Travelog - Day 11, Feb.11

Front of the Alamo Mission

Today we are San Antonio bound via I-35. Until now I’ve been catching up on QuiltArt reading and replying to emails. A gas stop and then, omegosh! RV heaven. If these places don’t have it, your dream trailer or mobile home does not exist.

90.5 FM radio – Dear Amy, tongue-in-cheek (I hope), write in seeking advice. It breaks through the ‘noise tune out’ barrier. The first letter hit just a little too close to home – ‘disrespecting my feelings, it’s always my fault, never apologizes’. I have ‘No comment’ to say about this topic. Very quickly, Al punches the ‘off’ button.

Back to my email. I am sending my blog address to Linda in Austin who, out of the blue, emailed and asked if I would like to have lunch with her and other QuiltArt people. I am hoping that they will offer to do a ‘show ‘n tell’. We’re in Austin for 3 more days so maybe I’

Al breaks the silence. “The Fitz and Floyd outlet centre”. I’ve stopped collecting this type of thing since I started buying very expensive sewing machines . He’s safe from any shopping urges I might have as it is Sunday and only 10am Factory outlet shopping centres, complete with Gothic towers is passing me by; every name brand imagineable. I failed to mention earlier that beside the RV super centre, is Cabelo’s (fishing & tackle) and it was open judging by the number of cars in the parking lot.

A Walmart distribution centre backs on this highway along with everything else it seems. The parking lot is filled with transport trailers as far as I can see. I-35 is obviously a major thoroughfare.

We are now in San Antonio and just outside The First Presbyterian Church. The city parking lot is full with very-well dressed men in starched shirts & pin striped suits. I spot one 2-3 yr old girl in a wonderful full length dress and coat. What a picture she makes. Judging by the cars & the number of them, this church has a very large congregation and is perhaps a wealthy one too

Parking is a big issue. Lots abound - $5 (special for Sunday, weekdays $1 per 15 minuets – not a typo) around The Alamo. Metered parking is free on Sundays. Yeah – a parking meter roughly 4 blocks away.

After taking the mandatory photo of Davey & Travis and the front of The Alamo mission, I volunteer to dogsit as no pets are allowed. I take a picture of one of several oak trees in the plaza; Christmas tree lights are suspended and hanging from branches . I expect it is a lovely effect at night. Gypsy has discovered the pigeon population and lunges at them at every opportunity. When my turn to walk the ruins, I am more interested in the vegetation; one bush was flowering! The stonework is a marvellous backdrop for a wide variety of cacti; one is blooming. There is a magnificent, hugh, multi-curved/limbed live oak in the centre. In the end my photo has tourists in it despite my waiting. I am deeply moved, or ‘all choked up’ (my new Texas phrase) upon reading Lt.Col.Cmdr Travis’ letter written shortly before he and his men were slaughtered. (I hope I have recorded his rank correctly).
It’s a dreary day so we pass up the Riverwalk and drive the 2.8 miles to The Mission Concepcion. I gasp when I see the church. It is nothing less than gorgeous and apparently one of the very few so well preserved in its original state. I suppose everyone has to see The Alamo, but this is far, far better. Lovely choir music surrounds you in the chapel, so wonderfully peaceful. I am truly enjoying the quiet.
Travis & Davy
This couple just flew past me, so I was lucky to even get a picture.
Entertainment & shops across the street from The Alamo Mission.


There is a magnificent, hugh, multi-curved/limbed live oak in the centre. In the end my photo has tourists in it despite my waiting forever, it seemed, for the 'pink people to move, so this is the only picture of this magnificent tree
. When my turn to walk the ruins, I am more interested in the vegetation; one bush was flowering!

The stonework is a marvellous backdrop for a wide variety of cacti; one is blooming.
Another 2.8 miles and we see Mission San Jose which is surrounded by a 12’ stone wall. See photo at the end.

The chapel

Today the parking lot has tourists, but also those attending a fundraiser for San Josee Seniors. Barbeque smoke fills the air. As we pass through the great walled enclosure, the joyful tunes of a Mexican mariachi band reach us.
Some construction work is covered with an orange tarp. I use the large plants to partially cover it up.

We enter the chapel a distance from the arched ruins and a bell-like soprano voice surrounds us. The atmosphere is more celebratory than tranquil.
Unlike Mission Concepcion, this one has been restored and so you have an idea of how it operated, what they ate and the cooking/sleeping arrangements in the outer walls. A 1930’s mill reconstruction is working with a guide to answer your questions.

Last stop of the day or so I think. To reach Mission Espanada, we pass a very large cemetry complete with police. The aftermath of 911 is everywhere. Grave decorations are numerous and very bright -colourful helium ballons, heart-shaped and cross wreaths with artificial flowers. I am reminded of an extraordinary radio interview we heard last week about a woman sueing the cemetery where her husband is buried. Volunteer cemetery workers have been removing her mementos, even though she says they are small and no further from the gravestone than … feet as dictated by the rules.

Houses along the airport road are run down; their looks reinforce the ‘beware of dog’ signs.
We reach Mission Espanada which is also an active place of worship. The tranquil entrance way through the stone belies what is to come.
As I approach the chapel, music from a large outdoor speaker becomes increasingly louder. I don’t recognize the theme or style; it’s just plain irritating.
The altar is quite startling – masses of poinsettas line the front, their red colour literally vibrating with the music. The photo is too dark to really convey this fact.
A sign in front of this part requested visitors not to enter as it is a private space. Note the very thin bricks useed to make the archways, a technique which has been borrowed from Roman times & brought here by the Spaniards. You can see a few of the grackles in the top left hand corner.

I escape to the outdoors, only to witness a fellow tourist trot by with her prize – a branch ripped off a tree complete with a tiny round ball of whatever it is that I’ve seen on these trees – some sort of grassy fungus or tumbleweed hitch-hiker. There’s one of these people everywhere it seems. The ones who fail to read the ‘don’t write on the wall’ signs I saw at Mission San Jose. There I almost took a picture of a 20-something male wearing a white baseball cap (of course it was backward) and carrying an opened can of beer. Probably didn’t remove his hat when he entered the chapel either.

Leaving the grounds several flocks of grackles are hanging about in the leafless trees behind the mission and doing us all a favour by singing their hearts out and partially drowning out the background ‘music’. I completely support the perceived environmental protest to the noise polution and secretly cheer them on. Arriving back at the car our windshield has been ‘blessed’ by the very birds I have been cheering; I have to laugh.

Back on the big highway and just when I think the day is coming to a close, hubby pulls off the highway into the first of two factory outlet complexes, Tangier. Largest two in Texas the book tells me. I sweetly ask to be dropped off in front of the Royal Doulton outlet. A very nice sales clerk gives me the name of the largest discontinued china place in US where I should be able to find the pattern I’m looking for. The Royal Crown Derby collection is only 15% off and there are no houses.

Back in the car we cruise the remainder of this complex and proceed to the next complex - San Marcos with 70 stores, twice as many as the first. I troll through stores: Wedgewood-Waterford Crystal (disappointing to learn that Waterford has sheets, towels, but more importantly my crystal is not there), Fitz & Floyd (loads of Christmas figurines and satisfies my ‘eye’ in seeing the fruits and veggies). Because The Pottery Barn is next door I go in. Hmm, a capuccino maker for my oldest son perchance; price is sort of OK, but the line-up for the cash register is not. Again my wallet never leaves my purse. Back to the car after taking advantage of the restroom facilities.

At 4:50 we’re back on the I-35 heading north to Austin and ‘home’. It’s been a good day. The best part of the day? Seeing and experiencing Mission Concepcion. Regret? Not having time to sit and reflect in the chapel.

The mouse has stopped working, just like yesterday. I figure something in the laptop gets too warm or … The solution is to shut down and give it a rest. Photo editing will have to wait.