Famous for its impressive Spanish colonial missions and the battle surrounding one of them, San Antonio will surely be a hit with history buffs. The city also offers an eclectic food scene, from Tex-Mex cuisine to BBQ to farm-to-market food.
As the first civilian settlement in Texas, San Antonio de Béxar was founded in 1718. Today, many of the city’s early architectural and cultural elements remain, allowing visitors to visit the historical sites in San Antonio and see into the city’s storied past first-hand.The Alamo Mission, commonly called the Alamo and originally known as the Misión San Antonio de Valero, is an historic Spanish mission and fortress compound founded in the 18th century by Roman Catholic missionaries in what is now San Antonio, Texas, United States.It was the site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, where American folk heroes James Bowie and Davy Crockett died. Today it is a museum in the Alamo Plaza Historic District and a part of the San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site.Susannah Dickinson (1814-1883), a native of Tennessee, settled in Gonzales, Texas in 1831. They took shelter in the Alamo upon the arrival of the Mexican Army. During the 13 day long siege, they and other families shared quarters in the sacristy of the Alamo’s church. Even though the fort was breached and the opponents were inside the walls, she and others were freed and lived to tell the tale.The bronze statue of Juan Nepomuceno Seguin (1806-1890) at the Calvary Courtyard at the Alamo in San Antonio. Seguin was born to a prominent San Antonio family. He was both a soldier and politician, becoming Mayor of San Antonio in 1841. He was at the Alamo for the first part of the siege, and survived only because he was sent to gather reinforcements. (Nov. 24, 2019)The grounds of The Alamo are full with artefacts, memorial plates and statues, but not all the stories are really history, we think after a bit online search.Wandering in The Alamo gardens.The light lapping of the water in this almost joyful setting obscures the dark past.Spanish soldiers saved this 18th century cannon from a shipwreck in Matagorda Bay off of the Texas coast in 1817. It was brought to San Antonio where it was later captured by Texian forces during the Siege and Battle of Bexar in 1835. The following year, the Texians used the cannon at the Battle of the Alamo. It was found buried near the present day intersection of Houston and Alamo streets.Adding a short city walk to the history experience.Seems like a completely boring intersection but there’s a few things that I could tell you looking at the chipotle sign, the Imax logo, the car standing at the traffic lights and why the road to the left is closed.La Antorcha de la Amistad (The Torch of Friendship) is a monumental abstract sculpture by Mexican sculptor Sebastián.The Dullnig Building – 507 E Commerce St 232 square meters of retail space available in San Antonio.Sebastian Nudo Torusado, 2014 – Painted IronTime to do a river walk!Born in Portugal in 1195 to a wealthy family, the young Fernando Martins began his studies at a local cathedral school. Joining a monastery to pursue his studies in theology and Latin, he eventually was ordained and joined the order. Soon his preaching abilities were revealed and as his reputation grew. He joined the Franciscan order and took on the name Anthony, the patron saint of the small chapel in the local monastery. But a quiet life of a monk was not Anthony’s fate. His reputation came to the attention of St. Francis, the founder of the order, and requested he join him to lead studies for new friars. St. Anthony’s gift of preaching developed as he used allegory and symbolic explanation to reveal to explain scripture. Antony’s health, however, was not good. He died at the young age of 35. He was canonized within a year after his death, only the second such canonization on record. The saint’s statue, as noted on the bronze plaque, has been donated by Saint Anthony’s native Portugal.Pink cyclamen bloom at the river walk.From the historic corner to the touristic center.The quiet changes quickly in busy talking and the noise of handling plates and silverware.The San Antonio River Walk recently announced the maiden voyage of their new fleet of electric River Walk barges. The boats come in a variety of bright colors and each has different punched aluminum side panels. The panel designs range from the missions to a decorative “300,” for the city’s Tricentennial in 2018.Decorative elephant ears on the water’s edge.Probably a steak house ;)Short deviation for a stunning mural.Typical intersection downtown.Thanks for having us, downtown San Antonio.The Japanese Tea Garden features areas available for rent, which are ideal for small weddings, a memorial service, as well as an area for large corporate gatherings, not to mention the renovated Jingu House Café.A place to linger.Paella at Toro Spanish Restaurant, so good!St Paul Square, the food mile.Back at our airbnb, with the full moon sure looks like a witch’s house lol.
