A short stroll from the River Walk, you'll find the historic Alamo tucked in a busy part of San Antonio. This structure, Mission San Antonio de Valero, a Franciscan mission, is most widely identified with the Alamo. The entire site encompasses about four acres and is free and open to the public. And, we listened in on a brief lecture about the history of how Texas was settled, the brutal loss of life at the Alamo, and how Texas ultimately joined the United States -- all very interesting!
In the 1820s, Stephen Austin brought American settlers to Texas (then owned by Mexico and known as Texican) where they could purchase land for 12 cents an acre interest-free for 6 years with three caveats: (1) They had to become a Mexican citizen; (2) They had to learn Spanish; (3) They they had to have a good reputation and character. After awhile, the Mexican government became concerned about what was going on so far away in Texas. The settlers were becoming too independent and they wanted to invoke the American judicial system to resolve legal disputes. Ultimately, a war for independence from Mexico began. In 1836, Mexican forces (historians place estimates at a staggering number: between 1,800 and 6,000 soldiers) attacked the Alamo, which was defended by just 200 Texas volunteers. Amazingly, the Texans defended the Alamo for 13 days before being overwhelmed and just a few were spared. The survivors were ordered to tell other Texans they would suffer a similar fate if they continued to revolt. Two months later, Sam Houston led an attack on Mexican troops in San Jacinto declaring "Remember the Alamo!", which led to Mexico withdrawing and nine years later the U.S. annexing Texas.
Some Alamo history buffs were on the grounds in period attire demonstrating how the men defending the Alamo would have loaded their rifles. As I recall, they were expected to go through all the motions and be ready to fire in just 20 seconds. In addition to being strong willed and tenacious, the Texans must have been well trained to hold the Alamo for nearly 14 days. Remember the Alamo!
When visiting San Antonio, strolling the River Walk is a must! It's approximately 1.5 miles long and runs along the San Antonio River with oodles of quaint cafes and retail shops just feet away. I snapped this pic with my iPhone my first evening in town.
Can you say 'charming'?! Arched pedestrian bridges connect the two banks and various tourist attractions. It's quite enjoyable -- and very active in the evenings with hundreds of people strolling, the sound of live music wafting from cantinas, and diners enjoying a drink or meal at a cafe while watching the boats putter by. We took a relaxing riverboat tour under the stars with the guide telling us about the history of San Antonio -- fun! I had visited San Antonio 15 years ago when I was a TV reporter and was dispatched to Texas to cover a federal trial -- and the only thing I had a chance to see outside the courtroom was the River Walk briefly one night after a 11 hour work day. I hoped it was going to be as nice as I remembered and it was. Definitely worth checking out!
