Places to Visit: San Antonio

Everyone knows about the Alamo - but the city's slogan should be "The Alamo and so much more".  The best times to visit - spring, summer, fall, and winter.  Being located in South Texas, the winters are very mild.

PLACES TO SEE:
1.  The Alamo -

The church turned fortress during the Texas Revolution where 189 brave Texians (as they were called then) were defeated by Santa Ana's army is located downtown.

2.  The Riverwalk-

Beautiful tree shaded sidewalks with shops and restaurants.

3.  San Antonio Botanical Gardens - located in Alamo Heights, has flora and fauna native to the area.

4.  Pearl Brewery - an old brewery that has been converted into shops and restaurants.  The brewery used to be the home of Pearl Beer.  It was built in 1883.

5.  Fiesta Texas - A Six Flags water park that is open between May and September with limited openings during other times of the year, home of watersparks, shows, and rides.

6.  Seaworld of Texas - The home of Shamu with numerous water related shows, a waterpark, and rides.  Open May-September daily with other limited openings during the year.

7.  Schlitterbahn - Not really in San Antonio, but worth the 32 mile trip north to New Braunfels.  It has been rated the #1 waterpark in America for the last 10 years.


PARKS:

San Antonio Missions National Historic Park - Preserves five frontier missions.  This is a driving tour and some of the parishes are still active. It usually takes  at least 3-4 hours. Mission San José and the park's Visitor Center usually take about 1½ to 2 hours to see and do everything. Missions Concepción, San Juan, and Espada can be viewed in 30 minutes or less. Add more time in order to visit the Espada Dam and Aqueduct.

Government Canyon State Natural Area - Government Canyon State Natural Area is an approximately 8,624-acre area in Bexar County, just outside San Antonio. The State Natural Area was purchased by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1993, in cooperation with Edwards Aquifer Authority (formerly Edwards Underground Water District), San Antonio Water System, the Trust for Public Land and the federal government Land and Water Conservation Fund. The park opened to the public on October 15th, 2005.

Friedrich Wilderness Park -  This is the birdwatchers paradise.  The geology can be somewhat steep, depending upon the trail.  See bird list.

EVENTS:

FEB:  San Antonio Live Stock Show & Rodeo - actually the second largest in the country only to Houston.

APR:  Poteet Strawberry Festival - takes place in a southern suburb.  Anything and everything strawberry available.


 Fiesta SA! - a 10 day celebration to commemorate the Texians victory at the Battle of San Jacinto.  It has turned into numerous activities as well as  a street party well worth the visit.

San Antonio also has numerous historic hotels that offer specials. Some include:  Sheraton Gunter, St. Anthony, Emily Morgan, Omni La Mansion Del Rio, Emily Morgan, Hotel Valencia (not historic, but nice), and of course the historic Fairmont Hotel. 


I have to include the story behind the Fairmont from their website:

As The World Watches

Then came the move that made The Fairmount famous and sparked its first rebirth.
In 1984, the city struggled with the fate of The Fairmount. Developers were preparing to erect a major new retail center and hotel that would one day be known as Rivercenter Mall and the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel. Public improvements for that project called for the widening of Bowie Street, but The Fairmount stood in the way.
Another city with fewer ties to the past might have easily gone forward with the demolition option, but San Antonio is a community famous for its conservation efforts. A local development team and local financial backers organized the Fairmount Hotel Company, which worked with the City of San Antonio, the San Antonio Conservation Society, the Texas Historical Commission and the University of Texas Center for Archaeological Research to plan and execute an out-of-the-box strategy - moving the three-story building to a new home next to the La Villita National Historic District.
The move took six days, from March 30 to April 4, 1985, and cost approximately $1 million to complete the feat. A total of 36 dollies with pneumatic tires transported 3.2
million pounds of brick, mortar and steel six blocks to The Fairmount's new home. The trip required that the Commerce Street Bridge over the San Antonio River be reinforced to accommodate the unusually heavy traffic of one building.
Moving crews met at 5 a.m. each day to begin the slow trek toward Alamo and E. Nueva streets, with thousands of local residents lining the way to watch the engineering marvel. International press covered the event, with stories about The Fairmount's move appearing across the country and in more than 30 foreign countries. The Guinness Book of World Records noted that it was the heaviest building ever moved on wheels.

If you plan on visiting San Antonio - you HAVE to try the local cuisine - tagged "Tex-Mex".  Some of my favorite restaurants include:

Mi Tierra, Los Barrios, Jacala's, Mamacita's, and a small restaurant called Gilbert's off Marbach and 410.  Gilbert is a sweetheart and he has a plate called the Jave special (Carne Guisada enchiladas) - the place ain't fancy - but it has great food!

Cooking on Your Engine

When my mother passed away, my sister and I divided up her cookbooks.  We were looking through Lone Star Legacy II from the Austin Junior Forum and found an interesting concept.  Manifold Cooking.

The recipe states that cooking while driving, or manifold cooking, had its beginning with resourceful G.I.'s faced with the dreary prospect of cold beans.  G.I.'s found they could heat their beans on the manifold of their jeeps!  This grew into the idea of wrapping packages of food in fold to place on the manifold of cars to cook while driving.  Whatever you are cooking must be securely wrapped in several layers of extra heavy duty foil using the drugstore wrap and reversing the seam side with each wrapping.  Try to wrap the packages to more or less conform to the shape of the manifold.  The foil packages should be tied onto the manifold with coated wire to prevent the wire from cutting the foil  Of course, no steam escapes during the cooking, so the food is literally cooked in its own juices.  Meat does not brown; however, the meat may be quickly browned before packaging it.  This also improves the flavor - just as it does when cooking in your kitchen.  As with camp cooking, the exact cooking times are variable.  As a general guideline, average speed of 50 to 55 miles per hour, is equal to an hour in your home over at 300 degrees to 325 degrees.  In most cases, you should turn the package about halfway through the cooking period, but be careful not to puncture the foil!  There are unlimited possibilities to manifold cooking - use your imagination!  So, fill up the tank and let's go cooking!  An may you never lose your pot roast.

Mrs. Jim Albrecht (Donne)

100 Mile Chicken

Broiling Chickens, split in half

Butter mixed with garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Paprika, optional

Brush chicken halves liberally with melted butter and garlic powder.  Season with salt and pepper.  You might also sprinkle with paprika for added color if you don't choose to brown the chickens before packaging.  Carefully pad with wads of foil any areas where bones might puncture the foil covering.  Wrap as directed.  Turn after 50 miles.  Serves 4.

Mrs. Jim Albrecht (Donne)

While doing some research, I also found a new cookbook called Manifold Destiny which has several recipes using this concept.

Christmas Plans

Yes, the holidays are coming!

Will you be travelling?  If so, you probably want to start looking at air fares now.  I like kayak.com to book airlines.  If you live near an airport that Southwest Airlines flies to, they usually have great rates also.

Will you be hosting dinner?  If so how many people will be attending?  Do you have enough dishes and tables?  If not, start reserving them now - check locally for places to rent tables and chairs.  Consider disposable dishes.

Will others be bring food?  If so, start planning and finding out what everyone will bring.  This way if someone says they will bring dessert - you don't end up with 12 pumpkin pies.

What will the weather be like where you're at?  If traveling, be prepared if the weather is different from where you are.  At the same time, if you have guest and you're in a different climate, let your guest know what to expect.

If you have guest coming, are there special things to see in your area?  In the past, when I have visited my sister in Atlanta, I have visited Stone Mountain at Christmas, Rock City at Christmas, as well as taken a drive to see the lights down by Emory University.  This gives you a chance to prepare or rest and gives your guest some time to get out of the house.

If you do have someone staying with you - how long will it be for? Don't forget to buy extra soap, toilet paper, and other items such as toothpaste, shampoo, etc that they may need.  Also, don't be shy about letting them know the house rules.  For instance, in my sister's home, you do not walk into the kitchen without washing your hands, the beds are made every morning, etc...

Emergencies on the Road and What You Should Have in Your Car

You never know when an emergency will occur.  With the winter season approaching it is best to be prepared.  Here are a few things you should have tucked away in the trunk of your car.

Water - At least 2-3 bottles tucked away in case your car breaks down, you have something to soothe your thirst.

Food - Not a meal but something along the lines of a package of jerky, a box of energy bars, a box of pop tarts, etc - you get the idea.

Blanket(s) - You should have a blanket or even a sleeping bag for as many people that normally ride in your car or as many seats that you have.  I say this because if you are driving and you have front bucket seats you will want a blanket for yourself, one for the passenger, and then at least on for the backseat, unless you have a Suburban or Excusion - then you have more seats to worry about.  Usually more than one child can huddle together under a blanket.

Clothes - If you live in an area where the weather can change on the flip of a coin, then it is best to always have a coat or if you're a female a pair of jogging pants in the car.  This way if you have to walk, you have pants that can easily be put on and taken off (I say this from wearing dresses and having to walk from a parking garage several blocks away).

First Aid Kit - What can I say, you never know when something is going to happen.  Especially if you have kids or friends.

Road Flares - If your car does break down, especially at night, you don't want to be hit by a passing motorist.  The flares will let them know your car is there on the side of a road.

Flashlight - It is always good to have a flashlight handy.  Just be sure and check the batteries!

Anti-Freeze - Now is the best time to make sure you have coolant.  True story,  I just bought some for my car last Saturday, decided to check it just in case and ended up adding half of the jug.  I was low.  I keep it in my trunk.

Washer Fluid - It is always good to keep this in your car so that you can add it as needed.

Brake Fluid - Now is also a good time to check brake fluid and keep some on hand.

Oil - Find out what kind your car takes and keep at least 2 quarts spare in your car.

Fuses -  It's always good to keep extra's on hand.

Fix-A-Flat - Just in case.

Duct Tape - Has been known to mend a hose long enough to get you to a place of safety.

WD-40 - Just in case.

Now is also a good time to check all of your lights and your wiper blades to make sure they are in working order.

FYI - I keep all the fluids in a small square laundry basket in the trunk of my car.  I can't stand things rolling around in the back and I would hate for one of them to spill.

One of my Favorite Vacations Ever! Disneyland

One of the best vacations that we took with our children was to Disneyland in California.  In addition to an unbelievable air fare sale that will probably never be repeated (Family of 5 round trip from SAT to LAX $250 - that's for the family not per person).

There are three hotels associated with the park.  The Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel.

There are also Good Neighbor Hotels.  Far too many to list here - but here is a page that has the list.  I stayed in a hotel across the street from the main gate of Disneyland.  It was much more affordable and when I choose a hotel - I look for one that is clean, one that is safe, and one close to where I'm going to be spending most of my time.  I look at it as a place to shower and sleep.

Pricing packages for 2 adults, 2 children with 5 day park tickets at a Good Neighbor Hotel - Holiday Inn is $1,993.14 verses the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is $5,061.14.

Another option is to book the hotel only, and use a discount plan to buy the park hopper tickets.  Be sure to compare before booking to see which works best for your budget.

The last time we went, we had bought a package.  This included the cost of the hotel, tickets for the park, and 2 get away days that were included in the 7 day package.  The get away days were tickets for the San Diego Zoo and Knott's Berry Farm.

Disneyland has discounts on the special offers page.

There are meal plans available also.  Since we were there during Christmas week, we took advantage of the Christmas Dinner Buffet at the Disneyland Hotel.  Great buffet and well worth the money!  My children, including the older ones still remember the characters coming around and taking their pictures with them, and the Gingerbread houses that were almost as big as they were!

If you go, HAVE A GREAT TIME!  The memories are well worth it!

Day Hiking - A Fun Way to Get Out of the House

One of the easiest and best ways to get in shape is to get outside.  To get started there are a few items that you will need:  a backpack, comfortable - sturdy shoes, and appropriate clothing.

Keep in mind - I am not some super hiker - I don't go out for days with a full pack, but I do like getting outdoors on day trips.  Here are some tips.

Know where you are going - Check with your local parks department or your state park website. Trails.com has trails located close to your zip code but there is a membership fee.

Caprock Canyons State Park

Let someone know where you are going - I say this because I was on a hike in a natural park just north of the city.  There was an older woman that was walking across a rocky area when she slipped severely spraining her ankle.  Fortunately for her, someone came on behind her on the trail and got help for her.  As I arrived at the park they were taking her away in an ambulance and calling her family to come get her car.  It is not just older people, I've actually slipped one time at the same park when it was wet.  Nothing could be worse than falling down a hill with no one on the trail behind you.  If you don't want to call someone at least leave a note taped on your computer or on the fridge.

Friedrich Wilderness Park

Check the weather - Here in South Texas we are in the worst drought in a hundred years.  The heat is almost unbearable.  However, there have been times when we have had flash floods and freezing weather.  It is important to know what to expect, especially if a front is moving in.  Be prepared.

Lost Maples State Natural Area

Endurance and distance - Know what you limit is.  I've had foot surgery this past year, so when I start hiking again I will start on the level 1 - easy trails.   One of the things that I do is walk through my neighborhood, this helps me build the distance I am able to walk.  If you are out of breath walking around the block, kick it up a notch.   If you are in good shape the moderate trails may be the answer for you, but then again they are usually longer.  Before my foot problems I would hike at Lost Maples on an 5 mile trail which wrapped around the park.  I wouldn't try it now, but I will work my way back up to it.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Preparation - This will be the most important part.  You should always have a backpack.  Water is essential for any hike.  It is always good to have trail bars not just in case you get stuck somewhere, but also for a great snack.

In summer, light comfortable clothing, with socks and good shoes or hiking boots.  Make sure you have plenty of water (a bottle per mile) and snacks.  A rain poncho in the backpack is always good since it can protect you against rain and the sun.

In spring or fall, a light jacket, pants and good heavy socks and good shoes or hiking boots.  Once again water is a must and food.  A rain poncho and a thermal blanket (looks like foil and helps reflect body heat) in your backpack.

Government Canyon State Park

Perfume - Leave it at home.  It attracts mosquitoes and  bees.

Predators - I carry two things a stick to watch for snakes and pepper spray just in case I come across an unruly animal that won't leave me alone.  When camping and hiking in Colorado, I carried Bear spray to use as an option.

If you sit down on rocks, keep in mind - snakes like rocks, scorpions like rocks, ants and other insects tend to migrate towards rocks.

 One of my favorite parks:

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Cluster Cities - Rapid City

Every once in a while, there is a city with several attractions in or around the city itself.  One of those cities is Rapid City, South Dakota.

You're probably thinking Rapid City?????

A few years ago, we took a camping trip.  We spent several days in and around Rapid City.  This is a jewel located in the Black Hills region.

Our first stop in South Dakota was the night of July 4, we stopped at Rosebud Sioux Reservation and watched the fireworks.  From there we went to Wall, South Dakota where we spent the night.

Wall is famous for the Wall Drug Store.  It is a tourist trap to the max, but fun.  It is a small mall that sells everything Black Hills.

From there, we left and went to the Badlands National Park.  The park itself is relatively small, but impressive.  Driving west on I90, it seems to raise up out of nowhere.  My children had a great time climbing the hills and running the trails.  We spent about 4 hours at the park.







 From Badlands, we went to Wind Cave National Park.  We camped at the park, which has numerous tours including a night tour with only candles.  We took a daylight tour which explained how wind formed the cave.  At night, the park rangers (great guys!) had a "fireside chat"  as part of their educational program.  They told us how the cave was formed and about the wildlife in the area as well several funny stories.

One of my favorite stories was about how he (the park ranger) was going through files and he saw one marked Bison jumps over VW.  He said he had to look at the pictures only to realize the bison did jump over the car - all over it.

We were advised to avoid contact with the bison because they were caring for their young and could be dangerous.  We did manage to see one in the park from a distance.

The next morning, we took a drive thru the Custer State park and what was referred to as the Custer byway.  Definitely worth the time, it includes mountains, 1 lane tunnel bridges and numerous scenic outlooks and photo opportunities  In addition, bison can be seen at numerous times, but of course they vanished when we were there.  This was followed by a quick trip to Jewel Cave.  A nice monument to see but the entire visit only took about 3-4 hours.  After that we doubled back and went north to Keystone and camped out near Mount Rushmore.



Mount Rushmore National Monument is impressive. I found it a little odd.  People were just sitting there looking at it as if they expected the leaders there to start speaking.  Beyond that, I would say that everyone should visit there at least once in there life.  I have a picture, which shows the ranger pick up that I had at the time below Washington's head.  It shows the shear size of the sculpture. There are tours offered that take you closer to the sculpture which I wouldn't mind going back to do now that my children are older.  After leaving Mount Rushmore, we stopped at the Crazy Horse Memorial.


Our last part of the trip took us a little over two hours west.  We spent the last two days of our trip at Devil's Tower National Monument.   We drove west on I90, then took 116 north.  We stayed at the KOA just outside the monument.  Every night, they played the movie, Close Encounter of the Third Kind.  It was a little eerie, looking up at the monument at dusk hearing John Williams score.  The monument itself, has a winding road with forested area's from which the monument itself peaks through.  The trails around the monument itself is frequented by climbers.  It's amazing to see them work their way up several hundred feet.

I definitely recommend the trip.  From South Texas, it took about 2 days to make the journey to South Dakota.  The first night we stayed at Caprock Canyons State Park here in Texas.  On the way back we stayed in Colorado Springs, CO.