KG
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
More San Antonio
This is actually more of an interesting building than it appears here. Market Square is across the street, but it is being torn up, so I couldn't get a good perspective. I was also walking to El Mercado, and in a hurry to find a leather Guatamalan belt. It took quite some time and lots of walking and finally a ride on the red trolley, but I have actually a couple of belts. Sweet success-I looked all over the Mexican ports for them, and even in other US border towns. Finally.
Saint Francis.
Building by the Alamo.
This courthouse is really interesting. I would love to find the history.
This is a double flame sculpture-a gift from Mexico.
Saint Francis.
Riverwalk at night.
KG
Monday, November 12, 2007
Notes from Beaumont
Just a note before going to bed. We have made it through Houston. I'll show you photos later. It must be 60 miles going through Houston. However, we have made it "From the Redwood Forests to the Gulfstream Waters", and the home of Janis Joplin.
We started the morning with Les the mobile RV guy. The change oil light came on Friday, so we dared not ignore it. Les was great! Actually, Les was more! We are thinking that the dealerships do doodly, but guys like Les give us great inservices.
Stella got a checkup too. She was passing blood in stool, so got a quick run to the vet. Who knows if she indulged in Texas tannic acorns like a little piggie, or if kitty chocolates were her indulgence, or if she is just stressed from the desert and travel. She got put on a fast and given antibiotics and antiacids. She is still enthusiastic about going for walks and meeting people. I suspect she will be enthusiastic about breakfast tomorrow morning, as she was denied dinner tonight. Marcia has made her a nice rice breakfast to go with her usual food.
Tomorrow-Lousiana.
KG
We started the morning with Les the mobile RV guy. The change oil light came on Friday, so we dared not ignore it. Les was great! Actually, Les was more! We are thinking that the dealerships do doodly, but guys like Les give us great inservices.
Stella got a checkup too. She was passing blood in stool, so got a quick run to the vet. Who knows if she indulged in Texas tannic acorns like a little piggie, or if kitty chocolates were her indulgence, or if she is just stressed from the desert and travel. She got put on a fast and given antibiotics and antiacids. She is still enthusiastic about going for walks and meeting people. I suspect she will be enthusiastic about breakfast tomorrow morning, as she was denied dinner tonight. Marcia has made her a nice rice breakfast to go with her usual food.
Tomorrow-Lousiana.
KG
San Antonio-Riverwalk
What a perfect time of year to do this. Not too cold or crowded, and not too hot. Christmas might be more festive, but more crowded, and spring break would be out of the question.
Perfect Sunday on the river. It is indeed a real river-spring fed, and it flows to the Gulf of Mexico.
Perfect Sunday on the river. It is indeed a real river-spring fed, and it flows to the Gulf of Mexico.
San Antonio himself.
There was once a world's fair here.
San Antonio-the Alamo
Of the numerous photos of the Alamo, I have chosen these. I found it to be quite photogenic, but otherwise rather mundane. Perhaps if I were Texan, or Tejanos I would feel more nostalgic. Certainly, there were people quite respectfully involved in the lowering of the colors. It's history is parellel that of New England in many ways.
I like the parallel clouds and alamo in this photo.
Bet Davey Crocket and Jim Bowie never thought their memorial would be guarded by Chicano women and men, but it is!
I like the parallel clouds and alamo in this photo.
Bet Davey Crocket and Jim Bowie never thought their memorial would be guarded by Chicano women and men, but it is!
I just find Texas to be a bit toooo pompus and after crossing the desert from California through West Texas, I am thinking it would be fine with me to give the desert back to Mexico. I was thrilled to find water and oaks, however, and I can get enthusiastic about Riverwalk and Texas beef.
KG
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Stories on the Road and in the Parks
Sometimes, I am so tired when blog time comes, that I forget to tell the stories.
Our ride to San Antonio began with a road runner-yup, the real thing-crossing in front of the Cronemobile. It happened so fast there was no getting the camera out, but there was no mistaking that long tail. I didn't hear the, "beep-beep", however.
I've also met some interesting people. In Tempe I met a grandmother from Australia. We were at the laundry together. Her son and his wife own a campground (caravan park) in Ballarat, Victoria, near Melborne. http://www.ballaratwindmill.com.au/index.php Apparently there is a huge Campgrounds of America convention in Tempe every year, and the Aussies had come to check out how we do campgrounds.
You know, the next best thing to traveling is seeing ones own culture through the eyes of a traveler, so interviewing grannie nanny was quite fun for me, and she certainly had the gift of gab. The three grandchildren were almost totally mute-perhaps because they were children who were raised to be seen and not heard, or perhaps because they were mortified as granny nanny went on. I heard about the skills of these children-how they help run the park and know how to get their own tea (that would be-make dinner for themselves).
Of course they were ga ga at the size of the RV's (caravans). They were in a 30ft CruiseAmerica rental (driving from LA to Tempe on the "wrong side of the road"). Because the park was full of Campground owners, there were quite a few really big rigs including the million dollar + 40+ft diesel towing a Hummer that pulled in next to them. Granny was quite astounded and asked me what such a thing would cost. Since the kids were around, I didn't tell her that the inside probably looked like a bordello, and the glass cabinets were just not suitable for food-who wants to look at the Cherrio's all the time!
Since the Caravans in Australia are smaller and tend to be vans or Class C RV's, the parks provide the bathrooms and showers. Granny and Company were astounded to find that our park only offered two bathrooms with showers-one for each gender.
I heard about the football boys that travel to Europe and cause quite a stir, and then remembered that we saw them at the baths in Budapest, and they were causing quite a rucus and we were glad to see them go. Granny says that they love their boys, and she says this with enthusiasm, but they really have to learn to behave more properly when traveling abroad.
Apparently gas/petrol is about $2 a liter-that would be about $8 a gallon in Australia, so there would be no complaining about US gas prices from me. I wonder how the Canadians and Aussies can hold back their excitement as they fill their vehicles at US pumps! I would probably be jumping up and down and singing-especially now that the Canadian dollar has passed the US dollar.
The family had plans to take the kids to the Grand Canyon and on up to Disneyland before heading home. I do worry about them a bit if they decide to go to Bryce. Those switchbacks are hard enough when you feel comfortable driving on the right.
I'll try to remember to share my visits. Stella is a great facilitator of people meeting.
KG
Our ride to San Antonio began with a road runner-yup, the real thing-crossing in front of the Cronemobile. It happened so fast there was no getting the camera out, but there was no mistaking that long tail. I didn't hear the, "beep-beep", however.
I've also met some interesting people. In Tempe I met a grandmother from Australia. We were at the laundry together. Her son and his wife own a campground (caravan park) in Ballarat, Victoria, near Melborne. http://www.ballaratwindmill.com.au/index.php Apparently there is a huge Campgrounds of America convention in Tempe every year, and the Aussies had come to check out how we do campgrounds.
You know, the next best thing to traveling is seeing ones own culture through the eyes of a traveler, so interviewing grannie nanny was quite fun for me, and she certainly had the gift of gab. The three grandchildren were almost totally mute-perhaps because they were children who were raised to be seen and not heard, or perhaps because they were mortified as granny nanny went on. I heard about the skills of these children-how they help run the park and know how to get their own tea (that would be-make dinner for themselves).
Of course they were ga ga at the size of the RV's (caravans). They were in a 30ft CruiseAmerica rental (driving from LA to Tempe on the "wrong side of the road"). Because the park was full of Campground owners, there were quite a few really big rigs including the million dollar + 40+ft diesel towing a Hummer that pulled in next to them. Granny was quite astounded and asked me what such a thing would cost. Since the kids were around, I didn't tell her that the inside probably looked like a bordello, and the glass cabinets were just not suitable for food-who wants to look at the Cherrio's all the time!
Since the Caravans in Australia are smaller and tend to be vans or Class C RV's, the parks provide the bathrooms and showers. Granny and Company were astounded to find that our park only offered two bathrooms with showers-one for each gender.
I heard about the football boys that travel to Europe and cause quite a stir, and then remembered that we saw them at the baths in Budapest, and they were causing quite a rucus and we were glad to see them go. Granny says that they love their boys, and she says this with enthusiasm, but they really have to learn to behave more properly when traveling abroad.
Apparently gas/petrol is about $2 a liter-that would be about $8 a gallon in Australia, so there would be no complaining about US gas prices from me. I wonder how the Canadians and Aussies can hold back their excitement as they fill their vehicles at US pumps! I would probably be jumping up and down and singing-especially now that the Canadian dollar has passed the US dollar.
The family had plans to take the kids to the Grand Canyon and on up to Disneyland before heading home. I do worry about them a bit if they decide to go to Bryce. Those switchbacks are hard enough when you feel comfortable driving on the right.
I'll try to remember to share my visits. Stella is a great facilitator of people meeting.
KG
Friday, November 09, 2007
San Antonio-gateway to East Texas
We pull out of the KOA in Ft. Stockton, Texas-here's how it looks from I-10.
More mesas, but today they have windmills.
I do like these cone mesas.
No sightseeing today-remember the Alamo!
I really liked this photo. I call it a "power shot".
Texas is the only state that we've been in that flies the state flag-everywhere. Sometimes it is flown with the US Flag, but very often it is just the Lone Star alone.
More mesas, but today they have windmills.
I do like these cone mesas.
No sightseeing today-remember the Alamo!
I really liked this photo. I call it a "power shot".
Eventually we get trees...
We can feel the humidity. For days now, we have experienced the desert in our noses. Nice to breathe in some water.
Marcia wants to know why we always end up in big cities at rush hour on Friday. Though we were really tired, she managed San Antonio's rush hour like a pro. There was the little detour, but that was because there were no road signs, and we were soon back on track to the Admiralty RV Resort.
Dinner tonight was at Bill Miller's BBQ. Usually, I go for the pork, but since it was Texas, I opted for brisket and chicken. Marcia shared her sausage. It was all wonderful. I never made it to the chicken (maybe tomorrow).
Texas is the only state that we've been in that flies the state flag-everywhere. Sometimes it is flown with the US Flag, but very often it is just the Lone Star alone.
Stella thinks she has alot in common with Texas-being the lone star. She still doesn't like the sandspurs!
KG
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