Mission: Missions

We all hopped in the car around 10am this morning and headed south about 20 minutes.  Down on the San Antonio River was the Southernmost of the famous San Antonio missions, Espada.  We had already hit the Alamo and it was now time to see the rest of these historic and iconic landmarks.

Let me just say: well worth it!  What the Alamo lacks in reverence and awe, the other missions more than make up for.  They are all different.  All in different stages of (dis)repair.  All uniquely integrated into the present day San Antonio world.  For example, Espada has a tiny and active church and a working parish.  But the rest of it is just shells of ancient buildings.  San Juan has a white stuccoed church and a working parish.  San Juan has a few more intact walls and structures.  San Jose has high walls and an ornate church.  The entire walled permitter is intact, as is the ancient store house.  San Jose is simply amazing.  Because the exterior walls were actually little apartments for the Indians, there were little three feet tall cooking huts that looked like tiny igloos with smoke stacks every 40 yards or so.  You could just see this place as an active, bustling community 200 years ago.  Mission Conception was fully integrated into a San Antonio park.  Kind of like having an ancient building on one of the lawns at Lake Harriet, or, not unlike Fort Snelling.  It is hard to tell where the city, the houses, and the Mission boundaries are.  

And each church had a Sunday service underway when we visited.  And, much to our fortune, this Sunday happened to be Mariachi Sunday.  Some of the sermons were in Spanish and ALL of them had Mariachi bands playing in them.

The only Aqueduct in the entire USA helped supply water to the Missions of San Antonio.

San Antonio has such a strong Mexican presence.  It is very comforting and peaceful.  The Missions bring an element of history that is lacking in most of America.  And the Mexican, Indian, and Spanish influences bring a sense of culture.  San Antonio is unique this way.

Puerco at Rosario's.

Mission Conception is not far from Rosario's.  Finally we get to eat at this local gem and it did not disappoint.  Janna had fish and shrimp tacos.  I had the Carne de Puerco en Chile Cascabel - tasted similar to the Pork in Adobo that I loved at Cafe 28.  Janna also had the Sopa Lidas and we all shared, Albondigas, Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas and Flautas.

After that we went and sat by the pool for a while and chilled out.  My Mom had us in stitches telling us stories about family lore.  Quinn is totally consumed with not smiling and sun tanning.  She was able to do both to her hearts (dis)content.  Gillian was lost in a book.  And Shelby and Aubrey chummed it up in the pool.

Juju entertaining at the Tavern.

Dinner was at the Esquire Tavern on the River Walk.  We were looking for something other than Mexican and BBQ at this point.  The Tavern was perfect.  A small menu (which I appreciate), good food, and a quaint, dark atmosphere.  Everyone pretty much got either a burger or beef tenderloin.  All good.

A quick trip to one of the River Walk ice cream shoppes and we went to bed.  Another good day.

I must say, I will miss the River Walk.  When I come back to San Antonio, I will stay on the River Walk.  Maybe it is my childhood fascination with Pirates of the Caribbean.  I don't know.  But when I asked Aubrey what her favorite part of the trip was so far, she said: the River Walk.