It was a busy day being a tourist in San Antonio. We first went for a a bit of a drive getting into town and then in the town centre area before heading over to do a tour of the Alamo. San Antonio is an interesting city in that you have very old (eg: Alamo) in the downtown area, next to hotels and tourist spots. The Alamo itself is quite spacious with beautifully maintained gardens. Inside the building, you are asked to be quiet, don't touch the walls, no videos, and please respect the area as it is regarded as a shrine. There is a model of the original Alamo during the seige by Santa Ana and lots of original pieces of equipment on display. You could feel the history seeping from the walls. Very very interesting.
From the Alamo, we had intended to do the "Riverwalk" but Dale took a bit of a tumble off a curb so decided it would be best if we did a "Riverdrive". Traffic in the downtown area is a bit slow as the right hand lane is for busses only and/or only if you are making a right turn, the left lane is for parking only (and left turns where allowed), so you only have the middle lane to travel in....slowly!
We had read about the El Mercado, Farmer's Market and the restaurant called "Mi Tierra" so we headed out that way. Of course, to add interest to the journey, we turned right when we should have turned left and toured quite a bit of the mainly Mexican dominated area of southwest San Antonio. In the end, we did stop and ask for directions and eventually found our way there.
After parking the car, we started to walk towards the El Mercado and Dale took another fall. This one somewhat more serious. He badly scraped his left knee (of course it is always the bad knee that takes the brunt of falls) and ripped the knee of his new trousers, and scraped his right knee as well, plus bruising his elbow. Thank goodness, for once, he had his hands out of his pockets on both falls otherwise the damage could have been a lot worse. A couple of bystanders witnessed this and came immediately to the rescue. They helped me get him to the nearby restaurant where we were able to sit down, get some ice and a bandage. Dale was in some discomfort so we stayed in the restaurant to have a bite to eat and drink until he was feeling less "shocky".
After this brief respite, he said he was feeling Ok and wanted to tour through the markets, which we did for a short time. In the end he sat on a bench while I did a quick breeze through the remaining shops. Picked up three Mexican blankets to use outside at Palm Springs, then we headed for home. Once Dale was settled, got his poor knees cleaned and applied ointment and clean bandages then I went out to the drugstore to pick up more large bandages. Now well prepared for any emergency!
So, to say the least, we are spending a quiet evening at home. Will see how he is feeling in the a.m., before we make a decision as to whether we stay a day and rest or continue our trek west....
The weather continues to be very very warm and as we travel we seem to be in between storms. They are all around us but we have experienced nothing but sunshine for quite some time. Hope that continues to be the case over the next few days as well.
Till next time, keep well, travel safe...
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
New Orleans, LA to San Antonio, TX..Oct 18-19, 2010
We took a Bayou Tour on Monday out to Jean Layfaette (sp) Swamp out towards the south east part of New Orleans. It was very interesting to be out with the 'gators and see the many birds, turtles, spanish moss and the myriad of swamp grasses, floating hyacinths...just the variety of nature abundent in this area. The boat we were on had a covered top but was open all around so everyone had a good view. We were advised to keep arms and legs inside as the alligators can jump half the length of their body so could easily reach the "arm" length on the boat. Everyone forgot that a few times, busy with arms out taking pictures but as soon as an alligator came in sight, all limbs were quickly brought inside!
The tour was just under two hours and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. The bonus was their were no mosquitoes and they apparently don't appear until just after sunrise and just before sunset. We were out in the bayou from about 1:45 until 3:30, so good timing. The fellow doing the guiding has been in that area all his life and worked that area of the bayou. He has names for various alligators and can actually call them; and they will come to him. Also, he knows each one individually and knows each ones characteristics and habits..a very knowledgeable person and a good one to have as our guide.
When we returned to town we got off at Harrahs' Casino area and toured around for a short time before having some dinner at their buffet. Very good and fresh; thoroughly enjoyed a large salad and lots and lots of fresh shrimp. We are going to miss all the easily available and tasty seafood when we start to head inland to the desert.
New Orleans looks to be a city in need of much TLC. Don't know whether it is because of the age of the city or the devastation that has happended over the past years. So much in disrepair/boarded up and from the areas we visited found it not to be the cleanest of cities. Normally when entering a new city you get a feel for it, sort of an excitement of being somewhere new and new adventures waiting to be experienced. I didn't get that while there and tho' I enjoyed seeing the sites, I never really felt comfortable or totally safe. Dale thought I was weird for not wanting to be out after dark, but the comfort level wasn't there. Needless to say New Orleans isn't high on my list of places to re-visit. Dale and I differ in this respect.....
Tuesday was a travel day but we didn't rush up and out so early this time. Believe we got away around 8:00 a.m. and for some reason, I didn't stay outside with the car (as we had never unhooked it) and check the site as the bus pulled out. Wouldn't you know, for the first time ever, Dale forgot to unhook the power!!!!! Thanks goodness a neighbour was outside and noticed it before we had moved very many feet and no damage was done. So a good lesson to stay with our arriving/leaving routines regardless of how we are parked.
We travelled through Baton Rouge, Layfayette, Lake Charles and then into Texas through Beaumont, Houston (now that is one big city and so glad we didn't get lost!) and on into San Antonio, arriving around 5:00 p.m. A fairly long day but we did make a few stops to get out and stretch legs and nature breaks.
We're parked at Travel World on Roosevelt Ave., and not too far from town and the Alamo! Either an easy bus ride or to drive as their is lots of parking available.
Travel World is the first really nice, west coast style RV park we have seen since leaving BC!! We have been in and enjoyed some wonderful places, but do like the extra amenities of a spacious, step out of your bus, patio, paved roads, ample parking and yes, we are totally spoiled!
Lots to see and do today as we plan on only one day here..unless I can talk Dale into an extra day! However, if we don't get moving we won't get to see anything, so had better sign off.
Till next time.....
The tour was just under two hours and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. The bonus was their were no mosquitoes and they apparently don't appear until just after sunrise and just before sunset. We were out in the bayou from about 1:45 until 3:30, so good timing. The fellow doing the guiding has been in that area all his life and worked that area of the bayou. He has names for various alligators and can actually call them; and they will come to him. Also, he knows each one individually and knows each ones characteristics and habits..a very knowledgeable person and a good one to have as our guide.
When we returned to town we got off at Harrahs' Casino area and toured around for a short time before having some dinner at their buffet. Very good and fresh; thoroughly enjoyed a large salad and lots and lots of fresh shrimp. We are going to miss all the easily available and tasty seafood when we start to head inland to the desert.
New Orleans looks to be a city in need of much TLC. Don't know whether it is because of the age of the city or the devastation that has happended over the past years. So much in disrepair/boarded up and from the areas we visited found it not to be the cleanest of cities. Normally when entering a new city you get a feel for it, sort of an excitement of being somewhere new and new adventures waiting to be experienced. I didn't get that while there and tho' I enjoyed seeing the sites, I never really felt comfortable or totally safe. Dale thought I was weird for not wanting to be out after dark, but the comfort level wasn't there. Needless to say New Orleans isn't high on my list of places to re-visit. Dale and I differ in this respect.....
Tuesday was a travel day but we didn't rush up and out so early this time. Believe we got away around 8:00 a.m. and for some reason, I didn't stay outside with the car (as we had never unhooked it) and check the site as the bus pulled out. Wouldn't you know, for the first time ever, Dale forgot to unhook the power!!!!! Thanks goodness a neighbour was outside and noticed it before we had moved very many feet and no damage was done. So a good lesson to stay with our arriving/leaving routines regardless of how we are parked.
We travelled through Baton Rouge, Layfayette, Lake Charles and then into Texas through Beaumont, Houston (now that is one big city and so glad we didn't get lost!) and on into San Antonio, arriving around 5:00 p.m. A fairly long day but we did make a few stops to get out and stretch legs and nature breaks.
We're parked at Travel World on Roosevelt Ave., and not too far from town and the Alamo! Either an easy bus ride or to drive as their is lots of parking available.
Travel World is the first really nice, west coast style RV park we have seen since leaving BC!! We have been in and enjoyed some wonderful places, but do like the extra amenities of a spacious, step out of your bus, patio, paved roads, ample parking and yes, we are totally spoiled!
Lots to see and do today as we plan on only one day here..unless I can talk Dale into an extra day! However, if we don't get moving we won't get to see anything, so had better sign off.
Till next time.....
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Update..Oct 17, 2010
Just a brief note to let you know that at the bottom of each written blog is a "photo stream" of pictures.
If you click on a picture it will come up and you can enlarge it. Also, some of them are videos so you get to see those as well. The videos don't show as videos when posted at the top so this is the only way you can see them.
Hope this makes sense and is helpful?
If you click on a picture it will come up and you can enlarge it. Also, some of them are videos so you get to see those as well. The videos don't show as videos when posted at the top so this is the only way you can see them.
Hope this makes sense and is helpful?
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