Tuesday, March 10, 2009

San Antonio, Texas--How To Get Lost Less

How to Get Lost Less:

Step 1: Get new glasses the week before your trip so you can actually read the maps and street signs. Surprisingly, this helps a lot.

Step 2: Print out lots of maps to carry in your purse. And carry a guide book with you just in case.

Step 3: Add a compass to your purse.

Step 4: Go to a city that has these guys posted all over (Not Doug, just the guy on the right):

They have GUIDES along the Riverwalk!!!! How cool is that? Now, they weren't always exactly accurate in what they told me, but they were about 80% of the time, which helped a lot!

Step 5: Go to a city that even puts these signs up along the poles on many streets:

We weren't in San Antonio very long, just one evening (Wednesday, and then another full day and night - Thursday). But I tried to prepare for the trip by reading through two guide books, the skinny little DK Eyewitness Travel Top 10 San Antonio & Austin. . . which has a little fold-out map in the back. . . and Frommer's San Antonio & Austin. I also made a list of the places I wanted to photograph, because I knew that I was going to try and pack a lot into roughly 36 hours.

Frommer's suggested Acenar for dinner, and their recommendations was excellent! We ordered quesadillas for an appetizer. . . and then I decided that between that, the chips and salsa, and the margarita, I really didn't need to order dinner as well! Doug has this instinctive voodoo built-in radar for food, and ordered the tacos filled with crabmeat tinga (a mix of onions, tomatoes and chiles with avocado), which turned out to be one of the recommendations in the guidebook. This was a moderately priced restaurant.

It was right across the river from the Aztec theatre, a refurbished 1926 movie theatre. In the lobby, there's a special effects show with a pagan feathered-serpent god rising up through the floor. This is free, happens every 90 minutes and lasts about 5 minutes. Unfortunately, we didn't know about this until I read about it later. Bummer.



As it becomes evening along the river, the atmosphere changes dramatically. It takes on a colorful, ethereal dimension, and the pace definitely picks up with a more festive, slightly alcohol-infused tempo. There's about 35 footbridges along the 3 miles of the river, all different, and I really liked how the lights were reflected in the water.



Tomorrow, I'll start with our barge tour.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Angela! Your adventures are divine. I just love how you started the post off with your journaling. I need a guide in my own town for goodness sakes...I am ALWAYS lost. (Actually I am thinking of getting one of those Garmin things.) I am tickled at the restaurant you chose. It sounds like an event. I have never thought of crab meat in tacos but it does sound fun.

Barb said...

Great pictures of the River Walk! I love how the light from the bridge reflects on the water.

Shanna Jones said...

Love those lights in the last shot. Nice!

pat said...

Oooh, another trip! Since I am home all the time taking care of R, I am thoroughly enjoying all my vicarious travels with you. Love love the reflection shot, Angela!

Kristen Wagner Penn said...

Oh how fun!! We are heading to River Walk again in a couple of weeks and your photos reminded me of how fun it is!

Mom2Drew said...

I lived in SA for 8 years and this totally brings back memories!!!

Lauren Hartman said...

Love these pictures! Sounds like you had a wonderful time in SA!

Erika said...

Fun! I miss San Antonio, it's so beautiful there! Great shots!

Sharon said...

That is one place and I would like to visit. Love your captures!

Becky said...

I'm playing blog catchup so I didn't know you went on another trip. You lucky thing to get away from the nasty snow (and poor thing to come back to a blizzard). Love the lights in the water!

Maria said...

My bucket list keeps growing because of your travels. Love the shot of the bridge with the red lights reflected in the water.

Cindi Koceich said...

I LOVE San Antonio!! I've eaten at that restaurant and loved it too!
And, yes, it is sooo easy to get lost in San Antonio!!!

Meaghan said...

Great shots! I love the lights reflecting in the water on the last one.

Suzy said...

What cool shots!

Anonymous said...

Wow, that looks like a great city for visitors! I love the instructions, and nice shot of the lights above the water.

Jeanne said...

How wonderful it is to see places thru the lens of your camera and your writing. You are truly lucky in more ways than one.

Don't know if he did it on purpose, but your hubby mimicked the guide extremely well...down to the glasses and the shape of the mouth.

Thank you for sharing!

Reds said...

I just love going on trips with your Angela!! :) Love the bridge shot!

shirley said...

I love reading about your travels and adventures! I love your night shot and the details on the Aztec theatre. I have to visit SA again!

Bobbi said...

Oh I think I would be a lost cause even with all these resources. I sometimes forget where I live ;)

I love your travel pictures, especially that night shot!