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Intro
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The
Alamo The Riverwalk Mission Trail
The Alamo
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The next morning we headed for Mission San Antonio de Valero (The
Alamo). Friends had warned us that we would be disappointed, that, despite
all its fame, The Alamo was not much to
visit. But Jan and Amy found plenty to read and explore, and we spent 2 to
3 hours learning about this piece of American history without having seen
everything.
(Note: Cameron [left] pronounced the visit "a snoozefest.")
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Although 200 Texans, including Davy Crockett, lost their lives defending the
Alamo against Mexican soldiers in a war for Texan independence, the battle was a
significant historical event. The Alamo became a rallying cry that helped the
Texans later defeat the Mexican Army at San Jacinto. Texas' independence
laid the groundwork for its admission to the Union (1845). Texas' admission to
the Union led to a war between the United States and Mexico between 1846 and
1848. At the end of the war, Mexico was required by the Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo to give the U.S. the area that now comprises California, Arizona, New
Mexico, and parts of other western states. Debate about whether the territory
gained from Mexico should be open to slavery contributed to the division that
led to the Civil War. The fact that the Union was prevented from splitting
apart, coupled with resources gained through the Louisiana Purchase (1803), the
annexation of Texas, the settlement of the Oregon question (1846), and the
Mexican Cession (1848) set the United States on the path to becoming one of the
largest, most resource-rich countries in the world.
| The Alamo was established in 1718. Today, the enclosed compound of the old
mission is an urban park in the heart of downtown San Antonio, and it is much
smaller than it once was because many of the compound walls have been covered up
by buildings and streets. However, two original buildings—the famously shaped
church, and the long barracks and their courtyard—remain. A museum and library
[right]
were added during the 20th century. |
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The Riverwalk
The Riverwalk, a riverside park meandering through downtown San Antonio, is the enchanting heart of
the city.
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In some sections it is a quiet, secluded park [left]. In others it
is lined with sidewalk cafes, clubs, and shops. A few hotels and apartments also sit beside the river. Anywhere
along the river, which is 10 to 12 feet below street level, is cooler and
shadier than above on the sidewalk. Mariachi music fills the air. Cobblestone walkways follow the river,
graceful pedestrian bridges span it, and numerous stairways provide access from
the street.
The Riverwalk is a refuge from the
bustle of the city, a romantic playground for grownups, and a celebration of the
cultural mix of San Antonio.
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| The story of the Riverwalk begins with a catastrophic flood in
1921. In response, rather than converting the river into a thoroughfare, the
city decided to preserve it and transform it into a beautiful city park, a focal point for
development that would also control floods. The Riverwalk was built during the 1930s through the
Works Progress Administration (WPA) and finished in 1941. |
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We parked just south of the Riverwalk and then walked about half of the
park. After taking a lunch break to the sounds of a live Peruvian band at
the Rivercenter, an attractive shopping mall on a short "sidestream,"
we caught a Yanaguana barge tour
[above].
During the 45-minute ride, we floated along the remainder of the river circuit
while our guide described sights and the park's history.
One of the more interesting features is the Ameson Theater [left]. While the
amphitheater's seating is on one side of the river, the theater stage is on the
opposite bank. We were told that river cruises will float right through the
middle of shows! |
| We also visited La Villita, a village of art galleries and other specialty
shops (jewelry, stained glass, antiques, leathers, and more), all staffed by the
artists themselves. In the 1800s the site was a settlement adjacent to Mission
San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo), and the architecture reflects the evolution
of San Antonio buildings from palisado to Victorian houses.
At an aromatic
candle shop, Scentchips USA, we
bought some scented wax pieces and a glass simmering pot, and we saw how they
made the chips in hundreds of mold pans. Our most unusual encounter was in La
Villita's glass shop, which had been occupied by the same glass blower for
apparently decades. Extremely grouchy, he required payment of a dime to present
a well-rehearsed but grudgingly given spiel about glass blowing. Few artists
have ever appeared more unhappy to see a potential customer! |
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Mission
Trail
Later in the day, we visited the four nearby missions that make up San
Antonio's Mission Trail, a drive of about
8 miles south starting at The Alamo. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Spain
established missions and presidios in the New World. The mission system provided
the Spanish empire a method of expansion, and Franciscan monks spread
Christianity and European customs to American Indians. The early missions were
unwalled communities built of wood or adobe, and the village was the central
feature of every successful mission. Later, because of tensions between the
Comanche and Apache Indians and mission occupants, the structures were encircled
by massive stone walls.
| The first stop was Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción
[right]. This mission was begun in San Antonio in 1731. The well-maintained building is
the oldest unrestored stone Catholic church in the U.S.
Colorful geometric
designs that once covered the exterior are not longer visible; however, we saw
some of the original interior frescoes that have survived. |
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Next stop, Mission San José
y San Miguel de Aguayo, which was founded in 1720. This mission was a major
social center. We were told that San José is the most interesting mission to
tour, considered in its day an architectural marvel, but unfortunately, we
arrived at 5:00, just as the park was closing.
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Our third brief stop was Mission San Juan
Capistrano [left], founded in 1691 and moved to the San Antonio River in 1731. Smaller
than Concepción and San Jose, it consisted of a friary and granary. Orchards
and gardens outside the walls provided peaches, melons, pumpkins, grapes, and
peppers. Corn, beans, sweet potatoes, squash, and even sugar cane were grown in
irrigated fields. In 1762 the mission's herds were reported to include 3,500
sheep and nearly as many cattle! During the early 1900s, the granary was
transformed into the present-day church.
Again, we weren't able to see
much because the grounds were closed off behind a park gate. |
| The last stop was Mission San Francisco de la Espada
[right], established in 1690 and also moved to the San Antonio River in 1731. Surrounded
by farmlands owned by the original mission community, Espada is the most remote
of the five, and it is still occupied by monks.
To develop a solid economy, the
Spanish taught Indians specific vocations. Men learned to weave cloth.
Blacksmiths were needed to repair farm implements and rework broken metal tools.
Others learned carpentry, masonry, and stonecutting to construct elaborate
buildings. Espada was the only mission to make brick, which is still visible.
We
were able to walk around the peaceful, grassy grounds in the late afternoon
sun. |
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Dinner that night was arguably the best of the week. When we'd tried two
other nights to get into Pappasito's Cantina, a Mexican restaurant close to our
motel, we'd been told that the wait was 1 hour. To us, that was an indication
that the food must be good. And it was!
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