TravelStream™ news feed for member kupdegra on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/kupdegra en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:24:05 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245976627/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245976627/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245976627/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:24:05 -0400 Texas 3 Step. Austin, San Antonio and Hill Country.

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Austin, Texas, United States

Texas is a BIG state, but LBJ's "piece of it' isn't as large as I thought.His boyhood home, which he wasn't born at, is about one block from the modern Visitors Center, is a must-see museum. Then walking path, about a mile, takes you to his grandfather's property, which is where he was born. Or you can take your car and drive about 1/4 mile. LBJ's Texas Ranch aka the Texas White House is about 14 miles.So, LBJ was born, worked, owned his ranch home, and died, and buried within a 14 mile radius.Start with LBJ's Museum. It's run by the National Park Service, and is FREE. A huge area filled with artifacts and displays. A letter from Lady Bird telling LBJ that she doesn't want him to go into politicts. That was before they were married. Obviously, he had a one tract mind.Walk down to his boyhood home. The home is decorated as it would have been during the 1920's. LBJ's mom had a teaching degree, and taught her children, along with other neighborhood children in her home.It was here, as a youth that LBJ found "politicts." His father and friends would gather in  his fathers' bedroom to discuss local, state and US politics. Why the bedroom? Remember, LBJ's mom was a smart lady. To make sure these meetings wouldn't last late into the night, she would walk into the room and announce it was her bedtime. And good night to all.As a youth, LBJ wasn't permitted to listen in on the conversations due to some off -colored remarks of the participants. So, LBJ would go outside and discreetly crawl under his parents bedroom and listen to their conversations Which wasn't difficult with gaps in the hardwood floors. Eventually, he was "caught in the act." But was now addicted to the Political world.The lay out of the house has a East Front porch which borders the Girl's bedroom, office and Parlor. The West Front Porch also borders the Parlor, plus the Parent's bedroom and boys bedroom. A porch is on the other side of the Parents room. The Sleeping porch borders the opposite side of the girls room. These porches were designed for air circulation in the hot summers.So what was his first job? Shoe shine boy outside the Johnson City barber shop. At age 8. He persuaded his mom to run an ad in the paper touting his services. Shoe shining allowed LBJ to earn money and also be privy to gossip and political talk that he would love all his life.The Johnson Settlement is just down the path (or road) from LBJ's boyhood home and the Museum.5 buildings and the windmill still stand. In the late 1850's Samuel Ealy Johnson Sr, President Johnson's grandfather, and his brother Tom, bought 320 acres in the newly formed Blanco County and built a one room log cabin. They sold horses and cattle to the Confederacy. The "dog-trot" cabin still stands in the settlement, Ok, I've never heard of or seen a dog-trot cabin. So that was one reason to go to the settlement, other than it just being a stone toss away.What's a dog trot? A cabin that has two rooms BUT the rooms are separated by a covered breezeway. The information we learn on vacation!! Heck this just might one day be a TV game show question.The National Park service also has the Witners Spauldings general store exhibit, but we've just got too much to cram into today, so this will be a miss. Want a little "scent" on your vacation? Johnson City hosts a Lavender festival on the first Saturday in October.Getting to the Texas Whitehouse aka LBJ Ranch isn't easy. You have to go thru the State Park, where you get the audio tape and pay the $1 fee per person, then go to the National Park. We weren't the only ones that were confused by the oral directions.Once you find the right entrance, you really aren't there ...yet.LBJ liked to bring his visitors "the long way in." So you keep riding on a one way lane that circles almost back to where you started. The plus side is you get to see his air strip and the cattle barn. It's still a working ranch, so for city folk, who have never been this close to bovine, it is a unique experience On August 27, 2008 the Texas White House was officially opened to the publicYour first stop is the museum, which reminds me of an old airport hanger. Nothing fancy here, but inside is so many photographs and information on LBJ including his famous BBQ's that he hosted for his guests.Yep, messy BBQ state dinners on picnic tables and sittin' around the campfire. So much better than the tuxedo and gown dinners.There is also bathrooms, which you need after the drive.This is where you get your tour ticket which costs a whopping $1.00. And kids under 17 are free.Figure 20 to 25 minutes for the tour. We were in the "off season" so didn't get the full house tour, which was a disipointment.There is nothing "formal" here. It's a ranch house on a working ranch. LBJ even wrote a "Welcome" in the cement sidewalk. Many important meetings were held near his pool. Yep, sitting around on lawn chairs in shirts and ties. This was the Texas Whitehouse. It was also where many meetings produced important legislation bills. The Texas Whitehouse had the most sophisticated communications system in the world.Next is the Sauer-Beckman Farm. This isn't an LBJ thing, except, the State Park service lists it with the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site info. The farm was settled by Johann and Christien Sauer in 1869. The Beckman family purchased the property in the 1900's and constructed most of the buildings. The barn was built in 1915.Why, other than the fact that this is a perfect property to make into a living museum, would the Park Service want to make this into a State Park?Well, it has a connection to LBJ. Agusta Sauer Lindig was the midwife for LBJ's birth.This working farm was in existence from 1855 -1966. Volunteers in period clothing carry on their daily chores exactly as they would have done 100 years ago. It sounded really good. Both in print and from the State Park Ranger who said it was a must do. And it would have been...EXCEPT. It's a field day for elementary school kids. Yep 4 busses of them. So, we didn't get to tour the houses, or talk to one of the guides, 'cause they were taking care of alllll those kids.We walked around and got a few quick peeks into some rooms. This really is a fantastic facility...without kid group tours. This is the place to "see how to and sometime be able to do." Everything from soap making, shoe a mule, feed chickens, make cheese, wash clothes, churn butter, milk a cow, plow the garden, harvest vegetables, preserve meat, all ;in one area. And all without electric. ;We'll come back here...after we call in advance and see what days will not have large tour groups.We like Hill Country. Probably because it feels like home. Out in the country, clean air, not much traffic, and no large town in site. It's about 45 minutes to an hour from both San Antonio and Austin. We stayed at Canyon Lake, which is a man-made lake. Tried to do some river tubing here also, but it's that darn drought. If we had another day, then we could have done it. But we promised Benice and Tim that we were coming to Austin.We're heading to the Capitol building. There are free tours that explain about the Capitol and the founding of Texas. It is the fourth building in Austin to serve as the seat of Texas government. It houses the chambers of the Texas state legislature and the office of the governor of Texas.It was originally designed in 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers, who was fired in 1886, and was constructed from 1882–88 under the direction of civil engineer Lindsay Walker. Of; course we didn't find out why he was fired. A $75 million underground extension was completed in 1993. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. It is the largest state capitol building in the United States.The "lady" on top of ;the dome is a replacement. We saw the original "lady" at Bob Bullocks Museum. We all agreed that the first one was much nicer looking.We got into the Senate, since it wasn't in session. Pretty impressive, and the artwork is fantastic. Two monumental paintings by noted Texas artist Henry Arthur McArdle, Dawn at the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto, anchor the west side of the Senate room. The "monumental" comes from the huge size of these masterpieces.The Capitol building is a design gem. From the dome down to the door knobs, stairways, and door hinges, each shines with craftsmanship.Tim says we HAVE to go to Threadgills to eat. I am agreeing with him. Good ol' comfort food and the chance to sit in history. This was the site of so many performances from accomplished musicians including Janis Joplin. The restaurant is filled with photos of the performers and lots of beer signs. Pearl is a favorite hear. And Lone Star.I got lazy again and stole this from their web site.THE HISTORYThreadgill's original location (6416 N. Lamar)Perhaps country music lover and bootlegger Kenneth Threadgill had more in mind when he opened his Gulf filling station just north of the Austin city limits in 1933, for the day that Travis County decided to "go wet " in December of the same year, Kenneth stood in line all night to be the first person to own a liquor license in the county. Soon, the filling station became a favorite spot for traveling musicians since it was open 24 hours for drinking, gambling and jamming. Kenneth would sing songs by his beloved Jimmie Rodgers nightly. Musicians who came to play were paid in beer. Such was the atmosphere at Threadgill’s, it was only when a curfew was enacted in 1942 that its owner had to get a key for the front door, before that it had yet to have been locked.The quintessential Austin beer joint continued to flourish into the sixties, and changed with the social climate of the era by inviting the folkies, hippies and beatniks to his Wednesday night singing sessions with open arms. Threadgill’s love for people and music smoothed out the conflicts that usually occurred when longhairs met with rednecks at the time, and because of this, a new culture tolerance emanated from the club, which had a profound effect upon its patrons and the music that came from it. It was here that Janis Joplin developed her country and blues hybrid-styled voice that would blur the lines between country and rock n’ roll.In 1974, when Austinites and the nation were extolling the benefits of living in the heart of the Lone Star State, and the "Cosmic Cowboy" movement, which had its roots directly planted in the history of Threadgill’s and Armadillo World Headquarters, was at its peak, tragedy struck Kenneth Threadgill when his wife Mildred died, and he decided to close his club.After nearly succumbing to the city of Austin’s desire to demolish the original Threadgill’s site, which had become an eyesore, it was purchased by Eddie Wilson, owner of the Armadillo World Headquarters, a sister venue of a kindred spirit. Wilson’s idea, however, was to make Threadgill’s a Southern style restaurant, based on the success of the menu that he offered at his kitchen at the Armadillo. So, on New Year’s Eve 1980, the Armadillo closed, and on New Year’s Eve 1981, Threadgill’s opened as a restaurant. It was an instant success.In 1982, the main building burned down, but Wilson reopened only three months later with an added commissary kitchen and banquet hall, which has evolved into the Country Store Museum and Eddie Wilson Memory Archive and Upstairs Store.Threadgill’s World HeadquartersIn 1996, Threadgill’s World Headquarters was opened in south Austin, right beside the residence of the Armadillo Headquarters. Wilson has made a distinction between the two locations: the original, north location has the theme of Austin between the 1930’s and the 1960’s. The south location celebrates the history of the Armadillo and its salad days of the 1970’s. The memorabilia of the Headquarters represents the hey-day of this era from the juke box which contains many of the artists who played the Armadillo to the piano that hangs from the ceiling which has been played by artists as diverse as Jerry Lee Lewis to Captain Beefheart. At either venue, Wilson is proud to boast that “in matter of music and food, we represent a time before disco or microwaves”.Threadgills was still a popular hangout in the sixties when folkies from the University of Texas—among them, Janis Joplin—discovered the Wednesday night sessions and joined in. Eddie Wilson was also a regular then.In 1970 Wilson opened his own music venue, the Armadillo World Headquarters, where the beer and nachos became as legendary as some of the acts Wilson booked. Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Cliff, Frank Zappa, Van Morrison, Bette Midler, and Kenneth Threadgill all performed there.Threadgill’s Southern Comfort FoodEddie Wilson knew the type of T.L.C. that is a main ingredient in Southern cooking well before opening the kitchen at the Armadillo Headquarters. Everyday, his mother Beulah, would cook for 50 children at the nursery that she opened. With the taste of his mother’s cooking forever imprinted on his taste buds and the knowledge that goes into creating it, Eddie opened the kitchen at the Armadillo where touring acts were as attracted to the food as they were to the packed and frenzied concert goers.With the incredible food, overflowing plates of it and at generous prices, along with his touch at hiring only the friendliest wait staff, the opening of Threadgill’s in 1981 was a smash. Bon Appetit thought the food was so good that they ran a story about it, as did Gourmet Magazine.Then over to the riverfront Park to walk off that Comfort Food that has us uncomfortably stuffed. Tim says there is a statue that I really want to see. Oh, my gosh it's Stevie Ray Vaughan. The guitarist. From my era. What a surprise. Someone left him a guitar pick. The Park is for runners, skaters, dogs, and people like us. There is free water containers and cups near the entrance. Nice touch.Benice says we have to see the famous Austin bats.I'm thinking we're going to a zoo or an aviary. Nope, this is Austin. You go to the bridge or the "Bat Park” beside the bridge.The largest urban bat colony in North America lives under the Congress Avenue Bridge from late March till early October.How many Mexican Free Tailed bats can fit under a bridge? Only about One and a half million.The bats are very welcome in Austin. So welcome that in early March everyone holds their breath until they come back from Mexico. Why”The bats provide a free service to Austin. Each "night on the town" they devoure10,000 to 20.000 pounds...yep pounds of insects. So if they are here for 8 months how many tons of insects would they eat? And if they are only eating "on the river" how many more tons of insects does Austin have??Do you wonder how that affects the sail of Raid in the grocery stores?Just remember that the bi-product of the bats eating all those delectable insects is guano. And while the bats are flying it just might end up on your head. So what time do these insect consumption machines appear? Call the BAT HOTLIKE for their E.T.A. 512-416-5700 ext. 3636. Or find a space on the bridge or in the Park around 8:15pm to "see the show."I will admit that I am not a bat person. We've had them at camp and once in our house. But to see swarm after swarm of bats fly out from under the bridge was amazing. Make you wonder how each separate swarm know when to leave.Beside the bridge and park is a "bat sculpture" created by Dale Whistler.Then…MOONLIGHTS The "moonlight" was originally provided by a then relatively new device called a carbon arc lamp. These original carbon arc lamps illuminated a circle approximately 3,000 feet in diameter with a blue-white light. The light was intended to be bright enough that you could read an ordinary pocket watch on midnight of even the darkest of nights. The city electric department employed one person whose sole responsibility was to maintain the carbon arc lamps and light the towers each day. In 1923, the city replaced the carbon arc lamps with incandescent bulbs and switches were installed at the base of each tower. During World War II, the need to quickly black out the city dictated that the switches be replaced with one central switch. The towers now use 6,400-watt mercury vapor bulbs and the illumination is automated.In 1990-91 the city refurbished the tower located at South First and Monroe. The construction of the new Austin Convention Center forced the relocation of one tower to First (Cesar-Chavez) and Trinity. An errant automobile damaged the tower at 22nd and Nueces forcing the dismantling of the tower. These two towers were refurbished before being put back up. In 1993 the city began a two-year long project to restore the remaining 14 towers at a cost of $1.3 million.Locations of the remaining 17 towers....1.) East Side Drive and Leland2.) South First and Monroe3.) 4th and Nueces *removed due to construction4.) 9th and Guadalupe5.) 12th and Blanco6.) 12th and Rio Grande7.) 15th and San Antonio8.) 22nd and Nueces9.) 41st and Speedway10.) Zilker Park (used for Zilker Park Christmas Tree)*11.) Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and Chicon Street12.) 13th and Coleto13.) Leona Street and Pennsylvania Ave14.) 11th and Trinity15.) 11th and Lydia16.) First (Cesar-Chavez) and Trinity *removed due to construction17.) Canterbury and Lynn*This tower was removed from Emma Long Metropolitan Park and replaced the replica tower used for the Zilker Park Christmas Tree.Yep, I’ve added to my collection…moonlights.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245808722/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245808722/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245808722/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:40:26 -0400 Texas 3 Step. Austin, San Antonio and Hill Country.

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Austin, Texas, United States

First stop is Bob Bullocks Texas State History Museum. The outside of the museum is impressive with it's bigger and big Lone Star. The stone carved murals on the building get overlooked by everyone hurrying inside.This is a museum that you will take your time browsing thru. Lots of exhibits, lots of information and also 2 theatres. Imax and The History of Texas movie. These are priced seperately from the admission, but well worth it.Don't think you can do this in one or two hours. There is just too much to see, read, and discuss. I "borrowed" this off their website. Three floors of exhibits -- three themes as big as Texas history: Land, Identity and Opportunity. The exhibits at The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum will surround you with the sights, sounds and (sometimes) smells of Texas history. Each floor of exhibits highlights important chapters in The Story of Texas through objects, media programs, and recreated environments. Founded as a non-collecting institution, the Museum exhibits bring the Story of Texas to life through an ongoing process of changing historical objects as loans are returned and new ones are received. LAND -- First Floor ExhibitsOn the first floor, The Story of Texas begins before this land was called Texas. It is a story of Encounters on the Land, of first meetings between Native Americans and explorers from Europe. Find out about the many native peoples who lived on this diverse landscape. What did the Spanish find here? What were the French doing? What did the Native American leaders think of these newcomers? You will hear their words, see the objects that reflect their lives and have a sense of the environment where these encounters took place. Learn about the early missions, settlers and soldiers. Why did the Comanche, the Spanish, and the American and European immigrants come to Texas? The story continues through 1900 when the last unexplored region in Texas, the Big Bend area, was finally mapped.IDENTITY –Second Floor ExhibitsOn the second floor, explore the story of how Texas became an independent nation in Building the Lone Star Identity. From his jail cell in Mexico City, hear Stephen F. Austin's own words that herald the coming of the Texas Revolution. Experience the battles of the Revolution through the eyes of Juan Seguin, a Tejano military and political leader. Understand the different visions of Sam Houston and Mirabeau Lamar, both Presidents of the Republic of Texas. Follow Texas as it became the 28th state, then seceded from the Union, joined the Confederacy and fought in the Civil War, and shaped a new future that included freedom for all Texans. Discover how Texas grew into the 20th Century and celebrated its unique identity during the 1936 Centennial -- 100 years after Texas independence. See a giant time line of Texas history unfold on a 60-foot video wall, with interactive stations where you can learn more details about many important events.OPPORTUNITY -- Third Floor ExhibitsOn the third floor you can see how Texans have persevered on the land and how they approached everything from drilling oil to redefining world technology. Creating Opportunity explores the important role of ranching in Texas; how Texans have adapted to the diverse conditions of the land to prosper on it; and how oil changed Texas. Through recreated environments, interactive media produced by Pyramid Studios, and actual artifacts, you will learn how Texas-led explorations in the 20th Century frontiers of space, medicine and technology have impacted the entire world. Take a seat in the "Oil Tank Theater" as native Texan Walter Cronkite narrates a media presentation exploring the impact of oil on Texas, and of Texas oil on the world. See why Texas was the place where America's military learned to fly. Hear and see Texas legends in music and sports, and join in an interactive experience in the "Connecting Texas Theater" to learn how the histories of key Texas cities physically and culturally link the state together.Was there something I didn't like...YEP. The lighting killed my photos. Small price to pay, but so many came out overexposed or underexposed I didn't use them. And some, I tried going to black and white , but many of them were useless also. Over 150 photos, and not much to show for it.  If you're looking for parking in Austin, it's like a treasure hunt. Takes you a long time to find a space, but once you got it...you're giving not getting the gold. We parked "underneath" Bob's museum. If you are looking at the Star directly in front of the museum turn left at the corner. The parking lot is underground. I think it was $8 or $9 for the day. That's a bargain in Austin.We walked over to the LBJ Library & Museum. Coming out of the Texas State Museum, turn left. Go down a couple blocks, then left up to the University. It's the huge white building past the University.We've never been to a Presidential Library, so didn't know just what to expect other than books. And we found them.They contain 40,000,000 pages.But there is so much more here. From early childhood, thru college, top events that happened during his Presidency to his death. Who he touched and what he was, along with the current events that challenged the United States and his Presidency.Some are humorous, some leave you in awe and some change the way you think about both politics and our nation. And the man.One item stands out more than any. LBJ enacted and pushed more bills through the system than any President, And countless Americans benefited.There wasn't a segment of the Amerian public that did not benefit.I bet if you look thru these bills you will find at least one that has made a positive difference in your life,Landmark Laws of the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration with these acts President Lyndon B. Johnson and the Congress wrote a record of hope and opportunity for America:-----1963-----College Facilities Clean Air Vocational Education Indian Vocational Training Manpower Training-----1964----- Inter-American Development Bank Kennedy Cultural Center Tax Reduction Presidential Transition Federal Airport Aid Farm Program Chamizal Convention Pesticide Controls International Development Association Civil Rights Act of 1964 Campobello International Park Urban Mass Transit Water Resources Research Federal Highway Civil Service Pay Raise War on Poverty Criminal Justice Truth-in-Securities Medicine Bow National Forest Ozark Scenic Riverway Administrative Conference Fort Bowie Historic Site Food StampHousing Act Interest Equalization Wilderness Areas Nurse Training Revenues for Recreation Fire Island National Seashore Library Services Federal Employee Health Benefits-----1965----- Medicare Aid to Education Higher Education Four Year Farm Program Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing Act Social Security Increase Voting Rights Fair Immigration Law Older Americans Heart, Cancer, Stroke Program Law Enforcement Assistance National Crime Commission Drug Controls Mental Health Facilities Health Professions Medical Libraries Vocational Rehabilitation Anti-Poverty Program Arts and Humanities Foundation Aid to Appalachia Highway BeautyClean Air Water Pollution Control High Speed Transit Manpower Training Presidential Disability Child Health Regional Development Aid to Small Businesses Weather-Predicting Services Military Pay Increase GI Life Insurance Community Health Services Water Resources Council Water Desalting Assateague National Seashore Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area Juvenile Delinquency Control Arms Control Strengthening U.N. Charter International Coffee Agreement Retirement for Public Servants -----1966----- Food for India Child Nutrition Department of Transportation Truth in Packaging Model Cities Rent Supplements Teachers Corps Asian Development Bank Clean Rivers Food for Freedom Child Safety Narcotics Rehabilitation Traffic Safety Highway Safety Mine Safety International Education Bail Reform Tire Safety New GI Bill Minimum Wage Increase Urban Mass Transit Civil Procedure Reform Federal Highway Aid Military Medicare Public Health Reorganization Cape Lookout Seashore Water Research Guadalupe National Park Revolutionary War Bicentennial Fish-Wildlife Preservation Water for Peace Anti-Inflation Program Scientific Knowledge Exchange Cultural Materials Exchange Foreign Investors Tax Parcel Post Reform Civil Service Pay Raise Stockpile Sales Participation Certificates Protection for Savings Flexible Interest Rates Freedom of Information -----1967----- Education Professions Education Act Air Pollution Control Partnership for Health Social Security Increases Age Discrimination Wholesome Meat Flammable Fabrics Urban Research Public Broadcasting Outer Space Treaty Modern D.C. Government Vietnam Veterans Benefits Federal Judicial Center Civilian-Postal Workers Pay Deaf-Blind Center College Work Study Summer Youth Programs Food Stamps Rail Strike Settlement Selective Service Urban Fellowships Consular Treaty Safety At Sea Treaty Narcotics Treaty Anti-Racketeering Product Safety Commission Small Business Aid Inter-American Bank-----1968----- Fair Housing Indian Bill of Rights Safe StreetsWholesome PoultryFood for PeaceCommodity Exchange Rules U.S. Grain Standards School BreakfastsBank Protection Defense ProductionCorporate Takeovers Export Program Gold Cover Removal Truth-in-Lending Aircraft Noise AbatementAuto Insurance Study New Narcotics Bureau Gas Pipeline Safety Fire Safety Sea Grant Colleges D.C. School Board Tax Surcharge Better Housing International Monetary Reform International Grains Treaty Oil Revenues for Recreation Virgin Islands Elections San Rafael WildernessSan Gabriel Wilderness Fair Federal Juries Candidate Protection Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Guaranteed Student Loans D.C. Visitors Center FHA-VA Interest Rate Program Health Manpower Eisenhower CollegeGun Controls Aid-to-Handicapped Children Redwoods Park Flaming Gorge Recreation Area Biscayne ParkHeart, Cancer, and Stroke Programs Hazardous Radiation Protection Colorado River Reclamation Scenic RiversScenic Trails National Water CommissionFederal Magistrates Vocational Education Veterans Pension Increases North Cascades Park International Coffee Agreement Intergovernmental Manpower Dangerous Drugs Control Military Justice CodeI'm thinking that we are going to check out more Presidenal Librarys in the future. 
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San Antonio, Texas, United States

Today we visited friends. Did nothing but kick back and enjoy their company.  Didn't take one photo.I think we may do this more often on vacation. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245685076/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245685076/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245685076/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:36:10 -0400 Texas 3 Step. Austin, San Antonio and Hill Country.

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San Antonio, Texas, United States

It's another full day. There is just too much to do and so little time to do it. First on the list is Guenther House, owners of the Pioneer Flour Mills. The company was founded in 1851 nine miles west of Fredericksburg on the banks of Live Oak Creek by Carl Hilmar Guenther, a millwright who had been accepted into the guild of master millwrights in Europe in 1844.In 1859 Guenther purchased a mill site adjacent to the King William Historic District on the banks of the San Antonio River, which has been Pioneer headquarters ever since. Guenther moved to the United States from Weissenfels, Saxony, in 1848, and traveled across the country for three years looking for a place to settle. In 1851 he sailed into Indianola, Texas, and traveled to San Antonio and on to Fredericksburg, where he was struck by the lack of facilities to mill grains (wheat, corn, and rye) grown in the area. A small mini-musuem is on site...and FREE! The house is now an indoor and outdoor restaurant. Best pastries in town!  This area is know as the King William Historic District. The houses here will knock your socks off. Only one, the Edward Steeves House is open for tours currently. The other will open in the late summer or early fall.I do hate it when your tour guide tells you that no photos are permited in the building. So off goes my camera as we tour the Edward Steves House. My finger is soo begging to push the shutter release. This house is just overly impressive with it's woodwork. The furniture has been donated by individuals and is similar to the period that the Steeves lived here. Many of the family has donated items such as the original china. Steves owned a large lumber and prosperous lumber company that is still in business today. The central staircase is a showpiece in its self. It, along with many other quailty pieces in the house were purchased from exhibitors at the 1876 World's Fair in Philadelphia.  Each step had 2 balusters and the hand railing was designed to fit a woman's hand at the top, and a larger area beneath for a mans.His wife, who I can't remember her name was very active in designing their home. She was also had an indoor swimming pool built behind the house.This was the first indoor swimmig pool in San Antonio.  This three-story Victorian French Second Empire-style home is just over amazing. The $6 per person was well worth it.Casa Navarro. This is a State Historic Site, the home of Jose Antonio Navarro who was a prominent merchant, rancher and statesman. The site is in downtown San Antonio.Jose Antonio Navarro was an influential political figure during the momentous 55 years (1810-1865) when Texas' destiny was forged. Navarro served in the Texas legislatures under Mexico, the Republic of Texas and the state of Tesas. In addition, he served on the committies that wrote the first two Texas constitutions in 1836 and 1845. He was one of only two native-born Texans to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836.We had a "private tour." The construction of the buildings are as interesting as Navarro's private life. There is some original furnature in the buildings. The store and house are documented in the Historic American Building Survey (1936 and 1963.We're heading out of town...hoping to cool off.  95 degree temperatures and I swear the humidity is 97 percent. Mabye out of town we can cool down.First stop is The Aquarena Center.  28 Miles south of Austin, located on the Balcones Fault, a fracture in the earth's crust, that formed the San Marcos springs and river millions of years ago the amazing San Marcos Springs discharge 150-300 million gallons of water daily.Thirteen thousand years ago, people came to this place and never felt the urge to leave. Texas State University - San Marcos purchased the aging Aquarena Springs Resort in 1994 and began transforming the old theme park into a non-profit nature center. Today Aquarena Center is an environmental learning center dedicated to protecting, conserving and educating the public on the important role that water plays in everyone's daily life   The Critical Habitat of the San Marcos River is home to five endangered species. This unique habitat of limestone cleansed spring water has a constant temperature of 72 degrees year round. The species living in the lake are endangered because of the growing population of central Texas and the increased demands made on the Edwards Aquifer.Our onboard guide, and steerer of the boat is a student at the University, majoring in marine biology. He tells us that this is documented as the oldest human habitat in Texas and possibly Mexico.This is NOT a hi-tech ride. You basically sit facing the glass bottom of the boat. Then the guide steers us to areas where we see the springs that pump up all hot that water. Every so often a swimming turgle pases unerneath the glass. Or some fish.According to fossil records, Aquamarina is one of the oldest continually inhabited locations on the continent and is the second-largest artesian springs inthe Western United States.Gary and I liked it because it was informative, and you get to sit back and chill out.The kids liked looking thru the glass. Well, so did we.Is it worth it?  $7.00 a person to float over pristine waters and watch sea turtles and fish swim beneath you. Yep, I do believe so.   Then Gruene. It's pronounced "green" just like the color. This is a unique old town,  known for being the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas. The false-front dance hall was built in 1878. Wood planked floors, old wood ceiling, and cheap drinks. You're surrounded by photos of every entertainer that has performed here. From Garth Brooks to Merle Haggard...he's been here a few times, and is sold out for this week. The bar area is in front, and spills over to the outside during peak times. The "show area" is behind the bar in the dance hall. Except for some upgrades for the stage area, and newer taps at the bar, not much has changed. I love sitting in history, and this is just the spot to do it. The town is a mix of quirkey shops all in the old original buildings.  A combo winery - with a tasting area and a place to buy bottles of beer is a popular spot   An old corrigated metal sided building houses an outdoor company. I was in shopping heaven. REI, Patagonia, Columbia. YIPIEE! This is my type of vacation souvineers.The best spot in town on a hot day is the General Store which has hand scooped ice cream. We found it without any problem. And the old "soda fountain" chairs.  There are so many different tourist and regualr items in this store that my head was spinning.Best place to stay? My choice is Gruene Mansion Inn B&B. Unique individually decorated rooms and most of them have a porch. We were too late to go tubing down the river.. The problem is the river is low due to the long drought, and so the 2 hour float turns into a 3 1/2 hour to 4 hour float. I really had this on my must do list, but now I have an excuse to come back here.     
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245628833/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245628833/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245628833/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:35:16 -0400 Texas 3 Step. Austin, San Antonio and Hill Country.

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San Antonio, Texas, United States

A day of jamming in a lot...our typical style.The new Riverwalk AKA the San Antonio River Museum Reach.Why Museum Reach? Because it goes from Lexington Avenume to the San Antonio Museum of Art and even further.  We started at McCullough Ave. Only because Gary's moms maiden name was McCullough. Sounded ok to me. Got on the water taxi, paid our $10 per person for an all day pass. This is the lowest price ticket. You can use it any where the red ferries go, but it is NOT good on the River Walk tours.    From McCullough we went up to Lexington to turn around and pick up a few passengers. Then up thru the Brooklyn Ave Lock and Dam. Just like being back in Pittsburgh.There is artwork along the shores. A map shows you where, but of course we were too busy looking at the scenery to look at the map. But we did find the F.I.S. H. by Donald Lipski, a Philadelphia artist. These fish which are stuck between the water and the bridge are amazing. We're told they will soon have lights on them at night.  The "Museum Reach" stops at the San Antonio Art Museum, along with 12 other locations.There are 8 permanent art installions long the river.So what does it cost to design and build this wonderland of exhibits, 3.4 miles of paved walking paths? 72.1 million.What makes up the river bottom? approximately 6" diameter cobble stone rocks. How deep is it? Approximately 3 feet deep at the bulkheads throught the new segments, with the exception of the area from the lock & dam complex to the Jones Avenue bridge which is approximately 12 feed deep.    How long? The Museum Reach Urban Segment is 1.33 miles long, and includes 3.4 miles of walkways. It starts at Lexington Avenue and ends at Josephine Street Bridge.Does it connect to River Walk by water? NOPE. You gotta get off and at Lexington and walk.Which is what we did. Lots of artwork along the way and murals.   Even with the high temperature and very high humidity it was worth the ride. We couldn't go to San Antonio without eating at the Buckhorn Saloon. It's an authetic Saloon that has continuous operation since 1881. When you first step in the Saloon, you are overwhelmed and over awed at the collection of animals and deer racks. Ok, this is one of those places that if you have an aversion to hunters and their "trophies" you just don't want to be.. But as much as I do have a dislike to shooting animals just for the "trophy" part of it, I was browsing from animal to animal. The variety here is just over-astounding. A wholly mamoth/ An an Irish Elk? My brother would kill for that 70 point buck rack on the wall.The food here is pretty basic. But really good.Sandwiches and fries $10 - $11. But the are BIG! Large salads $9. 10oz Rib eye Steak $16.  Ice tea and pop they are really making the money on...sort of a Disney price $2.30.And there is HISTORY! This is where it all started...where Teddy Roosevelt recruited Rough Riders and Pancho Villa is rumored to have planned the Mexican Revolution. Many of the original furnishings still grace today's Buckhorn Saloon, including the back bar which was hand-crafted of marble and cherry wood.There is a 3 Museum Package. Nope, you can't do just one.  It $10 bucks and you get An interactive Wax Museum where you walk thru 400 years of Texas histoyr. The Reef which included the largest sailfish ever caught on a fly rod  And the Texas Rangers Museum. I think we kept the best for last last today.The Museum of Texan culture is a DO NOT DARE MISS exhibit. Had we known there were so many areas, demonstrations, and exhibits, we would have done this first so we could see everything. Pay your $8 per person admission, and you are right at the first exhibit. Here's the website: www.texancultures.com  For some reason, this is not a well known museum. The guide at the Alamo National Park said we had to do this. And he was right.Shoes. Yep. the stuff famous Texans wear on their famous feet. At first, I must have had a puzzeled look on my face. Why would we come to a Texas Museum to see someones shoes? And boots?   Actually, after the first 30 seconds Gary and I were hooked. From Presidents, First Ladies.. Laura Bush not only has the Nike swish, but  "First Lady" on the back of hers. To actors, inventors, sports figures, writers,  and all "walks of life" in their famous shoesThe shoes are rotated every 6 to 12 months to give other Texans or those with connections to Texas a chance to display theirs. The exhibits are also seperated into cultures. Who formed Texas? Even the Wends, who I had NO idea about. Cattle drives to kitchens.to a bandstand and musical instruments. How native and world wide cultures blended to become Texans. 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245456433/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245456433/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245456433/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:34:38 -0400 Texas 3 Step. Austin, San Antonio and Hill Country.

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San Antonio, Texas, United States

We decided to see the Missions today. Sort of a miniture California Mission Trail. These are just south of San Antonio and follow the San Antonio River. We learnt that the Missions were built to help convert Native Americans to Christianity. The problem with this is that the Native Americans were nomadic; They wouldn't conform to staying at the Mission.These are from the Park Service brochure:The Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepcion de Acuna aka Mission Concepcion stands as one of the country's oldest original stone churches. But mortar and stone are not all that remain of the vibrant missions community. Though the mission served as a religious center, missionaries provided much more than spiritual guidance. They instructed inhabitants to function as a European community. By combining the teachings. of Catholic Spain with native cultures, mission life gave rise to the unique culture of modern-day South Texas.Blending Cultures, Building CommunityImagine life as a hunter-gatherer.Days are spent in a relentless search for food and nights are filled with the endless sky above. Survival depends on the mercy of the wilderness and one's ability to reap its bounty and to endure its scarcity.This was the world of the Native Americans of South Texas before the arrival of the Europeans. The Coahuilecans, rich in tradition, were people of survival, in a harsh harmony with their environment.The arrival of Europeans brought devastating diseases and irreversible change, threatening American Indian lifeways. Mission living offered a chance for survival, which these people seized.Carrying the traditions of Catholic Spain, Franciscan missionaries taught the Coahuiltecans how to manipulate the land in order to live in a permanent settlement. Mission Indians learned to farm and ranch, and to quarry and build with stone. By combining these new skills with their hunting and gathering past, they provided their mission community with a stable food supply. They created stone living quarters that sheltered their descendants for generations. And they built their new spiritual center..the church.Upon entering the mission, Coahuiltecans were expected to give up their own culture and traditions and even their names. They were expected to become Spanish. Despite this, elements of their native lifeways blended with Spanish and Catholic cultures Today this blend comprises the rich cultural heritage of San Antonio. As hunter-gatherers, they had existed in small scattered bands. When Coahuiltecans joined the mission, the Friar used the tenets of the Catholic faith to teach them a new way of life. Mission leaders introduced stationary, year round community living.Ok, I'll say it sounds idealic. BUTRemember that a few years later, all those lands that the Native Indians had thought to be theirs, was taken by the Spanish and Americans who slaughtered. Native Indians, or moved them to reservations.In 1988, experts restored original frescos on the convento walls and ceilings. Some of these brightly painted frescos are over 250 years old.Religious services are still held at the church.The next is San Jose Mission or Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo.This Mission has a large National Park Visitors Center. Guides offer free tours during the day. The Mission has retained it's stone walls The church is still intact and many weddings are held here.Along the inside of the walled courtyard are 84 two room apartments that held over 350 Native Americans.The Rose Window (or Rosa's Window) is known as the premier example of Spanish Colonial ornamentation in the United States. Its sculptor and significance continue to be a mystery. folklore credits Pedro Huizar, a carpenter and surveyor from Spain, with carving the famous window as a monument to his sweetheart, Rosa. Tragically, on her way from Spain to join him, Rosa was lost at sea. Pedro then completed the window as a declaration of enduring love. A less colorful theory, but more likely, is that the window was named after Saint Rose of Lima, the first saint of the New World.There are more exhibits open to the public at San Jose. A grist mill is on site, along with a Granary, More mini-exhibits are tucked along the wall areas. Most of these are air conditioned. Which made the heat and humidity bearable.The first Mission in Texas was San Francisco de la Espada, Mission Saint Francis of the Sword, built in 1690. It served as a buffer against French encroachment from Louisiana. Fevers, floods, fires, enemies and limited supplies prompted several relocations of this early mission. On Mary 5, 1731, Mission San Francisco de la Espada was established along the bank of the San Antonio River.Espada was the only San Antonio mission where bricks and tiles were made.Today the church serves as the heart of this small community. Mission descendants continue to worship here. Franciscans, clothed in their simple brown habits, live and work in the convento. The Park Ranger in San Antonio said we HAD to see the aquaduct. It's before the last mission, so we're looking for it.<i>This is from the historical marker since the photo didn't come out too well:<i>Since water was vital to the permanency of San Francisco de la Espada Mission, The Franciscan missionaries and their Indian followers built a dam, irrigation ditch, and aqueduct. The 270-foot dam, an engineering feat which "curved the wrong way," was built across the San Antonio River. Lime salts in the water gradually cemented the dam's layers of brush, gravel, and rocks. Water transported by Espada ditch crossed Piedras creek by way of the Espada Aqueduct. This, the only such structure in the U.S., was built from 1740 to 1745. The Alluvial Valley produced crops of maize, beans, melons, calabashes, and cotton. However, deterioration had set in at Espada before its secularization in 1794. Even so, the dam, ditch, and aqueduct survived a century of Indian attacks, ravaging floods, and controversy before the Espada Ditch Ompany repaired the dam, in 1895.&nbsp;<i>In 1941, to help insure the preservation of this singular colonial aqueduct, the San Antonio Conservation Society purchased the adjacent lands. Further assurance came in 1965, when the U.S. Department of Interior designated Espada Aqueduct as a registered national historic landmark.In the middle of a&nbsp;field, and also a Mission, which is fenced off, is a truly Texan exhibit. Straw has magically and artfully been turned into playful statues. There is no way we are driving past this without getting the photos.Our last is San Juan Capistrano. I think we also visited a mission in California with that name.This is a smaller Mission that seems to be "plunked down" in the middle of a field. The history of Mission San Juan began in the woods of East Texas. In 1716, Mission San Jose de los Nazonis was established to serve the Nazonis Indians. Howeve, the mission was not successful, and whatever was transportable was moved here. On March 5, 1731, the mission was reestablished on the east bank of the San Antonio River and renamed San Juan Capistrano.Despite the new location, the mission still had to contend with adversity. Epidemics of smallpox, measles, and other European disease swept through the mission, causing much suffering and death amonth the native inhabitants. Bands of raiding Apaches, and later Comanches terrorized the community. At times, when food was bountiful and danger was low outside the protective walls, some of the mission Indians left, returning to their huntng and gathering way of life.The mission perserved and grew. By 1762 there were 203 Indians residing at Mission San Juan. The mission included a granary, textile shops, and Indian houses made of adobe with thatched roofs.The success of its agricultural became the basis of Mission San Juan's economy. Surplus produce, along with cattle and other goods, were traded with other Spanish missions and settlements inthe area and into present-day Mexico. There possibly was even trade with French settlements in Louisiana.Mission San Juan still is the center of a vibrant community. The meeting of the Spanish and native people has led to a new, unique culture that is celebrated amoung the people of San Juan Parish. Many parishioners trace their roots back to the original inhabitants.Back to San Antonio's River Walk for some FOOD. Gary wants fish n chips. I'm thinking salad. We head down the stairs to the water level and there it is Mad Dogs. It's a fish and chip place overlooking the River. We grab an outside&nbsp;table. The only problem&nbsp;is when the food comes, there's just tooo much of it. Even Gary is staring at the platter, with a "how can I all&nbsp;eat this?' look. And Gary is a BIG eater.&nbsp;The chicken sandwich I have looks like they gave me half of an extra large chicken.&nbsp;I ask our kilted male waiter if he would help me with it. Says "no, he gets a lot to eat here."&nbsp; I HATE wasting food. This is one place I would reccommend, but check the food portions before you order. You may be able to just order one entree and add another fries or salad.We're jamming a lot in today. We plan to chill down one day.&nbsp;Grab the troley down to the Market area. Looking for something cool for Kary and John. This is the area with all the Mexican shops. Gary finds a leather wallet. I found a ceramic sink...which I really wanted, but would have to pull up my ceramic tile countertop to install. I argued with myself over that decision for a good 15 minutes. It would have made&nbsp;the BEST souvineer!&nbsp;Walked to the Spanish Governor's Mansion. Beautiful old home with gorgeous furniture and tile work. The outside courtyard is what I've always envisioned for my house...just haven't gotten it yet.&nbsp;Found the 0 mile post of the Old Spanish Trail from Pensacola to San Diego, California. We were at the Pensacola marker last January. It's in the Plaza de Armas...no surprise! Then saw the statue of San Antonio, for whom the town is named.Got another 1st..visited the San Fernando Cathedrial..the oldest Cathedrial Sanctuary in the United States founded in 1731.&nbsp; This is where many of those who died in the&nbsp;Alamo were entombed.Found a sign remembering the Canary Island immigrants who came to San Antonio in March 9, 1731. Yes that is the correct date. It only took them one year to get here by ship.Had to go into the courthouse, but couldn't get too far. Just to see if it had any unique artwork.&nbsp;We tried to get into the O.Henry House. But it was locked. He was one of my favorite writers in my younger days.Walked back thru the River Walk. I don't know if I could live with this heat and humidity on a daily basis.&nbsp;It does tend to sap you.&nbsp;&nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245432883/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245432883/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/2007/1245432883/tpod.html Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:33:40 -0400 Texas 3 Step. Austin, San Antonio and Hill Country.

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San Antonio, Texas, United States

Our first stop is the Alamo.I will admit that I am not a gun person. Which in my large family of hunters is not to be taken lightly.I like looking at guns and rifles for their craftmanship, but&nbsp;refuse to shoot one.&nbsp;I've read the postings about the Alamo being totally surrounded by high rise buildings and that it is overly touristy. Well, yes, it is in San Antonio, which is a big city, and yes tourists do come to see the Alamo. The advantage of just where the Alamo is located IS the location. Across the street is the National Park Service. If you're into Ripley's Believe it or Not, that across the street to. If you want a cheap $8 a day parking lot, it is 1 block up from the Alamo, the same side of the street as the National Park Service.You're a few blocks away from River Walk, and all those waterside restaurants. And one block from The Buckhorn Saloon, which is a must see, even if you don't believe in killing those bear, moose, deeer, dahl sheep, and all the assorted animals they have hanging on the wall. The food is pretty decent there, added to the fact&nbsp;that you are sitting in a historic authentic old time saloon.&nbsp;We took some outside photos...none are allowed inside the Alamo, and went out to the gardens, then the&nbsp;small museum. There's&nbsp;alot to see if you are into history, which happens to be&nbsp;on the top of my vacation list.Guess I just wasn't paying attention in my American History class in&nbsp;high school. First, I thought everyone in the Alamo died. And I thought that the majority of the&nbsp;soldiers were from Texas.&nbsp;Double wrong.&nbsp;First: General Santa Anna let the women, children, and a&nbsp;Negro slave&nbsp;leave, and gave them a note addressed to Sam Houston, calling for his surrender. Which, didn't happen, as Houston&nbsp;&nbsp;kicked butt a month later and overwhelmed Sanata Anna, which led to the Republic of Texas.&nbsp;Second: Yes, there were Texans at the Alamo. At least 10 out of the almost 200 soldiers. The British Isles (Scotland, England and Ireland) were represented by at least 26 soldiers. Tennessee had 30, Pennsylvania had 14, and the assorted other states, and a few countries&nbsp;filled in the remainder.&nbsp;&nbsp;Third:&nbsp; I thought the Alamo was a fort. Wrong again. Church. The entrance door says: Be silent friend here heroes died to blaze a trail for other men. When you are in the Alamo, it is amazing how&nbsp;most visitors obey that sign.Ask when the National Park Service Ranger is going to give "The Talk." This really brings home what the Alamo was all about. And don't miss the free museum on site or the grounds around the Alamo.&nbsp;The Daughters of Texas have a museum on site also. So who is the largest collector of Alamo memorabilia? Some Texan? Nope. It's Phil Collins. Yep, the British singer. He's donated quite of lot of&nbsp;his memorabilia back to the Alamo.&nbsp;&nbsp;So what is the most haunted place in San Antonio?&nbsp; It's the Menger Hotel. Across from the Alamo. There are three documented ghosts who still haunt the hotel. One is good old Teddy Roosevelt, but he just hangs out at the bar. He also must have been out "riding" today, since we didn't see or "feel" him.&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>Sallie WhiteSallie White was a chambermaid at The Menger Hotel. One night she stayed at the the hotel after an argument with her husband. She may have stayed with another man. The next day, her husband threatened to kill her. Sallie was attacked by her husband on March 28, 1876 and died two days later. According to the hotel ledger, the hotel paid the funeral cost of $32.. According to legend, Sallie White roams the halls of the hotel's Victorian wing. She is described as wearing an old long gray skirt and a bandanna around her forehead. She is usually carrying towels, which she never delivers. One man had an encounter with a rude maid. He described the maid who ignored him to the from desk. The uniform he described the maid wearing was from the late 1800's, which was when Sallie worked at the hotel.<i>Captain Richard KingCaptain King was the founder of King's Ranch. King was a man of great wealth who had a suite at the Menger Hotel. When Richard King receiving news of his impending death from his doctor, he spent the last months of his life at the hotel. It was at the hotel that he wrote his will and said his farewells to friends. King's funeral was held the the parlor at the Menger. Captain King appears occasionally and is seen entering his room, The King Suite. Many guests and employees have seen him. When he enters the suite, he does not use the door. Instead he walks right through the wall in a location where the door used to be located. <i>Theodore RooseveltPresident Teddy Roosevelt recruited cowboys for the Rough Riders at the Menger Bar. Over the years people have reported seeing Teddy Roosevelt having a drink at the bar. There are actually 2 sections of the Menger Hotel. The older section, where the history and the ghosts tend to hang out is the best section. I love this hotel.&nbsp;But I'm still waiting to see a ghost.&nbsp;We're told that the newer section, although more modern isn't as nice. It does pay at times "to spend the gold to go for the old."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Alamo area has major attractions. Ripley's Haunted Adventure, Tomb rider 3D Adventure Ride, Ultimate Mirror Maze, Buckhorn Saloon &amp; Museum, Alamo Trolley Tours, Guiness World Recod Museum. Most of these are within two blocks of the Alamo. There are "ticket" sellers across the street frorm the Alamo.If you plan do do a combination of&nbsp;these, go on line frst and see what the individual admissions are. Then total up what you will pay. Then go to www.sanantoniotourism.com&nbsp;which offers packages for the attractions.&nbsp;You'll know if you are saving money by buying any of the three packages.Or you can buy packages right on the street corner across from the Alamo. I don't know if they are the same price as is on-line.Segway Tours run from $50 for 1 hour to $75 for 2 1/2 hours. Our problem was there is a 4 passenger minimum. We wanted the 2 1/2 hour tour, but didn't want to pay $150 per person. Which we shuld have done in hindsite.We're going really touristy and riding the boat at the River Walk. One reason may be that we need to cool down for this heat and humidity. There are 3 pick up locations on the "Old Riverwalk."&nbsp; The cost for the 35-40 minute ride is $8.25 Seniors and military get a discount. Price is $6.00 Not bad for a 2 1/2 mile ride.The new North Riverwalk expansion just opened this week, but the only boats are the water taxis. We're told NOT to&nbsp;do this today cause the rides are free today&nbsp;and the wait time is forever.&nbsp;&nbsp;We wanted to make sure&nbsp;the barge&nbsp;would pass the USAA Federal Savings Bank to see the American Odyssey.Juan O'Gorman, an Irish artist born in Mexico City, used 2 inch&nbsp;colored tiles native to Mexico to depict aspects of European and native Mexican cultures on this 100 foot by 22 foot mural.&nbsp;The mural is more than impressive. How many tiles are needed to make this huge mural...I&nbsp;wasn't a math wiz, so you can do the math...but remember you also have to account for the grout.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And we got to see the "optical illusion" building.&nbsp;The building looks like it is flat, almost fake.&nbsp;But it is an actual office building.&nbsp;Even if you don't want to see the mural (which you could walk to) you get a little bit of history and local culture on the ride.&nbsp;You also pass by a lot of restaurants, so you&nbsp;know where you want to eat.&nbsp;Name brand and off brand stores are also on the Riverwalk. Forgot your sunscreen?&nbsp; Rite-Aid is on "The Walk." The&nbsp;River Walk area is 20 feet below the street level.&nbsp;The city shuts down the River Walk in January for cleaning. They drain the channell. It will be closed Jan 3-10,&nbsp;2010.&nbsp;&nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/13/1245268257/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/13/1245268257/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/13/1245268257/tpod.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:13:47 -0400 Utah's National Parks

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Cedar City, Utah, United States

Our last National Park. I think we saved the best for last. However, each Park we were in seemed like it was the best at the time.Bryce has a lot of hiking trails.&nbsp;We picked the most popular, the Sunrise to Sunset Point.&nbsp;When you are standing on the Rim. look to your right. That is the trail you want to take down. This&nbsp;follows a few&nbsp;graded switchbacks, then starts stairs and stairs and stairs. Those who&nbsp;started the trail on the left side have to huff and puff their way up the stairs. And if you ran out of water before you hit the stairs, it's not going to be pretty.There was a man offering to pay $10 for a bottle coming up the stairs. I don't think his offer was accepted.The Sunrise point return is also up hill, BUT no switchback stairs. It isn't handicapped accessible. But the overlook that runs the width of the canyon is. If you look at my photo's there is a "secret" spot that no one seems to go to. It's a slight rise off the path. You are surrounded by hoodos and formations. When we were leaving the area, we&nbsp;told a few hikers coming around the bend about it. Later that day we met them again and they said it's the "best kept secret in Bryce."The main overlooks were packed by tour busses. Fortunetly, these people only come to "jump out for 15 minutes and jump back on the bus."At some of the overlooks we saw tourists trying to feed the squirrels and birds. Corn chips, pretzels and other unidentified junk food. Yep that's a perfect diet.&nbsp;Makes you wonder if they&nbsp;can't read. The signs are posted right beside them.Bryce's lodging&nbsp;is one of the most expensive in the Park service.&nbsp; But you are within steps of the Rim. Most of the cathedrial ceiling cabins have a fireplace, two beds and a bath and a quarter.&nbsp; Yep. One full bath on one side of the small hall. And a vanity on the other side.Bryce is a huge canyon. Don't stop aat the Sunrise-Sunset &nbsp;rim, continue thru the Park. There are so many beautiful areas.I took the following from the handout.Visiting the Park: Following the plateau rim for much of it's 18 miles, the park road and its overlooks offer stunning geological panoramas. Stop first at the visitor center and see a free film, look at exhibits, browse the books, maps, and publications about the park and this area.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bryce offers more than driving tours. In summer, rangers conduct walks, talks, and campfire programs. Topics range from geology and wildlife to air quality.Some 50 miles of hiking trails offer close encounters with hoodoos. Trails lead down amoung them from overlooks on the main park road. HOODOS CAST THEIR SPELLHoodoo- a pillar of rock, usually of fantastic shape, left by erosion. Hoodoo - to cast a spell.At Bryce erosion forms an array of fantastic shapes we know as hoodoos. Surrounded by the beauty of southernUtah, hoodoos cast their spell on all who visit.Geologist say that 10 million years ago forces within the earth created and then moved the massive blocks we know as the Table Clirrs and Paunsaugunt plateus. Rock lyaers on the Table Cliffs now towe 2,000 feet above their corresponding layer on the Pausaugunt. Anciet rivers carved the tops and exposed the edges of these blocks, removing some layers and sculpting formations in the others. The Paria Valley was created and later widened between the plateaus. The Paria River and its tributaries still carve the plateau edges. Carrying dirt and gravel, rushing waters gully the edges and steep slopes of the Paunsaugunt Plateau on which lies the national park. With time, tall and thin ridges called fins emerge. Fins then ereode into pinnacles and spires called hoodoos, that weakening and falling, add their bright colors to the hills below.People have lived in the Colorado Plateau region for about 12,000 years, but only random fragments of worked stone reveal their presence near Bryce Canyon. Artifacts add details of human use at lower elevations beyond the park boundary.Ancestral Puebloan and Fremont cultural influences found nearby are studied by archeologists. Paiutes, who lived in this region when settlers and other people from the eastern states came to southern Utah, accounted for the hoodoos as the "Legend People" whom Coyote had turned to stone.Capt. Clarence E. Dutton and John Wesley Powell, explored this area in the 1870s and gave it many place names. Dutton's report gave the name Pink Cliffs to the Claron Formation. Names from the Paiute are Paunsaugunt, place or home of the beavers; Paria, muddy water or elk water; Panguitch, water of fish; and Yovimpa, point of pines. Paiutes were displaced by emissaries of the Church of Jesus&nbsp;Christ of the Latter-day Saints who developed many small communities in Utah. Ebenezer Bryce did such work in southwestern Utah and norther Arizona.&nbsp;In 1875 Bryce came to the Paria Valley to live and harvest plateau timber. Neighbors called the canyon behind his home Bryce's Canyon.&nbsp;&nbsp;Soon after 1900, people were coming to see the colorful geological sights, and the first accommodations were built along the Paunsaugunt Plateau rim above Bryce's Canyon.In 1920 people were trying to protect the canyon's scenic wonders. In 1923&nbsp;President Warren G. Harding proclaimed part of the area as Bryce Canyon National Monument under the Powell (now the Dixie) National Forest.In 1924 legislation was passed to establish the area as Utah National Park, but the provisions of the legislation were not met until 1928.&nbsp;Legislation passed that year changed the name of the new park to Bryce Canyon National Park.Each year more than&nbsp;&nbsp;1.7 million people visit the park from all over the world. Open all year, the park offers recreational opportunities in each season. Hiking, sightseeing and photography are popular summer activities Spring and fall months offer greater solitude. Winter quiet combines with the region's best air quality for unparalled views and serenity.For Gary and I,&nbsp;every season would be my favorite.&nbsp;&nbsp;I keep forgettting to mention the National Park's accommodations. We use them every chance we get. Staying in the Parks is half of the fun. Many National Parks offer camp fire programs or stargazing at night. You learn something&nbsp;and you don't have the problem with traffic. You just walk out of your cabin and... there you are. In the Park.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;http://www.xanterra.com&nbsp;&nbsp;Their prices are competitive. And once you're there, &nbsp;you park your car and take the shuttle bus. So even IF&nbsp; it's a few dollars more than the&nbsp;"Cheap-O" hotel in town. Think how much you save on gas, and the time you lost driving back to the hotel.&nbsp;This was definetly one of my favorite trips. At the end of the month, we're headed to Texas. Yep, The Alamo. And&nbsp;Austin and Hill Country. I may go into shock, cause this is more of a "museum" trip. Limited hiking. If I don't post that trip, you know my body just shut down from lack of leg movement.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/13/1245249328/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/13/1245249328/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/13/1245249328/tpod.html Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:44:17 -0400 Utah's National Parks

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Torrey, Utah, United States

Today is another packed day. I really wanted this trip to be a relaxed, take our time vacation. Somehow, it just never works out that way.I'm blaming it on the National Parks Visitor Centers. It's their fault that they have so much information at their Centers. And they really try to make you do everything in their brochures...well they don't exactly tell you to, but when you ask "what shoudl we do?" Those well trained people grab their maps and&nbsp;start circling or hi-lighlight everything. Ask them about a scenic walk and you end up with at least 5 "must dos."Petroglyphs, yep we got them. And they have the 100 Hands pictographs. Historic houses or museums...they are being marked. Aong with hiking trails. So, we jump in the car and go&nbsp;in search of the petroglyphs near Calf Creek.&nbsp;Our map is marked. Well, sort of. We have to pull off the road. We'll see a fence. We go over it.&nbsp;Then look up to the rocks (solid rocks and boulders). We go up the rocks. Then at the top, or what we think is the top, follow the path and it will take you to them.&nbsp;Gary takes a look at the "rocks." Pronounces them boulders. Says his back will not let him do this. He gives me the "Are you going to be stupid and do this&nbsp;look."&nbsp; OK, I know I have some back and neck problems. But I'm thinking that if there was an emergency, a Lifeflight Helicopter can get me out of there. I know those guys have a lot of experience, and they must enjoy an adrenalin rush every so often.&nbsp;First I have to climb over very large boulders. Gary helps me up the first, and the rest is on my own. He waves me off. Or maybe he's thinking this is goodbye???&nbsp;At the top of the rocks are lots of paths. All marked with cairns. There is also a small&nbsp;dry wash. I think I remember her saying something about the wash, so I followed it. Then turned around and went up one of the paths to a large rock face. I'm yelling from the plateau to signal Gary that I made it. Can't hear him answer, so I continue on,Sweating, forgetting to bring water which was so dumb, I dropped down on a rock and wondered...not for the first time,&nbsp;why I decide I must make&nbsp;certain things a mission. &nbsp;And are there any snakes up here, cause that is my biggest fobia.&nbsp;I turn left and follow another path around a large rock face. There are some petroglyphs!!!!! I've got my camera out and am snapping away. Then continue on a path to the left, thinking they have to be close.&nbsp;No luck. The sun is now baking my body and the long sleeve shirt I have on is drenched. I hate admitting defeat, but getting a few photos is not defeat. It's just a reason to go back to the visitor's center and get better directions.Getting down is worse than going up. I'm protecting my camera at all costs. Gary is standing below me shaking his head. The large boulder I climbed up on somehow lost it's toe grips. Being under 5 feet tall does at times have its disadvantages.I&nbsp;drop my camera to Gary. He climbs up further to help me down.&nbsp;Did I get the photos he asks?&nbsp;Yep. I got them.&nbsp; Well, at this point, I am not going to say I didn't get the 100 hands....yet. He'll know when I have the albumn completed. Or maybe, he won't notice them missing.In the air conditioned car to cool off then we're headed to Calf Creek Recreatiion Area.&nbsp;This is one area that I didn't know about, but last night at dinner, I overheard some hikers talking about it. So, I listened in and then&nbsp;joined their conversation. Said it's a close canyonlike area with a flat trail back to the waterfall. They hadn't hiked it before, so didn't have to much information.&nbsp;Well, waterfalls are good. So it went on our list.&nbsp;The hike is level. Kids to senior citizens would like it. But we didn't get the whole way back to the waterfall. Ran out of time. It's only 6 miles roundtrip...but Capital Reef was a real must do on our list. We've got to get to Capital Reef today. No time to fit it in tomorrow.&nbsp;Capitol Reef is unbelievable. It combines history with hiking trails. On site&nbsp;is a Mormon school house dating from the 19th century. A blacksmith shop dates from the Mormon pioneer days. The Gifford homestead has demonstrations along with a tour of the house. The homestead is our favorite. You can get a cup of ice cream for $1.00. We&nbsp;stopped here on the way back for a second cup.&nbsp;Coming into the Park, we were amazed by the rock formations and layers of color.&nbsp; Once inside the Park, you get a feeling of intamacy. The park is small, but the rock formations that surround you are&nbsp;amazing. Layer after layer of colors add to the uniqueness of the formations.The Scenic Drive takes you thru tight canyons to a pull off for the Golden Throne trail.&nbsp;A small Rangers station is here. It's a short distance to the Petroglyphs on the left side, and the&nbsp;names of long-ago travelers located high on the wall&nbsp;further down on the right. No one knows how these men were able to carve their names in the rock. One theory says the were expert riflemen, and they "shot" their names in the rock.&nbsp;Since non of the Park Rangers can give me the accurate answer. I'm going with the gun theory.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now if the Park Service ever gets a huge endowment, it could be used to determine how they did get there. P.S. If&nbsp;Bill Gates or Warren Buffett&nbsp;is reading this...please consider&nbsp;it.Capitol Reef has to be one of my favorite National Parks. It's one I would come back to and hike the trails that lead you to overlooks, remote canyons, natural arches and slickrock wilderness. We only experienced a very&nbsp;small section of the Park. Next time, it's a SUV or Jeep. You really need one to get to&nbsp;the prime viewing areas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/13/1245202482/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/13/1245202482/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kupdegra/13/1245202482/tpod.html Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:07:50 -0400 Utah's National Parks

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Escalante, Utah, United States

We're back tracking, but this seemed like the perfect day for a hike thru the Red Canyon. The trail is narrow and the soil is like shell. With my lack of coordination and depth perception, I'm amazed that I made it thru with only one slight stumble.This is&nbsp;supposed to be a marked trail that coresponds with the small brochure, but somehow, and it might have been that I said "we can cut straight across here" we got off the trail.&nbsp;I do admit when I make a mistake, but sometimes mistakes are good. We got to see areas that we wouldn't&nbsp;had we stayed on the trail.&nbsp;The&nbsp;best part of these trails is you are walking beside and underneath the formations. It's awesome.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Red Canyon has 16 marked trails. The shortest one is 1/2 hour roundtrip. The longest is the Cassidy Trail - 10-11 hours. We were told NOT TO MISS Devils Garden. So, down a long ruttey dirt road in a sedan we go. The ruts go in all directions. North/South East/West and sometimes I thought they were in circles.This is THE place you need a Jeep. We wanted to go to the waterfall, but the road was flooded, for regular cars, the jeeps made it over. Also, you need to use restroom facilities before you start on the road to Devils Garden.Well, Devils Garden was the place NOT TO MISS. It's a minature edition of everything Bryce has in a smaller section. But the formations are the minatures. We counted 4 people other than ourselves enjoying this spot.This was a definate hi-lite.
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