Mister and Lady: San Antonio Day 1

I am still in shock that my sweet man has managed to snag some vacation days this late into December. It's just so unusual but we are going to run with it. Literally. If we go fast enough, they can't change their minds. San Antonio, here we come.

The drive down goes surprisingly quick and we are past our exit before we know it. Honest. I think we are about 45 minutes to an hour earlier than we expected. Mister takes a random exit so that we can get our bearings and try to find some lunch. I'm hungry and when I get hungry while traveling, things just don't go well. I get a phone call from my daughter while Mister looks at the map so I'm surprised when I hang up and he has a destination in mind. Just a wee bit away is the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and the largest Virgin Mary mosaic in the world. It was built in 2004 and 4 story's tall, symbolizing a 40' tall votive candle. The original candle can be see at the base.

As we walk back towards the car, I spot this archway and wonder just what it might lead to. As I'm peeking in, one of the workers tells me that I'm welcome to explore. Well, dang -- I don't need to be asked twice. Mister starts wandering all over the plaza, which is an open-air amphitheater with twelve food booths, a large stage and plaza surround seating, but I'm on a beeline towards the church I see in the distance. Just before it is a statue of Ignacio Zaragoza. If you don't know who that is and have heard of Cinco de Mayo, perhaps you should check out this LINK and give yourself a very interesting history lesson.

Now, back to the church. It is actually the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, founded in 1911.

Mister shakes his head at me as I head to the door, but it's open!! Oh my, the inside is just not what I expected. Simply beautiful.

It's wonderful and being attended by many as we are here and I'm trying to snap a couple of pictures in between their visits.

Retracing our steps, we are soon leaving the plaza and my sweetie mentions that I should look closely at the trees. They have been braced for so long that they have grown around the iron. Wow.

And that is how you kill an hour and a half while traveling. Now, shall we find that lunch we were after to begin with? Just a few blocks away, on the Riverwalk, is one of our favorite breweries. Welcome to Blue Star Brewing company.

We have opted for the Cinco Peso and Spire Stout to go with out lovely lunch. Oh man, that is just so good.

A bowl of broccoli/cheddar soup that is chock full of so many unexpected vegies as well makes my tummy happy and life is good once again.

Now to check in to our Air BNB. It is on King William, just a few blocks from the brewery. That could turn out to be mighty handy if the evening gets unexpectedly dull. We are nestled in among the oldest homes in San Antonio and these are absolutely beautiful. One block off the Riverwalk, we have the absolute best of both worlds.

We have an entire upper loft apartment for the next couple of days. The backyard has a mandarin orange tree if we so desire, and everything is just perfect. What a gem of a find.

Inside the room is a walking tour of the area and that just seems ideal for this afternoon. I adore older homes and these are simply scrumptious. I'll try and remember as much as I can about them for you and draw the rest from historical signs on the properties. First up is the Norton-Polk-Mathis House. "This site, from lower lands of Mission San Antonio de Valero, later part of the Vincente Amador Spanish Grant, was bought in 1869 by merchant Russell C. Norton, who began building in 1876. The house grew with the additions of a second story, Victorian Gingerbread Rear Gallery, and Italian Renaissance Revival Tower. Later owners were rancher Edwin Polk and renowned trail boss and cattleman Ike T. Pryor. Business leader Walter N. Mathis restored the mansion in 1968."

The next one that brings out my camera is the 1880 Karl Wilhelm August Groos House. Designed by Alfred Giles for one of three founding bankers of the Groos National Bank, this is a superb example of Italian Villa Style. Delicate cast iron balustrades, columns and gingerbread define the porches. A belvedere crowns the roof.. As with many other area homes, native limestone was used.

So many of the homes are just gorgeous and I can't write about them all, but I do love a few and that makes them noteworthy.

Next up is the 1884 Charles Hummel House. A building permit was issued to Charles Hummel, a gunsmith, for construction of a house "not to exceed $6,000." This Italianate house has a gable roof and bracketed eaves with fine stonework quoins on the corners.

I think it is simply grand.

As we near the river, we come to The Guenther House and I'm fascinated. Are you ready for the story? The Pioneer Flour Mill was established on this site in 1859. It is the oldest, continuously operating flour mill in the state of Texas. The castle-like concrete tower was erected in 1923, and for a brief period was the tallest structure in the city. The Guenthers had a neighborhood family compound: all four houses in the 200 block of East Guenther were dwellings of family members. When built, these houses were not separated from the Senior Guenther's home by the San Antonio River; the original river channel ran behind the mill. Carl Guenther immigrated to Texas from Germany in 1851 and settled in Fredericksburg, where he built his first gristmill. He moved to san Antonio in 1859 and established this mill, which was later expanded to Pioneer Flour Mills. the original one-story house where he reared his family had two upper stories added in later years. The home is restored and contains a restaurant, gift shop, and house museum.

Let's take a peek inside --- it's free.

Oh my. What an amazing place. Oh the stories these walls could tell.

We've walked up and down three streets and about 5 blocks of each one. The walking tour is complete and we are now heading down towards the old Pearl Brewery, where I read about an open-air market tonight. We stopped in this area the last time we were here, but it had not been built back up at all. That is no longer the case. the area has really been developed and the market is hopping with families out and about all throughout the plaza.

A really cool aspect is that there is once again a brewery in the building. The Southerleigh has taken up residence in one corner of the old brewery and even kept the floor plan that was there to begin with as far as the tanks go. Notice that one of the original panels is now being used as decor.

A couple of yummy treats as we decide what else to do this evening. I am looking around at the building and it just amazes me. I LOVE when old is made workable, not torn down. It just gives such a great feel to the place.

It's dark by the time we leave, but the lights leave a festive feel all around.

Love it!

It was a great stop, but it's Riverwalk time. I've been told the lights there are spectacular during the holiday season and I have my fingers crossed that it is true.

Oooooh, as we pop up off the river -- lookie, lookie --

Back down we go ---- and as we round the last corner --- there are the lights. They are hanging from each tree and sparkling everywhere you look. It's not quite as jaw-dropping as I was hoping for, but it's still lovely all the same.