Hot in San Antonio

Houston urban sprawl extends quite a way outside city limits but eventually gives way to some pretty hill country and fields. The sprawl starts up again as you near San Antonio. Our campground was about 12 miles out of town. Fortunately, it was only a few miles from the Medina River Natural Area, which has a wonderful greenway. We put our bikes in the truck, drove over and had a lovely ride. There was pretty scenery for me, steep hills for David and few other people. Although it was 4:00 when we left, it was still very hot, in the high 80’s. 

We spent the next two days exploring San Antonio. It got up to 90^o. Pretty hot for late March, even here. We visited all four missions and learned more about them than we could possibly remember. I thought it was interesting that at first the Spanish sent conquistadors to the New World. They conquered and/or killed everyone they met. Then the Spanish decided maybe a better strategy would be to convert everyone instead and make them good Spanish citizens. So they sent monks, who were the only educated people around. 

The reason the missions worked in this area was because the Indians had suffered a major drought and needed food. They were hunters and gatherers, and the monks taught them to cultivate crops. Also the Comanches, who were more war-like, were constantly raiding them, and they needed protection, which the Spanish could provide. The missions were set up pretty much like forts. The Indians adopted the Catholic religion and the Spanish culture, after a fashion. What really happened is that beliefs and cultural practices were blended creating a new culture. 

We visited El Mercado, which to us is just a tourist trap, and the Guenther House, the home of a young German immigrant who started a flour mill in 1851 (Pioneer Flour). It’s still run by the Guenthers. We drove around the King William district and looked at the Victorian mansions.

We walked along the famous River Walk, a paved walkway along the San Antonio river lined with restaurants and shops. 

And of course, we went to the Alamo. It was mobbed. You stand in line while the people in front of you have their pictures taken by people in blue shirts. You don’t even realize what’s going on until you get to the front. Then they start setting up the shot without asking your permission or telling you that it’s not a requirement and that they’re taking it so you can buy it later! I started to walk on by, and one of the women tried to force me to have my picture taken! I glared at her and made some remark and kept on going. 

Anyway, once you’re through the gauntlet, there’s not much to see inside, just a few artifacts and documents, which people spend a long time looking at because they’re inside the Alamo. It’s actually very sparse. There are more displays in the gift shop, but it was so crowded we could barely move. In another building there is a 15-minute movie (from the History channel) and a museum explaining in great detail the history of the Spanish in Mexico and Mexican Texas.