Today was my day to get outside and walk around before spending the next few days inside a hotel at a conference. My plan was to walk the San Antonio River to all 4 Missions. It didn’t look all that far on the map but in reality would’ve been a 20-mile round trip. It was raining when I woke so I waited until it stopped and left about 8, figuring to find breakfast somewhere on the way. I checked the weather before I left: 96% humidity and 40% chance of storms, so I packed my raincoat. Stopped at Tito’s Mexican Restaurant to ask a couple of cyclists sitting outside directions- they were surprised that I aimed to walk to the Mission but gave me good directions to the River Walk- and I went inside eat. When, after about 10 minutes, numerous waitresses had walked past my table without acknowledging me I looked around and realized I was the only non-Hispanic person in the place and thought well ok, fair enough, it is after all a Mexican restaurant, and I’m not a Mexican. So I walked on and found at the entrance to the Riverwalk the Blue Star Arts compound, within which was the Halcyon Bar and Grill, where I had a nice cappucino and breakfast burrito (mixed media). There certainly were artsy folk there, some having beer with their breakfast, some sitting quietly by themselves, a group of young women at their weekly coffee klatch. A man sat down at the table in front of me and made me think of the Duluth Trading catalog, where they mention how their t-shirts and jeans will cover your crack- this man was very large and when he sat I saw most of the crack in his big, hairy butt. Then on to the Riverwalk, pictures below. I went only so far as the first mission, it was so miserably hot and humid. I attempted to rent a bicycle from the rent racks I saw, thinking I’d ride it to all 4 missions, but the darn thing was broken and would not release a bicycle to me. A highlight for which I have no pictures: I went into the church at Mission Concepcion and there was a wedding ceremony going on, with young women in pretty dresses and singers and guitars, and a priest, of course. I took no pictures because it felt disrespectful, but what a fine tradition it seemed, getting married in the old Mission.

Anyone remember Kress Drugstores? I think I remember they used to have soda fountains. This sign (the store long gone, replaced by upscale clothing stores and eateries) is in downtown San Antonio.

Sunset, Friday night

Cormorants on the Riverwalk south of town, drying his wings

Lots of sunflowers by the river

 

Monarda, I think (aka bee balm)

Tradescantia, aka spiderwort

 

 

Don’t know this one:

Construction where an old railroad yard used to be

 

It’s part of the Katy Trail!

Snowy egret and a flat soft-shell turtle

Rose verbena 

The rail line is still much used

Flood control

Lone Star Brewery

Riverbank flowers

Mission Concepcion

 

 

 

 

 

 

A demure thistle, I think

Kayaking

Lobelia

Some sort of rose

Pioneer Flour