Besides writing, traveling
is one of my other passions. This year, I wanted to do something different that
would be far from the norm for my family. This yearning led to a four thousand
mile road trip through the southern states! My first itinerary, which was in
San Antonio, consisted of: The River Walk, The Alamo, Museums, Sightseeing
tours, a River Walk Cruise, The Japanese Botanical Gardens, The San Antonio Zoo, Caverns, A Water Park, the
Market Square, Restaurants, Parks, the San Fernando Cathedral, Sea World, and not to mention
the historical and cultural richness through out the city.
Being a photographer and
author, I tend to travel with and without my family but this time summer was
calling us ALL to take a trip.
Therefore, without much hesitation, at at about 2:00 a.m., I ventured out
from beautiful Southern California on a family road trip going east on the ten,
along with my wife, 11 yr. old daughter and 12 yr. old son. For some people,
this long road trip through most of the southern states could be considered a
punishment, but to my family, it was the opposite. The solemnity of the desert
and the mystery of its living things opened the gates of our imagination. I’ve
always wanted to visit San Antonio, the second largest city in Texas. Its rich
history and cultural diversity, the home style cooking, and of course its
well-known River Walk all appealed to us.
As soon as we arrived, I
immediately sensed a different charm to what I have experienced in other
cities. As I began to explore downtown San Antonio, I could not help to see the
resemblances between the lush waterways of the River Walk and it’s beautifully
assembled architectural buildings to the waterways of Venice, Italy and the
1930’s style buildings of the New York skyline. As my hunger towards food set
in, I could not help to notice the abundance of inviting restaurants next to
the river. I immediately chose one of the Tex-Mex restaurants I thought had the
greatest view by the river. We sat there like all the other tourists, slowly
savoring a cold drink while at the same time enjoying a traditional San Antonio
Tex-Mex meal.
I eventually found the
courage to leave the confines of the restaurant to embark on a Rio Cruise that
is another unique San Antonio must-do experience. As I listened to the tour
guide highlighting the historical aspects of the River Walk and the
architecture of the buildings that are complimented by lush and exotic flora, I
became sidetracked by the thriving animal life within the beautiful greenery.
With no time to spare, early
the next morning, I visited the alluring Natural Bridge Caverns. They are
considered to be one of the largest caverns open to the public in Texas. Its
inhabitants include bats and other small creatures of the underground world along
side its most valuable asset, the limestone formations. We went through a
two-hour self-paced tour marveling at how wondrous our world is. The caverns
were truly another of San Antonio’s must see attractions.
From there, we stopped by
another particularly enticing place: The Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch. This is
a rare and truly unique drive-in zoo that offers the longest running safari park in
Texas with different animal species from around the world. Upon entering the
Zoo, you’re given a bag of food to feed the animals. It was beautiful to drive
slowly, seeing the animals roam about as they would in their natural habitat.
Then, from out of nowhere, my camera lenses detected a Llama preparing to spit
into my window-but, not before I closed it!
By now, I was ready to
attack my itineraries some more! The next morning, we engulfed ourselves into a
45-minute IMAX docudrama entitled “ALAMO-The price of Freedom,” at the San
Antonio IMAX theatre Rivercenter. The docudrama relived the history of the
unforgettable Texan and Tejano defenders fight for independence. It explained
the Alamo and the immense sacrifices that were made. Watching the movie helped
me gain a better understanding of the meaning of the Alamo and the many people
that made the ultimate sacrifice in order for future generations to live on its
land freely. This is a must do attraction!
Afterwards, my family and I
headed back to downtown San Antonio, which beckoned us to explore some of its
many other attractions, like the Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, that is
located right across from the Alamo. As we visited the Wax Museum, we ended up
having a few moments of fame with Oprah, President Obama and Jay Leno. But
after getting spooked at the haunted house, we ended up paying a visit to the
historical and breathtaking San Fernando Cathedral and the Main Plaza. The San
Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio is said to be the oldest cathedral sanctuary
in the United States. The famous Alamo defender James Bowie was married and
buried there, Santa Ana used it as an observation post and other legends such
as William Travis and Davy Crockett are also buried there! The cathedral is a
spiritual experience to the soul and to the eyes as it has been breathtakingly
designed. Afterwards, we returned to the reprieve of the River Walk for another
Texas-size cold drink and the calming waters of the river.
There is so much to see and
do at San Antonio! There is enough for the young and old in this beautiful city
like the: nightclubs, bars, zoos, ranches, caverns, eateries, museums, art galleries
and more. However, what makes it all the more remarkable is its rich history
and memorable southern hospitality. With that being said, I would like to
express my sincere appreciation to the city of San Antonio for providing
valuable tips and resources that made our experience at San Antonio—an
unforgettable one.
Stay tuned for Episode
II—New Orleans and the Swamps!
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