Alamo, heart of the city

You have to see the Alamo. No choice. It is the site of one of the founding events of Texas, in the very center of San Antonio.

The Alamo was first a Spanish mission, established in 1744, then a fortress. Between February 23 and March 6, 1836, 180 Texan partisans resisted Mexican troops there. These ended up massacring the Texans, including the legendary Davy Crockett. The courage of the Alamo’s defenders, however, inspired the Texans, who took their revenge and defeated the Mexican army on April 21, 1836, opening the door to Texas independence.

There is currently major work all around the site to establish a new museum, but it is not a few fences and closed streets that will intimidate Quebec visitors.

The little church of the Alamo is discreet and serene in all this hubbub. It has kept its Hispanic character, just like the monastery and its patio, right next door.

Entrance is free, but it’s not a bad idea to take a guided tour: it’s the best way to discover interesting details, such as the impact of a cannonball on the facade of the church.

Just walk a few minutes south to reach La Villita, or the Little Village, a neighborhood of lovingly restored old houses and secluded little plazas.

The main plaza, the ancient heart of San Antonio, is a few blocks further west. It was here that a peace treaty was signed with the Apaches in 1749 (a treaty which was not crowned with success, it should be noted).

A large stone church stands at one end of the plaza, the San Fernando Cathedral. Most of the building dates from 1868, but there are still walls from the original church from 1731.

The interior is sober, but the stained glass windows are impressive, as is the altarpiece, covered in gilding and decorated with statues of saints.

The Governor’s Palace is located a street corner further, on Place d’Armes. It’s not really a palace, but a one-story adobe residence. It also did not house a governor, but the captain of the Spanish garrison who defended the territory against French forces. But hey: the Governor’s Palace still sounds good. And the pretty little building is worth a visit. The initial room, the captain’s dwelling and office, dates from 1722. Other rooms were added during the 18th century.^e century, then in 1930, during restoration work. The patio was also designed that year, but what it loses in authenticity gains in serenity, with a few large trees and a small fountain.

Trip to the mercado

We completely stop talking about serenity when we arrive at the mercado, a square flanked by shops selling Mexican folk objects, such as hats, colorful guitars, pinatas, puppets, embroidered dresses, metal cacti. The colors are bright, warm, mariachi music emerges here and there.

The massive Mi Tierra restaurant, run by the Cortez family since 1941, stretches almost the entire length of a city block. The Tex-Mex food is very good, but what is most striking is the exuberant decor of the three large dining rooms.

It remains that the jewel of San Antonio is the River Walkthe promenade that follows the San Antonio River for 24 kilometers, including 8 kilometers in the city center.

This extraordinary attraction almost never existed. Following catastrophic flooding in the early 1920s, the city administration wanted to erect dams and bury the river beneath the city center. A local architect instead proposed a vast project to enhance the river. Fortunately, the administration followed this path and created the parkway, a project that spanned decades.

You could almost ignore the presence of this promenade while driving through the city center. The river and its promenade are below. You access it by stairs and a few ramps, and you pass into another world, dotted with flower beds, trees, and a few fountains. In the city center, there is a lot of activity: restaurants, bars, terraces, guided boat tours. In the evening, you can even travel a small part of the river on restaurant boats.

Just walk beyond the city center to find calm. You can see geese, herons, rent kayaks, and finally reach the Pearl, a lively district of trendy restaurants. We end our walk at the terrace of La Gloria, a real institution that restores the nobility of Mexican street food. When you walk for a long time, you need good fuel.