The city was the state in this case! So, what’'s in a city?

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Here comes the entry on Texas, our 28th state in the Union. I have now seen some of it, but the thought that continues to nag me is that I saw exactly one city. That’s out of the 268,601 square miles that are available. I don’t want to start off my entry of the 2010 Birthday Trip with mere complaints, though, so let me tell a few stories instead. My mom and I took off and made it to San Antonio on a sunny Wednesday afternoon in May. Just the airport was cute in comparison to Hartsfield in Atlanta. The lower level had the conveyer belts for our luggage, but someone could easily leap over one and be at the wall in a few seconds. We figured out how to pay for the shuttle to get downtown, then it was off to the Interstate.

Our shuttle van stopped at a few glitzy hotels, but it was passing over a bridge near the Convention Center that we saw a glimpse of the Riverwalk. I was truly looking forward to seeing what all the restaurants, shops and multi-colored umbrellas looked like along the man-made structure. It’s on all of the postcards, you know! We approached the Crockett Hotel off of Crockett Street, and the driver also made a comment about how close we were to the Alamo. According to the hotel’s web site, it is 18 steps exactly. I spent some time in the room figuring out what our windows were facing, and after gearing up to start the walking (since it doesn’t end on most vacations until you’re back at your car at the park n’ fly places back home), we went out a side door and to…the mall. Yes, I needed a wall charger for my Blackberry. I had discovered that it was back home, and with all the updates needed and thriftiness involved in not paying the hotel to use their computer, I just had to have this first ‘souvenir.’

The River Center Mall is quite nice, though, and it has an IMAX theater and multiple levels of stores and restaurants. I picked out my charger and glanced around, but my mom thought we ought to get things rolling with a boat tour on the river. We bought tickets and boarded a flat boat with seats down the middle and on the sides. It wasn’t exactly Venice, but plenty of those boats looked like they were little more than a kayak. Our guide told us all about the architecture, history and background of the buildings and sights along the river. He inserted humor like most guides in every city around the world do, but I was busy trying to catch sight of as many things as possible with my camera. This boat tour gave us a good idea of where select restaurants were as well, and they lined the narrow walkway right beside the river. In following where we entered the Riverwalk from the upper street level and where we needed to curve or walk later, the attraction was a little like Venice!

Our first meal was at a BBQ place on this Riverwalk, and we did sit outside and enjoy some chicken. The nighttime revelry was in full effect, and I made a mental note to eat further away from a few of the bars and sources of karaoke music…I had my pick of those while in college. Upon walking back to Crockett Street and our hotel, we did indeed come up beside the Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Museum. Or, well, the monument to the glory of Texas that was basically across from it: the Alamo. It was softly lit and serene, even with tourists, camera flashes and some light traffic on the street behind us and the plaza. The Alamo is a tad out of place amid the high-rise hotels and tourist traps, yes, but in focusing on its mission, its history and the visit we had the next day, nothing was lost on me. We walked through the Alamo building itself, saw artifacts and lists of names…many were involved in the Battle, although Sam Houston, Davy Crockett and the commanders are the figures I’ll admit I’ve definitely heard of. The area had courtyards and shady trees, and one of my favorite parts was a fountain (bearing the names of the leaders in the battle, of course) beside the Library for the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. My mom listened to a staff member talk about the historical background of the events that led up to the battle, yet the outdoor exhibits beside the gift shop (in its own building and full of great coins and coonskin caps and more) had a gradual timeline to follow as well. The barracks and front buildings (long ones, and with an informational film at the end) were unanticipated, yet I didn’t wind up having much time to study them and the exhibits that explained the era, the life at the Alamo and further turning points.

We likely spent more time that morning there than many do, but the schoolchildren were always, always present. I could see them going and coming from our hotel room, and even in the rain the next day, they kept going and arriving and being delivered in droves. They also came to go to the IMAX movie theater in the mall; that accurate film on the Alamo and the place itself were in close proximity. Everyone ought to brave the children to see the shrine as a whole, I say. Then plan to take the streetcar to Market Square for lunch. The downtown area of S.A. isn’t complicated, so like many cities, I don’t see the need to ask where you are outright. You know, while you’re on a tourist-like contraption that has wooden seats and color-coordinated signposts for each route the company operates. But my mom still asked some fellow visitors where Market Square was…as we stopped across the street from the destination. I’ve never seen it, but my instincts led us there and we wandered around the indoor shopping ‘mall’ (the food court was just cute, sorry!) and the actual indoor “El Mercado.” That was mini-shop upon mini-shop, and sometimes, I could not tell who currently held the wares that were piled up against a wall along the narrow walkways. I already knew that this would be as close to seeing Mexico as I have come so far; I bought some tiny blankets and trinkets to remember my experience by. I was also amused to hear Lady Antebellum playing in the background of the entire building while amid ceramics in one shop. I went to school with two members of the band, but I had a feeling that the shopkeeper (who was asked about all things trolley by my mother) did not need to hear about my celebrity connection.

For our actual lunch, we walked into a wonderland of color, décor and ceilings that were practically created with the gawking tourist in mind. I read about Mi Terra in my trusty guidebook, and the shrine outside for Day of the Dead was just one item that the book could begin to describe. The waitresses wore full skirts with the puffy shelves, and a mariachi band could always be counted on for a tune close by one’s table. I picked something off of the menu as an experiment, really, for while I’m new to authentic Tex-Mex food, I felt as though I could not go wrong. The sauces were just right and the combination did not hold things like onions (one of my sworn enemies in life). I was in a wonderful mood as my mom and I gave my dad an update via the phone; this was the full day that I would have gladly traded for my actual birthday about a week earlier. The rest of the day’s activities involved a trip to HemisFair Park (once we got our route figured out and walked through the park from the trolley stop…that was a lot of coins going to the transportation part of the trip!) and a short film in the gift shop/mindless entertainment/elevator portals floor at the Tower of the Americas. The interactive ride meant a lot of bucking and jostling from the chairs we were in, but as soon as we thought the narrator was going to talk about snakes, we knew the puffs of air were coming. In this way, I suppose I did see more of the entire state of Texas, rodeos and football games included. We strolled around the observation deck of the Tower of the Americas twice, once in daylight and again at night. The paper wristband was good for both in one day. Like other observation towers and decks, there was a circular lobby with gift shops and places to sit and enjoy the snacks from a counter piled with candy and the like. The lower deck was windy beyond the point of having much success at a conversation, but I picked out the Alamo during the day and enjoyed a widespread look at a city that we were rapidly getting to know.

I had assumed that we were going to the Hill Country on our second full day in Texas, and the fields of flowers, Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch and unspoiled countryside was high on my list. However, the lightning, pounding rain and thunder foiled the plans to take a charter bus from our hotel. We were up and ready (I didn’t get a Texas-shaped waffle that day) in the morning, but after waiting around and having the front desk staff call the tour hotline, we learned that the trip was cancelled. I for one didn’t think that the rain looked that bad, yet once we re-grouped and confirmed our refund, the walk over to the mall was trying. Once again, the retail stores came through for us. We bought small umbrellas at the Claire’s and wore ponchos as well (I did have the foresight to pack that). From our window I had seen the school groups (or small groups, at least) continue to file in lines to the Alamo. I had wondered what the brown plastic sacks that they were wearing meant; those were official Alamo ponchos! We spoke with the friendly staff members at the Welcome Center across from the other Welcome Center selling bus tour packages and things that would not help us get to our newly chosen destination: the Witte Museum. First, we waited nearby a bus stop to start off to another side of town; there we talked to a waiter who lived in San Antonio and had a few tips about its attractions. On the bus we steadily watched the streets as the scene looked more and more flooded. And dangerous.

A young family with one little girl was in the same boat, so to speak. These people, along with the waiter, became our friends for the day. The waiter (in his white shirt and color-coordinated tie) took stock of the water levels outside the doors of the lowered steps of the bus. He had to jump ship at his stop and walk, and sure enough, he was getting soaked as he did so. The rest of us probably hoped that the zoo/museum/ark was just a stop or two past the deluge. When we were almost at the museum, we somehow got the message that the bus wasn’t turning up the actual street and taking us the front door. Seems as though some route (like the one we had just traveled) was too flooded. Other than that, I thought the city bus system was doing a fine job. My mom and I, along with the aforementioned family, got off at this intersection and began walking down the street. Fortunately, we were in a commercial area and soon found a place to cross over to the Witte. The grounds were soggy, but the dinosaur in the pen (no, not a fossilized one) outside and the triceratops greeting us in the main lobby were sure signs of an upcoming education. And the school groups were there. I imagine that the children in Texas are highly intelligent individuals by the time they finish high school. Or the 5th grade.

The Witte had some great galleries, some mummies and art and a quality science tree house structure (where each level had a theme and interactive exhibits…the kids swarmed the place), but I found the grounds outside by the river a welcome extension. I was interested in seeing some wildlife and natural exhibits, basically, so odd-looking ducks, a small windmill and an animal wing with prairie dogs it was. The inside wing of the indigenous animals had its share of snakes and critters that I’ve only seen in movies and read about in books, but I spent some time watching the prairie dog try to escape. I could probably come up with a regular sitcom about what he goes through (“Is it mealtime yet? Dang these kids banging on my windows!”), but I’ll refrain. He was a highlight of my visit. We saw the family again (they had also kept a hold of their ponchos) outside, and they recommended a restaurant down the street for a late lunch. My mom and I followed their lead and enjoyed Cheesy Jane’s as well; it was a cozy diner-type place. We had the opportunity to cross a few streets again and observe some of the suburbs, I would guess. The bus stop was on the way back towards the museum, and once it arrived, there were no issues about getting to downtown again. Well, we did have to switch to the trolleys to stop in and see San Fernando Cathedral, and once there, a man came by asking for money. Interesting thing is, the same person asked for money that night, and as I stood outside the Five and Dime store (the clever name for a chain of souvenir shops in the area).

Our mission before going home the next day was to look into a good souvenir for my dad. And to see anything that was open and worth a visit before a quick rest and dinner. The perfect tourist trap (complete with stuffed animal heads and a saloon) was closed, but I ended up buying some shoes at Payless. Yes, I got some flats and wore them in favor of my water-logged walking shoes. I chose the Rainforest Café on the Riverwalk for our dinner, and it was as memorable as the other locations I’ve seen in my dining past. The Riverwalk continued to thrive and pump out music and late night entertainment, and I knew that I’d miss it and the path that I’d learned to take from the Crockett Hotel. We found a cowboy boot of sorts for my dad, I took a few more shots of the bridges and Texas-themed umbrellas over tables, and then we retired. Our travels back to Georgia were uneventful, but I did not expect baggage claim to feel so far away from our shuttle shop at the Atlanta airport. Maybe the instructions were there on the back of the return ticket stub, but, we were lugging a few extra pounds (I had worked my new shoebox into my things as well) and having no luck in terms of someone just telling us where the non-hotel shuttles were. Upon finding the park and ride shuttle, I made a note to remember where to go when doing the same process by myself less than a month after that Texas trip. I would advise anyone dealing with Hartsfield to do the same. My next trip was in early June, and it was to see the Mouse himself at Walt Disney World. Plus, it was a friend’s birthday. So, until the next tale of travel and intrigue, I hope you’ll remember to “come back now, ya hear?”

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Photos

First evening in SA
The Alamo is accessible, even though it was closed when we first got out and about in SA. I would get to see the complex and more than its front facade the next day.

Flying to Texas
It was nice to take to the skies again for this trip.

Front of the Alamo
The detailed and close-up look that was similar to my guidebook's cover...I may get to write for Frommer's one day in the end!

The schoolchildren, the guide and the Alamo
Here are some kids somewhat paying attention to the bit of history the guide was telling the courtyard at large. I heard snatches of what he said, but I was mostly trying to capture what I saw inside the Alamo's weathered, white walls.

The Alamo and the Emily Morgan towering over it
The Alamo is in the middle of a lot of modern SA, but I suppose its own greenery (we couldn't spot it from our hotel situated behind the front here) and the historic hotels help to temporarily forget that fact.

One view from the Tower
I enjoy variety in the wide and sweeping views of cities I visit; it was fine that SA didn't really have skyscrapers in bulk.

Science! Treehouse
A wonderment of learning in the soggy yard of the Witte. One could also see the flooded road from up top--the school buses were slowly heading out (I definitely tread with care).