the river and offers 337 luxury rooms, without ducking inside to take a peek. This former school building for the Society of Mary dates back to 1852 and was gorgeous. I didn’t see the inside of a room, but their brochure states they have wood beams and brick walls and look out over the river. Add to this a 4-star restaurant, cotton robes and high speed internet access and this place went instantly onto my wish list. They were offering a French Music Festival for Valentine’s weekend, complete with champagne and chocolate reception. Yep, wish list on this one for sure, along with the nearby Menger Hotel and also the Riverside Inn, built from old Tennessee log cabins. (Any editors looking to assign a triple-lodging/Riverwalk overview? I'm all yours ;) There’s too much to discover at Riverwalk for a quick afternoon stopover or even one day. I can imagine, in spite of crowds, that it would be worth it to indulge in a weekend exploration, maybe during Mardi Gras or Christmas, when special decorations and events are offered. Anyway, I took a few pictures and dragged myself back up the stairs. I could have lingered for much longer, but by now another voice was haunting me. I was remembering The Alamo.
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I came into San Antonio during evening hours, having fallen prey to the magic of Luckenbach and, even after leaving, spending a little time in another German immigrant town, Boerne.
Clueless as I can obviously be at times, I was wrapped up in photo opportunities that large, brightly painted statues of cows offer when I thought to look over the side of a quaint bridge on Market St. Here I finally found the river, as well as a wonderland of outdoor cafes and interesting shops, all accessible either by foot or by boat. It’s kind of a miracle, between history realizations and decorative bovine that I found Riverwalk at all, but I was down the nearest staircase, camera in tow, within seconds.