The River

Through canyons, past farms

Giving life to the desert

Behold, Rio Grande

The Rio Grande

At once forgiving,

And ever so nourishing

A friendly border.

Two poems – what a bargain!  I’m not quite sure why I chose to start my three-part series about Big Bend with the river.  It’s where we started our journey in the park this time, and so I’ll begin here.  Three years ago, when I saw the Rio Grande River for the first time, I was extremely disappointed.  I believe I even remarked, “That must be a creek that flows into the river.  It can’t be the Rio Grande.”  I’m not sure why I expected it to be a much larger river – maybe because of the name?  I really anticipated something more the size of the mighty Mississippi.  Funny how perceptions can be so misleading!  It was barely a trickle in some places.  You could literally wade across to Mexico in numerous places.  That was in March of the year.

The Rio Grande has redeemed itself to me.  We stayed in the park in January this time, and the river was much higher.  Still not a large river but I was really smitten with it on this visit.  Although the size of the river is deceiving, I came to realize just what a life-giving force this small water resource is to the surrounding area.  It winds through canyons and flows slowly through flat, expansive valleys supporting a multitude of animal and plant life – and does this for close to 2000 miles, from its headwaters in Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico.  About 120 miles of the Rio Grande define the southern park boundary, and the *bend* in the river here is what gives this park its name.

It was interesting for me to learn that upstream, many practices such as irrigation, agriculture, manufacturing and dams have led to a significant decline in the water level once it reaches Big Bend.  Much of the water in the Rio Grande as it flows through Big Bend actually comes from Mexico’s Rio Conchos.  So, we have much to owe Mexico for continuing to nourish the watershed.  In fact, further down river at Amistad Reservoir, Mexico and the United States jointly manage this area.

We arrived in Big Bend National Park about the time we usually reach our destinations – approaching dusk and without reservations.  Par for the course!  Big Bend has three established campgrounds – one in Rio Grande Village, one in the Chisos Mountains, and one at Castolon.  The campground in Rio Grande Village was full, as was the campground in the Chisos (although our trailer is too long for that campground anyway).  The sign at Panther Junction Visitor Center indicated that Cottonwood Campground at Castolon had some openings.  The visitor center was closed so we had no way of knowing real-time current conditions.

Big Bend NP encompasses over 800,000 acres.  It is almost 60 miles from one side of the park (Rio Grande Village) to the other side (Cottonwood Campground).  At this point, we were at the Panther Junction Visitor Center (somewhat central) so we had at least 33 miles to go to reach Cottonwood CG – on a slow, and winding road.  It was dark enough by the time we arrived in Cottonwood, that we had to park the Airstream and walk the loop looking for an open site.  There were literally only 2 sites open and luckily, our 25’ trailer would fit in one of them.  It was a tad tight backing in (especially in the dark) but we did it.  We’ve gotten quite good at maneuvering in low light conditions!  I’m not sure if I’m proud of that fact or not.

Cottonwood Campground was a pleasant surprise.  The sites are spacious, and there is adequate distance between sites with plenty of trees (cottonwoods, of course!) interspersed.   There are no hook-ups, and a potable water spigot exists (only one) but you are restricted to 5 gallons each per day.  So, words of wisdom here, enter the park with a full fresh water tank!  We did not.  It’s the one time we have NOT filled our fresh water tank while traveling.  We decided to only fill it 1/3 full to save on fuel thinking that we would just fill up in the park campground.  The only place to fill up your fresh water tank directly is in Rio Grande Village on the far side of the park.  It’s also good to have some portable water containers.  We did not.  That’s another wish list item that we have yet to purchase.  We figured all the campgrounds would have fresh water fill-up available.  Wrong!  My fault entirely for not researching adequately.  We scrounged several gallon containers from the camp host at Cottonwood that we used to replenish our fresh water tank when we were boon-docking there, and filled up once at Rio Grande Village before moving to dispersed camping.  Live and learn 🙂

 

 

We spent two nights at Cottonwood.  We wanted to visit Santa Elena Canyon once again, as we really liked that short hike the last time we visited.  However, the Terlingua Creek that flows into the Rio Grande at the mouth of the canyon was high enough that you needed to wade across it to reach the trailhead.  The creek is dry most of the year, so this was a surprise to us.  We did not have our water sandals with us in the truck so we opted to play it safe and not risk wading across barefoot.  The pictures posted above, therefore, are from our trip up the canyon three years ago!

 

 

 

 

DORGAN HOUSE TRAIL

Love the grasses along this trail!!

On our way back to the campground from Santa Elena Canyon, we stopped off at the Dorgan House Trail.  The interpretive signs along this trail gave a great history of the early ranching and farming industry that took place here, and outlined the importance of the river to these settlements.  I started to see this tiny water resource in a new light.

Dorgan House Ruins

Around 1918, the Sublett family built an adobe house on the mesa along this trail and farmed the area.  They grew several livestock crops including sorghum, corn, and alfalfa.  Albert Dorgan, a business partner of Sublett, joined the settlement and built an impressive house above the Sublett site.  The remains of this house are still standing – enough to give an idea of the structure.  He had a commanding view of the floodplain where they farmed, and the river from this spot.  The farm survived until the late 1930’s.  I was surprised at the amount of farming done here in this very remote desert area.  These surely were very hardy folks!

Leaving the trailhead and heading back to Cottonwood, we stopped at an overlook at sunset and I was able to capture Cerro Castellan in all its glory.  I don’t think I could have planned this timing.  I love it when these spontaneous photo opportunities happen!  Right place at the right time…..

HOT SPRINGS CANYON TRAIL

The trail that ascends from the Daniel’s Ranch area of the park was by far one of the nicest trails we encountered on this trip.  The trail traverses high desert mesas above the river and the views of the Rio Grande River are impressive.   I decided to focus on plant material during this hike and it ended up being a wise decision.  The diversity of plants along this trail was amazing.

 

The trail ends at the historic Hot Springs settlement.  You can opt to drive to the hot spring, but a dip in the hot spring after a 3-mile hike was much more rewarding!

On our last trip here, we toured the ruins of the old Hot Spring settlement and saw the ancient pictographs on the rock cliffs.

This time around we focused totally on plunging right into the warm springs!!  We planned ahead and brought our swim suits with us for a dip in the hot spring.  We found some thick cover along the river, changed into our suits and joined the 8 or so other folks enjoying the hot springs.

It was so much fun!  We had some great conversations with our fellow travelers.  Eventually, they all started to leave, and we found ourselves alone for a spell to enjoy the hot spring and the river.  Heavenly!

Since it was getting late in the afternoon, we could not linger too long.  Reluctantly, we gathered up our belongings and headed back up the trail.  We had a 3-mile hike back.  I was too lazy to change back into my hiking gear, and with Jim’s encouragement, I made the return trip in my bathing suit to let the desert air dry me off.  Luckily, we did not find too many other folks on the trail 🙂

 

The trail is around 6-miles round-trip with some elevation changes but I would consider it to be moderate in skill level.  It is very exposed with little to no shade, so depending on the time of the year, it might be advisable to hike earlier in the day.  In any case, bring plenty of water!

The views of the river are outstanding.  Nowhere in the park can you see the lushness of the river valley, and the harshness of the dry desert landscape so dramatically.

BOQUILLAS

We had not been planning on crossing the border while here, but events in our own country at the time were such that we felt obligated to visit our good neighbors to the south, and show our support for them.  It’s a funky little border crossing!  And very low-key.

 

 

The small town of Boquillas is 160 miles from its nearest Mexican town. Population:  200 hundred people, and 200 hundred Chihuahuas!  (this according to a local – I think it’s a joke! Although, there were a lot of dogs running around!)  It’s an isolated community that depends in part on tourist trade from the United States.  The closing of this small border crossing after 9/11 devastated this harmless little village.   The border crossing was finally re-opened in 2013, and gives a few folks from the village some much needed extra income.  It costs $5 each to be ferried across the river in a rowboat.  I suppose when the river is low, you could opt to wade across but it’s not recommended.  Once you reach the other side, the actual town is a ½ mile walk down a dirt road from the river.  You can choose to walk, or you can elect to pay for a horse or donkey ride into town accompanied by a guide.  The fee for a ride and a guide is between $5 – $8.

We chose to walk, and upon entering the town, reported to the customs office.  Interestingly, there was no sign to indicate where the port of entry was housed.  We had totally forgotten that we even needed to check in with anyone!  One of the guides who had ushered another couple to the town gestured to us as we started walking down the street, and motioned us over to a trailer that was set up inside a tall chain-link fence.  “You need to check in here,” he said.  He was looking out for us, and we really appreciated that and thanked him immensely.  So, be forewarned, when you enter the town and head up the hill – at the top of the hill on the right is a fenced off area with a white trailer.  That’s the official port of entry.  Report to the custom’s officer there 🙂

I had read that there were two decent restaurants in the small town, and I chose the one that claimed to have a view of the river – the Jose Falcon Restaurant.  It was a good choice.  They had an outside patio that was on the second floor and it did indeed give a view back towards the river.  We enjoyed a bottle of cerveza each (well, okay, two bottles each actually), and some light Mexican food.  I had a quesadilla, and Jim tested out the chicken burrito.  The portions were small but adequate and good.  We received unlimited refills of tortilla chips, and the dipping sauce that was served with the chips was *out of this world* good.  The ingredients were simple –  onions, jalapenos and shredded carrot.  I asked the owner about it, and she said that it was her father’s recipe.  Delicious!

We had the pleasure of chatting with the owners since the place was not busy.  The restaurant is owned and operated by the daughter of the original owner.  When the border crossing closed after 9/11, her father was forced to close the restaurant.  The daughter and her husband were living in Atlanta, Georgia for a number of years, and she is a United States citizen.  When the border re-opened, she decided to come back to the town where she grew up and re-open her father’s restaurant.   Quite a story!   They were such nice folks, and I’m glad we went to the trouble to cross the border and experience a little bit of their life and town.

I would recommend taking time to hike the Boquillas Canyon Trail on the U.S. side as well.  The trailhead is beyond the road that leads to the border crossing.  It’s a beautiful canyon carved through the cliffs of the Maderas del Carmen.  The pictures below of this canyon are also from our previous trip to Big Bend.

 

Davis Mountains Morning

The grass glows golden

As the early morning light

Rests on the hillside.

 

 

I am sitting here gazing up at the Davis Mountains in West Texas, sipping on a hot cup of Ginger-Lemon tea, as I contemplate my next post.  We are hanging out at the Davis Mountains State Park outside of Fort Davis, Texas while we wait for a mail drop.  I chose this spot because I had heard good things about the beauty of this area, and about some interesting places to visit.  Since we had to wait a few days for our mail to arrive, there would be plenty to keep us occupied here.  As it turns out, even more than I first anticipated!

I am on top of the world right now as I write.  It doesn’t take much to get me there!  We are camped in the *tent* area of the park because we didn’t want to pay for hook-ups and are quite used to boon-docking.  And also, because hardly anyone else is staying  on this side of the campground! There’s a bathroom/shower facility just a short walk down the road from us sandwiched in between two campsite loops.  We are one of probably two other campers sharing this facility.  The privacy is absolutely wonderful.  I decided to try out the shower facility this morning, and was pleased that I had the place all to myself.  I just returned from a luxuriously long hot shower …. you appreciate these small things in life after you’ve been living in a 25’ trailer and boon-docking for the better part of a month!  Showers are infrequent, and short!  Hence, the reason for my elated mood.  I was even able to plug in my hair dryer and dry my hair.  Pure indulgence!

This morning is one of those rare mornings when Jim and I are not joined at the hip.  A couple of days ago, he noticed a *drip, drip* coming from beneath the truck – ever so slight but still cause for alarm and investigation.  He disappeared underneath the truck for a spell the morning after we camped for free at the Marfa Lights Viewing Area on Rt. 90 (it’s really nothing more than a glorified Texas Wayside).

The good thing about this spot was that we were on pavement and the *drip* was more noticeable.  Otherwise, I’m not sure he would have discovered it.  He was unable to pinpoint the source of the leak right then, so we went on our way and landed in this state park just a short 20 miles or so up the road from Marfa.

 

After getting set up on our campsite in Davis Mountains State Park, he once again disappeared underneath the truck.  I knew something was up.  I did what I usually do at times like this – I took off for the closest park Wi-Fi hotspot and stayed out of his way for a spell.  He usually does not want me hanging around bothering him with irrelevant questions while he tries to analyze a situation like this.  I’m too distracting.  I have no mechanical ability whatsoever and therefore, I’m no help, and actually more of a hindrance.

Jim is the ultimate trouble-shooter.  I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before.  He is a talented guy when it comes to figuring out issues – mechanical, electrical, you name it – saving us many dollars over the years with his can-do, do-it-yourself attitude.   And he has transferred this coveted trait to our sons.  Between the three of them, there is literally nothing they cannot accomplish (in my humble opinion –  maybe I’m a bit biased).

I sauntered back a short time later to discover that he had identified the issue.  A small part of the fuel line had started to rust, and was the source of the slow leak.  Not exactly an easy fix as it was near where the fuel line entered a box that acted as a cooling chamber for the diesel.  (At least, this is what Jim told me) I don’t understand any of this – so my perception of the problem might be somewhat askew – but close enough.   Bottom line – we had a fuel leak and it had to be fixed sooner rather than later.

After a short hike the following morning on the Indian Lodge Trail, we headed into the small town of Fort Davis.  Jim had some thoughts on how to fix the leak and wanted to find a hardware store.  I wanted to mail off a small gift to my sister-in-law who was forwarding us mail on occasion, and we needed just a couple of items at the grocery store – mainly half and half for my morning coffee!  🙂  We noticed a garage on our way into town advertising auto parts and Jim decided to pop in there and see if they had the parts he needed.

The young mechanic offered to take a quick look under the truck, and one thing led to another, and that’s how I find myself alone this morning.  Jim is in town at the garage getting this nice young man to fix the fuel line.  Yesterday, he told Jim what parts to purchase at the local hardware store, and said he could work on the truck the next morning.  What service!  Jim usually does his own mechanic work when he can, but we discussed it and came to the conclusion that trying to fix a fuel line in a state park campground might not be a wise decision.

Life on the road is not all fun and games my friends – it has its ups and downs! Mechanical issues are bound to happen.  We are getting better at going with the flow when this occurs.  There are still those everyday things that need attention, too – things break and need maintenance, bills have to paid, expenses and income have to be meticulously tracked, receiving mail has been a challenge now that we are not stationary, the list goes on and on.   With our most recent unexpected problem, we’ve had a positive experience in this little town of Fort Davis.  Some of the stress that occurs when your only vehicle needs repairs, and you’re in a strange town, has been relieved!  Jim even decided to have this mechanic rotate the tires to even out wear and tear, and also grease the front-end – whatever that means!  I guess it’s important though.  The local folks have been friendly and very helpful.  Real Texas hospitality…

So, this is why I’ve found myself enjoying some solitude this morning, along with time to conjure up the best approach to writing about Big Bend National Park and our stay in this little bit of paradise.  One thing I’ve discovered since traveling around the region in and around Big Bend National Park is that this whole geographical region refers to itself as the Big Bend.  It includes the towns of Terlingua, Study Butte, Presidio, Marfa, Alpine, Marathon – and beyond.  If you study a map of West Texas, you can connect the dots and see the expansive area that encompasses the *Big Bend*.  To be clear, I’ll be focusing next on the national park – then, I’ll share some of the broader, geographical area that we’re visiting now (such as Davis Mountains State Park – where the pictures in this post originate).

 

Big Bend is a diverse, unique place.  It is a landscape that includes several different types of ecosystems and a population of plant and animal life that is unsurpassed.  For many species, Big Bend represents either their northernmost range, or their southernmost range.  The transition between the three distinct ecosystems creates an environment conducive to enhancing the biodiversity of the region.

Since the river, the desert and the mountains are primarily what defines this park, I’ve landed on a pretty obvious yet practical way to share our adventure there.   Three posts – each concentrating on one of these distinctive habitats of the park.

Hope to spend some relaxing time in West Texas and get some writing done – Adiós mi amigo hasta que nos encontramos de nuevo!  Sure wish I’d taken Spanish in school!

 

Happy New Year from Padre Island  National Seashore!  We’ve been hanging out here since December 29 enjoying the gulf coast and relaxing.  After a few days just winding down from our Amazon adventure, we are starting to tackle some Airstream projects before getting back on the road.  Can’t beat free camping on the beach!  I’ve been somewhat challenged regarding connectivity issues here on the island – hence the unacceptable period of time that has elapsed since my last post.  You’ll hear more about this later…..

So, what have we been up to since leaving Alvord, and landing on the coast?  The past few weeks  since Christmas have been a whirlwind of activity!

On Monday, December 26^th we pulled up the stabilizers and hit the road again.  Our general plan was to set our sights on the gulf coast by way of San Antonio.  Experiencing the renowned River Walk in San Antonio has been on my bucket list and since it was on the way to the coast, our logical first destination.

Always expect the unexpected when traveling with the Ambers!  We got a late start (not surprising if you know us!) leaving Alvord because Jim wanted to change the oil in the truck. Not ideal but we both agreed that it was a good idea to get the oil changed before leaving because it was so convenient in the RV Park here in Alvord.  So, we finally pulled out of the campground at around 2pm.    This meant arriving in San Antonio after dark and looking for a campsite.  We did not relish the idea of navigating in a foreign city after dark.  I started searching on the smart phone and found an Army Corps of Engineers campground north of the city that would be a better spot to find in the early evening and, so that’s where we headed.

Canyon Lake is a reservoir north of San Antonio operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.  There is a campground here called Potters Creek Park campground.  We like the idea of using federal campgrounds since Jim has the interagency senior pass and it gives us a 50% discount on campsites.  Plus, we prefer the federal campgrounds for their ambience.  These campgrounds tend to be more rustic and rural, and the campsites are generally more spacious and private.

Apparently, a couple of years ago, the campground suffered from a devastating flood.  Two of the three loops were still closed and not repaired.  Curiously, there was no indication of this on the website.  It did not matter though since there were very few people here anyway, and the gate attendant gave us a site that backed right up to the lake and we had no one either side of us.  The cost for a water/electric site with the senior pass was only $13.00 so we could definitely live with that for a night!

I chatted with the gate attendant for a while and asked him about working for the Army Corps.  Jobs in the Army Corps campgrounds are put out on bid each year and it’s something I’ve thought about trying.  He was not enthusiastic about  this particular site, but mentioned a campground they work for Missouri that they really liked.  As with any place, the local federal workforce varies.  He does not find the workforce at this Army Corps site to be as easy to work with compared to other places.  Good information to know when searching for a site to bid on!

It was a decent place to set up for a night and we were happy.  We met a nice couple camped in a Class A across from us.  He had installed the same type of solar panel kit that we just bought, so Jim picked his brain for ideas and looked at how he set it up.  We’d be tackling this project in the very near future!

The next morning, we headed on into San Antonio to the local KOA.  We’re not really huge fans of KOA’s, especially those located near metropolitan areas.  But, it was convenient to exploring downtown San Antonio.  The city bus stop was directly across the street which meant we could leave the truck parked and save the hassle of finding parking in downtown.  For a couple of nights, we would survive.  As it turned out, since we wanted the *cheaper* site with just water and electric, we were put on a spot that backed up to some green space and a bike trail.  We also had no campers on either side of us for the first night!

We got set up on our site around 2pm and then headed to the bus stop to explore the River Walk.  Since it was the holiday week, I expected crowds and was not disappointed!  I’ve had some people tell me they loved the River Walk, and others who were not enamored with the place.  So, I decided to arrive with no preconceived ideas and form my own opinions.

A Brief History of River Walk  – The River Walk started as a flood control project to save downtown San Antonio, and a series of canals with flood control gates was established.   In the early 1940’s the project to construct the walkway, stairs and footbridges was undertaken, along with the rock walls lining the walkway.  In addition, the Arneson River Theater was constructed and the historic area of La Villita was restored.  Over the years, improvements continued as the commercial and economic potential for developing this area was realized.  Now lined by bars, shops, restaurants, the pedestrian River Walk is a vital part of the city’s urban identity and a popular tourist attraction.

Side Note: We met a gentleman who was camped next to us here at Padre Island who was stationed in the military in San Antonio 50 + years ago.  He said that back then, the River Walk was not a place you ventured after dark!   Clearly, a lot has changed in 50 years 🙂

When we arrived downtown, it was getting on to late afternoon.  I think this must be when the River Walk comes to life.  It was literally packed with people making it difficult to walk at times depending on where you were along the route.  I started to wonder how many people ended up taking an unexpected swim in the river!  In most places, there is no barrier to the river – literally just a drop-off.  While the river is not deep, I still would not want to get wet!  There were times when the crowd was such that I found it a little dicey on the river side of the walkway and a subtle shift in the crowd could mean a not-too-pleasant dip in the water!

Oddly, this type of crowd would normally bother me.  But, it was such a festive time of year and the lights were so beautiful along the river, that I actually was energized and refreshed by the masses.  We walked around for a while looking for a spot to eat dinner, and settled on a Mexican restaurant (one of many along the walk).  Since I was determined to have a table right on the river, we would have to wait an hour to be seated.  So, we headed in to the bar for a couple of beers and settled in to watch the college bowl game on TV and wait for our table.  Lucky for us, it was happy hour!  That helped take away the pain of waiting an hour before dinner!

After an hour went by, the bartender was concerned that we were overlooked and went to check on our reservations.  And sure enough, they bypassed us!  (The host said she had come in and called our name and did not get a response  – but we were diligently listening and making eye contact with the hosts every time they traveled through).  The bartender came back in and informed us it would be another 30 minutes to put us back on the list for a river-side table.  With an hour already invested, we said we would wait.  Jim then headed right back out and spoke with the host personally, and 5 minutes later we had a table.  Not sure what he said – but it worked. He can be very persuasive 🙂

I was delighted to have a table right on the water, and really enjoyed watching the boat tours travel by, and the pedestrians.  Great place to people-watch!  We ordered dinner and a couple glasses of wine and settled in.  When our dinner came, they had messed up my order and I had to send it back.  By this time, I was pretty hungry and thinking perhaps we had not made a good choice in restaurants!  The waiter felt bad and quickly replaced my dinner with the correct order.  And to our surprise, when we got the check we were only charged for Jim’s meal and drink.  So, all in all, a win-win situation for us despite all the delays.  I was impressed that they acknowledged their mistakes regarding our questionable service.

The highlight of our dinner was due to a older gentleman dining alone who occupied the table directly behind me.  He was immaculately dressed in an authentic *ranch* style outfit and caught our eye when he first sat down.  During his meal, he called over the wandering Mariachi band and requested a song.  We got the benefit of this serenade and it was awesome!!  Afterwards, we thanked him and asked him about the song – since it was in Spanish.  He got a tad emotional and with a tear in his eye told us the song was a favorite of his mother’s, who had passed away just a short few months ago.  It was so touching and he was so genuine in his feelings that it brought a tear to my eye too!

 

After dinner, we found a quieter section of the River Walk to meander along and then caught the late bus back to the campground.

It was interesting trying to assess whether we were at the correct bus stop, and we enlisted the help of some other local folks nearby to assist us.  Everyone was friendly and willing to weigh in on what bus we needed.  We made it back to the campground with no issues! (Although, when riding the city bus back late at night, I was struck by a vision of a recent Lee Child mystery I had read where Jack Reacher was in a subway car -not a bus but close enough – and assessing the occupants for terrorist-like attributes!)  It’s funny how something as commonplace as public transportation can be so daunting to those who never use it!  No such thing in rural Vermont!

My goal the next day was the Alamo.  I’ve always wanted to see the Alamo – not sure why really –  but I wasn’t leaving San Antonio without visiting this historic site.  Now, admittedly, my memory of the history of the Alamo was somewhat fuzzy.  I remembered that it involved Texans and Mexicans, was a lost cause under overwhelming odds, and that Davy Crockett perished during the battle.  I also remembered the famous cry later issued by Sam Houston – Remember the Alamo!

So, for all those with equally fuzzy memories, here goes! Short and sweet recap of the Alamo!  The Alamo started out as a Spanish mission in the 1700’s – the Mission San Antonio de Valero. When the mission eventually closed 70 years after it opened its doors, the Spanish military took over the compound, followed by the Mexican military after Mexico won its independence from Spain.  Mexico inherited the territory of Texas from Spain and, in an effort to increase the settlement of this territory, the Mexican government encouraged immigration from citizens of the United States.   This colonization of Texas was carried out through the use of land agents called empresarios who acted as recruiters and middle-men, screening potential immigrants and taking responsibility for them as new settlers.  The project was so successful that the immigrant population of Texas increased from around 500 to over 30,000 in just five years.

During this time, Texas enjoyed a certain amount of autonomy as a *department* of Mexico, but wanted to achieve statehood within the Mexican government and decided to fight for statehood.  The Mexican government was opposed to Texas statehood and started to feel threatened by the increased immigrant population.  So, in an effort to restrict more colonization and control the territory, the government halted the immigration practice. This, of course, angered the colonial population that had come to Texas and started to fuel a movement for independence from Mexico.

When Antonio López de Santa Anna rose to power in Mexico he adopted a more centralized government, and wanted more control over the colonies.  He seriously restricted the self-government of various territories and states.  One thing led to another as tensions arose, and the Battle of the Alamo and fight for independence erupted with an incident between Mexican soldiers and Texas colonials.  The colonists fought against huge odds at the Alamo and lost, but the Texas Revolution was inevitable now that the colonists were energized by the bravery of those who fell at the Alamo.  Eventually, Texas won its independence from Mexico.  Texas would remain independent until annexed to the United States 10 years later.  I thought the  immigration problem hauntingly similar to recent modern day issues and arguments.  Allow immigration until it does not suit us anymore – then deny it.  Did not work then, will not work now……but I digress…..

 

I really enjoyed touring the old mission and the gardens surrounding the Alamo compound.  The museum that is housed in the old barracks was well-done and worth spending some time perusing.  We loved passing under the old live oak outside the museum and reading about its history!

After touring the Alamo, it was time to re-visit the River Walk and we decided to be real tourists and take a boat tour on the river.  The 30-minute wait was worth it, and while we both thought the guide could have been better informed and more entertaining, the boat trip was still fun.

We exited the boat just in time to find the bar that a college friend recommended we visit – The Esquire – and enjoy a happy hour beer.  The Esquire is notorious for housing the longest continuous bar in Texas.  We were advised to go and experience this old, traditional establishment!

On the way to the bar, we stumbled across the Main Plaza area and the San Fernando Cathedral.  So, we detoured into the cathedral for a spell.  It was breathtakingly beautiful and so peaceful inside the cathedral. So glad we happened upon it.  A nice respite from the crowds on the River Walk.

Back to finding The Esquire!  We arrived at the beginning of happy hour, and it was not crowded at the bar on the street-level entrance.  Definitely enjoyed the atmosphere and thanks to my college friend Renice for the recommendation!

After enjoying our brews, I wanted to wander on over to the outdoor amphitheater called the Arneson River Theatre.  There was a Chanukah celebration on the river that night, and a Jewish-American rock band from New York City was going to be giving an outdoor concert at the theater.  We arrived in plenty of time to get some seats and settle in for the performance.    San Antonio is home to a diverse Jewish population and the downtown area has been hosting a Chanukah festival on the river for a number of years.  It was really nice to see!  The band played some traditional, folk-style music that was very entertaining.

We left the River Walk shortly after the concert, and headed back to the campground to get some dinner going.  We were not interested in battling the crowds again, and wanted to settle in and get ready to leave the next morning.

The weather reports for Padre Island National Seashore were calling for gale-force winds and cool temps.  Hmm…..  what were we getting ourselves in to??  Coincidentally, a couple from Kentucky with two children had pulled into the site next to us that day.  They were stopping off for a day in San Antonio and then also heading to Padre Island.  We compared notes on the weather report, and both decided to give it a go.  This would not be the last time we saw them!

I promise a more timely posting on our adventures here on Padre Island.  The good, the bad, and the ugly….