(Photo) The Alamo Chapel.

Piece 1: The Alamo. Located in San Antonio TX just north of the city’s downtown area is the Alamo, an old 18th century Spanish mission that became a military compound.

It was the site of a pivotal engagement in the Texas Revolution in 1836, where a relatively small (but determined) contingent of Texas settlers, including folk legends Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett, were defeated by Mexican General Santa Anna and his army after a 13-day battle.

The two primary vestiges of the conflict site are the Chapel and the Long Barracks.

We started our visit in the plaza of the three-acre National Park Service managed property, which features a beautiful monument made of granite and marble memorializing those who died in defense of the Alamo.

Just east of the plaza is the oldest building on the site, the Long Barracks. Originally built to serve as convent for nuns, the limestone structure became a fall back position for the Texans as the Mexican Army got past the perimeter walls of the Alamo compound.

In front of the Long Barracks is a courtyard that includes a majestic live oak tree, and to the left of this space is the Calvary Courtyard featuring statues of noteworthy figures involved in the battle.

Just past the oak tree is probably the most recognizable part of the Alamo compound; the Chapel. This former church building was repurposed as a military facility; and, like the Long Barracks, was largely constructed with limestone. It ultimately became another fall back position for the overmatched Texans.

The bullet and cannon fire marks on the entrance illustrate the powerful military force pursuing the small garrison of defenders.

The thick-walled Chapel is a collection of somewhat simple, unadorned rooms and open spaces; a basic shelter and strategy center with some storage capacity. Walking inside, I tried to imagine being trapped there by the aggressive “take no prisoners” Mexican Army.

There are some exhibits and more informational signage inside the Chapel, and period artifacts (including uniforms and weapons) in another building nearby.

As we concluded out tour, it struck me that The Battle of the Alamo was somewhat similar to the Battle for Thermopylae (in 480 B.C.), where a small Spartan force was ultimately defeated by an exponential larger Persian Army after a valiant fight.

River Taxi and River Walk in San Antonio TX

Piece 2: River Walk/Witte Museum. One of the most popular attractions in San Antonio is the River Walk.

Designed by architect Robert Hugman and constructed in the mid-1940’s, the pathway winds for miles through the center of the city, following the path of the San Antonio River. You can easily spend a day exploring the full walkway, which provides pedestrian access to a variety of restaurants and retail shops.

There are water taxis that regularly run the river, so you can walk some and ride some; plus, the taxi is fun way to initially explore the River Walk and see the central part of town.

We stayed in a hotel along the riverfront and could walk down to a taxi boarding point, which was very convenient.

About a ten-minute drive north of the River Walk is the Witte Museum (3801 Broadway Street), which is an impressive collection of exhibits touching on nature, science, and culture.

Of the six permanent galleries there, our favorite is the Kleberg South Texas Heritage Center, which immerses patrons into late 1840’s San Antonio. A variety of artifacts, authentic recreations, and compelling artworks are combined with sounds and dramatic narratives to give visitors a real sense about life in South Texas during the middle 19th century.

Historic Market Square in San Antonio TX

Piece 3: Mission Trail/Historic Market Square. The Alamo is actually the beginning of what is referred to as the San Antonio Mission Trail, which includes four more missions extending south from the Alamo in about 2.5-mile increments.

In geographic order, the other missions are: 1) Concepción, 2) San José, 3) San Juan, and 4) Espada.

These five Spanish colonial missions were primarily established to introduce Native Americans in the area to Christianity, and were purposefully positioned along the river to enable agricultural activity.

You can explore the mission trail by private car, but we opted to join one of the guided bus tours that originate in downtown San Antonio near the Alamo. Our tour culminated with a stop at the Historic Market Square (514 West Commerce), a multi-block plaza that is lined with shops and restaurants.

We really enjoyed the live entertainment at the Market, and the variety of multicultural merchandise. Great way to end our trip.

NOW…READY TO START PLANNING YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE?

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