The Alamo? meh.

 When planning this trip, I asked a lot of people if they only had time to visit one  city out of Austin and San Antonio, which would they chose and why. For the most part, Austin won out, for its music scene, for its food, for its art. The main reason why people preferred San Antonio was for something called the "River Walk", a seemingly-tourist district where a bunch of restaurants and bars are set-up around a winding river in the middle of the city, with boat rides that run up and down the water...Tell me that doesn't sound like some sort of Disney ride. It certainly wasn't a good selling point.

How wrong I was. A little bit of research revealed that the Alamo was also within walking distance of the River Walk, as well as easy-access parking. Plus, we had some time to spare before the drive out to Galveston, so we decided to give San Antonio a chance.

Turns out, the River Walk is really something. Mario compared it to the High Line in NYC, except this one is below street level and along the water. Yes, it is lined with restaurants and shops, but also trees, gardens, fountains, benches, a theater, mosaics and sculptures, and very friendly ducks who know all the best places to catch fallen french fries. The pontoon boats that run around the loop section of the river offer guided tours and history of the area, but also a kind of hop-on-hop-off bus service if you don't feel like walking, and they are beautifully-designed and brightly coloured, adding visual appeal as they quietly sail by. 

Though we didn't stay to eat anywhere, I can imagine it is a pretty magical place come nighttime, with the century-old trees along the water all draped in multi-coloured lights, the balconies and patios of the restaurants lined with light, too. What we did find missing was a cafe open on a Sunday morning - there were plenty of brunch places, but there was nowhere to get a cup of coffee, to enjoy as we walked. Definite loss of revenue, that - someone else seemed to be following us to all the "coffee" signs, sighing audibly when the shops ended up being closed. So back up to street level to find the nearest Starbucks. 

We then headed to the Alamo which, if you ask me what I remember, is the site a battle in a mission where about 10,000 Mexicans were held off by about 12 Texans, but not really, because they were actually all from Tennessee, and I think one guys was from Ireland - or maybe that was Sparta. Honestly? There was so much information going around that a lot of it got lost in translation. All I know is Americans are very much in love with the Alamo, or the idea of the Alamo, and they all MUST GO, and I saw nothing but a crumbling limestone building in desperate need of restoration. Which is the biggest issue - there are moisture sensors everywhere, black paper on the floor to chart how much stone is falling from the walls in a year, and there is now a limit on how many people can visit. Rain water, and ground water(and humans, but don't tell anyone) is slowly causing the Alamo to crumble, and it is a race against time to figure out a way to save it without completely covering over the history that exists. That is more what I got out of it. Also, that the gift shop contains EVERYTHING branded with the Alamo, from videos games to lunch boxes to breakfast cereal to flame throwers.(Spaceballs reference. Sorry.) But really? Everything.

Back along the River Walk - so pretty - and then to the van in its safe and secure parking, and it was still really early in the day. Maybe we should see something else? Mario noticed that the Alamo was not the only defunct mission in San Antonio, there were actually several, and we could follow the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail to visit them. So we did. First stop was Mission Concepcion, where we learned that the rest of missions are still consecrated, and better still, frequented by the local population! And it being a Sunday, there is a Mariachi service just finishing up, so Mario and I sneak in the back of the church and enjoy the festive music as the parishioners file out of their pews and wish each other a good day. It's so different, and so vibrant, as is the inside of the church, with its red earth-coloured walls and painted accents. The chapel is still filled with poinsettias. I love it. And when everyone is gone, we return outside, and suddenly the building is a crumbling mission again, but with a carefully restored and refurbished heart hidden away inside. It's magnificent. 

We visit the other three missions on the same route, San Jose, San Juan and Mission Espada, each hiding their own beautifully cared-for inner chapel, each housing a devoted and loving community, each looking just like the Alamo on the outside, only better because of the life it continues to live. Interestingly, the further away from San Antonio we get, the small the mission and its surrounding structures get, though it does makes sense that more of the population would want to be located closer to the large villages(historically). 

An aside to the El Camino Real de los Tejas Trail: the River Walk that we originally showed no interest in, actually runs 15 miles through San Antonio, including along the road that connects the 4 missions we visited. Outside the city, it turns into a walk-hike-bike trail, with services like picnic areas, water and rest stops, and parking. FREE parking. So our idea for next time we visit San Antonio? Bring bicycles, park outside the city at one of the access points to the trail, and bike all the way into the Alamo. Of course, getting bikes on the plane might prove a challenge...

Insert here a long drive through a lot of back roads to get past Houston, a rather regretful stop at a Buc-ee's gas stop where I bought the BIG drink and we tried kolaches(a bit like a dry danish), and then navigating in the dark between houses on stilts out to the beach, hoping not to drive ourselves into the ocean. Tonight's campground pick is the stretch of wide, hard-pack sand between Seaside and Brazoria, right on the Gulf of Mexico. You read that right, we are camping ON THE BEACH. The tide is just beginning to recede, and the full moon in rising over the waves. Even though it is unnecessary, we get out to test the hardness of the sand, just in case, pull up next to the dunes, and settle in for the night. The sound of the waves will lull us to sleep tonight, if the mosquitos don't kill us first!