Now that we are in San Antonio, we are going to the River
Walk. On the way, we stopped at Produce
Way, a pedestrian street where there are a number of small shops, bakeries,
restaurants, boutiques and a Farmers Market.
Very colorful with banners and signs displayed everywhere.
While we were walking around, we stopped into the Mariachi
Bar. And yes, there were people playing
music inside and out.
After the Farmers Market we headed to the River Walk area
and began our walk. You can see one of
the tourist boats waiting for passengers.
Along the walkway, there are shops and many different
restaurants like Dick’s Last Resort, Joe’s Crab Shack, Hard Rock Café and other
non-franchises. Many have tables along
the river all with umbrellas to keep the sun off the patrons.
On the river in one of the tourist boats, we travel around
the river looking at the sights. Here
there are a number of large trees along the river’s bank.
While we were floating in the boat around the river, we
passed a number of buildings. This one
has some very unusual architecture details.
Check out a couple of faces along the walls, each one was different.
After getting off of the tourist boat, we headed over to
Plaza de Las Islas (or Main Plaza) where we saw San Fernando Cathedral. The original church as built between 1738 and
1750. In 1836 the cathedral, still a
parish church, played a role in the Alamo when Mexican General Santa Anna flew
the “no quarter” flag from the church’s tower.
Inside the church is the burial tomb of Davy Crockett,
William Travis, and Jim Bowie.
The front dais of the church is constructed like a cross
where the dais is the top, and two wings just off to the sides is the crossing
bar.
Back walking along the river walk, we cross over some of the
foot bridges and checked out some of the waterfalls. Here Carmen is in front of one of the water
cascades along the river walk area.
Making our way along the river we got onto Crockett St and a
couple of blocks later we were at the Alamo.
This is the front of the church as it existed in 1836. Where I am standing is part of the courtyard
that was being defended by the men at the Alamo.
An artist’s rendering of the Alamo after the Mexican army
took control of the area.
Leaving the River Walk we drove to Mission San Jose which
is one of the three missions on the mission trail, which also the Alamo, Mission Concepcion, and Mission San
Francisco de la Espada. The mission’s courtyard
walls from the parking lot, you can see the bell tower of the mission in the
background
We begin our tour by going into this entrance gate into the Mission
San Jose courtyard.
Mission San Jose.
Some of the out buildings built into the exterior perimeter walls
along with an outside clay oven.
From the court yard, called the Convento, in the back of the
mission you can see the bell tower in the front.
I find the architecture of the convento, simply fascinating. Built in 1794, this structure, which would
have had a roof on it, would have been the center of life at the mission. I love the arches in this section of the building.
Couldn’t you imagine the solitude of walking along these
arches while reading a book?
The front of the mission, which is still an active church,
is very colorful.
Here we are looking towards the front of the mission
While walking around the grounds I came upon this
plant. Don’t know what it is, but it
looks unusual.
This is the fresco that was covering the church. Not much of it is left, but you can see the
pattern that was on the wall.
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