Getting to the hotel off of I-10 into downtown San Antonio was stressful for both of us, even with the GPS system. The downtown streets were laid out in the 1700's so that should explain that. Very narrow and twisty which does not go well with a full sized Tundra truck. But we made it!!
We stayed at the Contessa Hotel on the Riverwalk. I have always wanted to see the Riverwalk and the Alamo. Being a Texan now, I believe a pilgrimage to the Alamo is required. The picture below is outside of the hotel. At night everything is decorated for Christmas with lots of colored lights dangling from the 8 to 10 story high trees along the river. Quite festive!
We stayed at the Contessa Hotel on the Riverwalk. I have always wanted to see the Riverwalk and the Alamo. Being a Texan now, I believe a pilgrimage to the Alamo is required. The picture below is outside of the hotel. At night everything is decorated for Christmas with lots of colored lights dangling from the 8 to 10 story high trees along the river. Quite festive!
Riverwalk from The Contessa Hotel
Our room was a nice suite on the 7th floor overlooking the river. It was a little pricy but had direct access to the Riverwalk and is on the quiet side away from most of the shops and restaurants. BTW...avoid the shops on Riverwalk as they sell the same cheap stuff you find in the tourist traps in Mexico ... everything is made in China!
We had a good Italian dinner of Chicken Picata and Shrimp Diablo. Later we walked to the Iron Cactus for dessert. We can't really recommend the Iron Cactus as it appears they serve (replace) blanco tequila as the aged (anejo) Don Julio. We sent drinks back twice and then gave up. To commend their manager, he agreed with our assessment and took the charges off of our bill.
Tuesday evening we visited the Briscoe Western Art Museum. They have a huge bronze sculpture outside of a cowboy and 3 long horned cattle. Inside there are other beautiful bronzes - my favorite was the one that showed the changing plains with an Indian brave and bison down one side and a cowboy with long horn cattle down the other. It must have been about 8 feet high and 14 feet wide. There are 3 levels of art and collectibles. I think besides the aforementioned bronze, my favorite was the saddle collection. The silver tool work on some of them was just amazing.
We enjoyed walking around the Riverwalk. It is many degrees cooler than at street level and shady due to the large cedar and pecan trees. There must be a thousand ducks or more that live on the river too. And none of the restaurants lining the Riverwalk have duck on the menu...this is a good thing, I think.
On Wednesday we climbed up out of the Riverwalk on to Alamo Street and went for breakfast at Schilo's Deli on Commerce Street. Everything there is homemade and from scratch. The pancakes were fluffy and very tasty. Mike opted for eggs, French toast and hash browns. We went back Thursday and I had the biscuits and gravy and then mentally kicked myself for not ordering it on Wednesday too. After Hella's in Shawnee Hills Ohio, this is the best sausage gravy I have ever eaten...BTW Schilo's biscuits were MUCH better than Hella's!! So much of downtown San Antonio is old buildings from before Texas joined the Union or as the Germans came to this part of Texas Hill Country. You find original tile floors, slanting of course, beautiful woodwork, etc.
To rest our tired feet, we next took a boat tour of the Riverwalk. Our guide Herman has been working as a guide/boatman for the past 6 years. The tour takes you around the Riverwalk, thru two flood gates, around the Convention Center and by the Riverwalk Mall.
After the tour we walked back to the mall and then planted our behinds on the deck at Chili's. I knew we could get a good Presidente Margarita there. They also had 3 Generations anjeo tequila so we had a shot, in a highball glass equal to maybe 2.5 to 3 normal shots, and appetizers too. Those smoked chicken wings were so good, we had 3 orders of them! While enjoying our repast, we couldn't help but notice many of the male attendees to the AstraZenica Breast Conference going in and out of Hooters next door! Maybe they were there for medical insight, yeah, that's the explanation.
After a quiet night, we left San Antonio behind, heading off to Cleveland Texas and our storage space. Galveston here we come!!
And as you can tell by the smiles, we are enjoying our retirement.
We had a good Italian dinner of Chicken Picata and Shrimp Diablo. Later we walked to the Iron Cactus for dessert. We can't really recommend the Iron Cactus as it appears they serve (replace) blanco tequila as the aged (anejo) Don Julio. We sent drinks back twice and then gave up. To commend their manager, he agreed with our assessment and took the charges off of our bill.
Tuesday evening we visited the Briscoe Western Art Museum. They have a huge bronze sculpture outside of a cowboy and 3 long horned cattle. Inside there are other beautiful bronzes - my favorite was the one that showed the changing plains with an Indian brave and bison down one side and a cowboy with long horn cattle down the other. It must have been about 8 feet high and 14 feet wide. There are 3 levels of art and collectibles. I think besides the aforementioned bronze, my favorite was the saddle collection. The silver tool work on some of them was just amazing.
We enjoyed walking around the Riverwalk. It is many degrees cooler than at street level and shady due to the large cedar and pecan trees. There must be a thousand ducks or more that live on the river too. And none of the restaurants lining the Riverwalk have duck on the menu...this is a good thing, I think.
On Wednesday we climbed up out of the Riverwalk on to Alamo Street and went for breakfast at Schilo's Deli on Commerce Street. Everything there is homemade and from scratch. The pancakes were fluffy and very tasty. Mike opted for eggs, French toast and hash browns. We went back Thursday and I had the biscuits and gravy and then mentally kicked myself for not ordering it on Wednesday too. After Hella's in Shawnee Hills Ohio, this is the best sausage gravy I have ever eaten...BTW Schilo's biscuits were MUCH better than Hella's!! So much of downtown San Antonio is old buildings from before Texas joined the Union or as the Germans came to this part of Texas Hill Country. You find original tile floors, slanting of course, beautiful woodwork, etc.
Schilo's Restaurant
And after breakfast we went to the Alamo. It is on a beautiful piece of land and seems very peaceful in spite of all the tourists around you. There are huge pecan trees that must be over 200 years old that spread over the land on both sides of the original building. For historic value alone, everyone should see this site. To imagine what is must have been like to be in a hopeless situation, surrounded by the Mexican army in that small space! And to see the modifications to the buildings from the original church built by the Spanish and the changes by the US Army then realize how close it came to being torn down and removed. It was awe inspiring for me.
The Alamo - main building
To rest our tired feet, we next took a boat tour of the Riverwalk. Our guide Herman has been working as a guide/boatman for the past 6 years. The tour takes you around the Riverwalk, thru two flood gates, around the Convention Center and by the Riverwalk Mall.
This is how they aerate the water for the Riverwalk additions.
After the tour we walked back to the mall and then planted our behinds on the deck at Chili's. I knew we could get a good Presidente Margarita there. They also had 3 Generations anjeo tequila so we had a shot, in a highball glass equal to maybe 2.5 to 3 normal shots, and appetizers too. Those smoked chicken wings were so good, we had 3 orders of them! While enjoying our repast, we couldn't help but notice many of the male attendees to the AstraZenica Breast Conference going in and out of Hooters next door! Maybe they were there for medical insight, yeah, that's the explanation.
What a shot of 3 Generations tequila in a highball glass looks like!
After a quiet night, we left San Antonio behind, heading off to Cleveland Texas and our storage space. Galveston here we come!!
And as you can tell by the smiles, we are enjoying our retirement.
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