MTandtheRV

Second Weekend and beyond in San Antonio (catching up)

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Friday, January 13, 2023 – Triskaidekaphobia?

We laid back for a few days.  Got a couple of chores done around the trailer – the ball valve seal on the toilet was not holding water, I think because I had flushed a bucket of water down the drain and that partially dislodged the gasket.  Got that straightened out but also ordered a spare, just in case.  So far, so good.  The toilet paper holder is finally mounted.  I had made a couple of attempts with what I had hanging around without success.  We had to buy a piece of wood from the big box store to mount it correctly.  Since weight is always an issue when hauling a trailer around, the walls are thin.  I’m not sure what exactly they are made of but hanging/mounting anything, is a challenge.  We have become big fans of Command Hooks which we have used to hang quite a few items throughout the trailer.

Mag cooked Cabbage soup and washed the floors with her new Swiffer Mop.  Later that afternoon, we headed north to “The Rim” for dinner at North Italia Restaurant and a stroll through Bass Pro Shops.  Our meal and waiter were great!

Saturday, January 14, 2023

Somehow, maybe on our trip to Enchanted Dome, I had tweaked my back and I was having a little trouble moving at a normal pace so, I decided to jump in the hot tub to hopefully loosen things up.  It was marginally successful but with a couple more days, I get back to normal.  Quiet day today.

Sunday, January 15, 2023

We visited St. Anthony Mary Claret again for 10 o’clock mass, it was packed!  It was a beautiful Mass, with a choir accompanied by a piano, guitar and violin; very nice.  We picked up some groceries, went for a nice walk but, for the most part, it was a quiet day.

Monday, January 16 ,2023

Today our friends from MA will arrive for a visit.  When we originally shared our plans to visit TX with them, both mentioned they had never been to Texas so we said, “come visit.  Together we have been busy creating lists of activities during our time together and it looks like we will have plenty to do. 

Monday night we had dinner at Brasão Brazilian Steakhouse up in the RIM.  If my earlier wanderings back into the realm of meat-eating was off the rails, this was a fall into a deep, deep crevasse!  Enough about that.  They have an enormous salad bar which was an important factor when we selected this spot.  We had a lot of fun and the staff and food were great!  During dinner, we discussed plans for tomorrow; an early breakfast of Tex Mex for the guys at Tacos El Rodeo De Jalisco.

Tuesday – January 17, 2023

Late morning we headed downtown to check out the San Fernando Cathedral, then the River Walk.  At the Cathedral we were able to attend the Bilingual Mass at 12:05 which was very nice. The altar was spectacular!  We also managed browsing through The Mercado;” market in English.  We browsed many of the kiosks throughout the market and found a restaurant that was recommended by a woman Mag met at the laundry building here at our campground; Tomie.  The restaurant was named Mi Tierra Cafe and Bakery; it was great!  We spent more time walking along the River Walk, browsing shops, took a River Cruise and calculated we walked 10 miles, or so, throughout the day. 

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Wednesday – January 18, 2023

Not far from downtown and on the River Walk, we plan on brunch at the The Guenther House. Carl Hilmar Guenther, a German emigrant, came to America in 1848, eventually settled in San Antonio and build a flour mill still in operation today.  The brunch was outstanding and our server, Natasha, was delightful.  She had a flair for the dramatic but, as she said, “the good drama, not the bad drama.”  She was beyond accommodating and the entire experience was very pleasant.  After brunch, we walked through the Guenther House, now a museum, and enjoyed seeing how Hilmar and Henrietta lived.  The River Walk passed by the house and we strolled along the path with the idea we’ll visit the next mission heading south; Mission Concepcion but time will now allow.  The Guenther House is located near the King William District and we spent a few minutes driving through the area which features some of San Antonio’s oldest homes with exquisite architecture.

We headed back downtown and parked across the street from the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum.  We decided to check it out and met a gentleman at the entrance who reminded me of Sam Elliott.  We paid the ~$25 fee/person and all felt maybe we’d been taken but, after the tour, we all felt it was very interesting and worthy.  Upon leaving, it’s dinnertime and barbecue is an item we need to check our our list.  A short distance down Houston St. is Pinkerton’s Barbecue and we head that way. 

San Antonio is a big city.  It has a transit system which includes a bus system but no subway or trolley.  At many locations you can jump on a electric bike or scooter and buzz around the city.  It has the usual city sounds, smells and characters but, despite it’s size, we all feel safe walking from place to place.  Pinkerton’s is rated 4-stars on Yelp and we shared an assortment BBQ, which we enjoyed.  During our walk back to the car and our drive out of the city, we discuss our options for tomorrow which will include visiting the Missions. 

 

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Thursday – January 19, 2023

Today we visited the four Missions south of San Antonio; Mission de Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan and Mission Espada, these four still have active parishes to this day.  Originally, we thought we would walk the 13 mile Mission Walk but since the missions close at 4 or 5 o’clock, depending on the mission, time would not allow.  We drove to each mission and it was remarkable to see and learn the history from 300 years ago when the Spanish were expanding their empire.  We stopped for lunch mid-afternoon and after Mission Espada, we decided to call it a day.  Tomorrow the plan is to head up to Fredericksburg; a little over an hour drive north.  The gallery below include photos from our mission walk, in no particular order.

 

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Friday – January 20, 2023 – Fredericksburg

We were off to Fredericksburg around 10:30 for the roughly hour and half drive up to the hill country.  It’s known for it’s German roots with shops and restaurants of all types.  Upon arrival, we made a quick visit to Saint Marys Church (see gallery below), then we stopped at the Old German Bakery and Restaurant just to take a peek but we ended up having lunch, it smelled so good.  Afterward, we strolled down one side of Main Street and back up the opposite side browsing through many of the shops.  It was a cool and breezy day with temps in the upper 50s to low 60s.  Things were beginning to wind down and we found a very nice spot for dinner before heading back to San Antonio.  The Granite House Lounge was very busy, an indoor table was a 40 minute wait but outside, we were seated right away.  Luckily they have a number of propane heaters scattered around the outside dinning area otherwise, it would have been quite cool with the breeze and evening setting it.  The meal was very good and, on the drive back, we strategized about tomorrow.  We’re planning on heading downtown for the Tower of Americas, Vigil Mass at San Fernando Cathedral, oh, and the Pearl.

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Saturday – January 21, 2023

First on the agenda is to check our the historic Pearl Brewery.  The old brewery and surrounding area have been converted into a trendy area for dining, a farmers market, artisans of all kinds, musicians and the Hotel Emma.  It is also home to the Texas campus of The Culinary Institute of America.  If was a fun time but wasn’t really what we had expected.  However, it does look like a grand spot to visit, browse and relax on any given weekend.

We’re dragging a bit from our busy week and head downtown for lunch at the Tower of Americas at 12:45.  The Chart House is located at the top of the tower with a floor that revolves 360 degrees ever hour so you can view the entire skyline during your meal.  As you would expect, the food was great and the view spectacular.  The early afternoon was overcast but gave way to sunshine.  The dining/viewing adventure was an over two hour experience.  We had a great time!

Mass is at 5 o’clock so we stroll over toward the Cathedral with a stop back at the Buckhorn Museum to pick up a photo; one of those goofy ones you pose for, adorned in western garb, with gaucho cowboy hats and fake firearms.  When we visited earlier in the week, we had forgotten to stop in the gift shop to pick up the photo.  Unfortunately, they close at 2 o’clock on Saturday so, we missed it again.  The Cathedral was founded in 1731 being the oldest cathedral sanctuary in the US and is the mother church of the San Antonio Diocese; the cultural and geographical center of San Antonio.  It’s very beautiful, adorned by stained glass windows, distinctive carvings with it’s Gothic style architecture.  The Mass was wonderful, with the accompaniment of a pianist/vocalist that, it the small, stone venue, was heavenly.  We were in awe!  See the gallery below.

We had been walking a lot during the week, we’re very tired tonight as we head back to the Tower of Americas where we parked the car.  Our mileage is probably averaging 8-10 miles per day so, were planning to sleep in and to take it easy tomorrow.    

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7 thoughts on “Second Weekend and beyond in San Antonio (catching up)”

  2. I’m struck by all the vibrant colors in your photos! What a neat place to visit. If you’re planning to check out Corpus Christi, let me know. Marine Corp buddy there.

    1. Hi Nick!

      We have about a week remaining in San Antonio then we head east to Florida.  We hadn’t planned on Corpus Christi but we have covered a lot of ground here in San Antonio and running out of adventures; maybe we’ll check it out.  If we do, we’ll will be sure to let you know.

      T&M

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