Wednesday 11th July 2001, San Antonio TX
As we had an air-conditioned Jeep at our disposal, we decided to take a side trip to San Antonio. John had particularly wanted to see The Alamo, but we had shelved the idea due to the extreme heat. The round trip from Dallas is over 500 miles, and would have been unbearable on the bikes!
Having visited the motorcycle dealers in the morning, we left for ‘San Antone’ around lunchtime.
Needless to say, when we arrived in San Antonio, we had no idea where we were going. From the Easyfinder Texas map, it was impossible to tell where Downtown was, or indeed where The Alamo was. We did know that one thing we should see was the Riverside Walk, so seeing signs for the ‘Rivercenter Mall’, we pulled off I-35. In fact, we were one exit early, but almost immediately we saw signs for The Alamo, and a convenient Days Inn motel. For the first time since we arrived in the US, we were within walking distance of the centre of town!
As it was getting late, we dumped our bags in the room and walked into town. The heat and humidity were stifling. Even the proximity of the river did not bring any relief. But the River Walk lived up to its billing. The Walk is below street level, and circles the downtown area.
The landscaped path is interrupted on both banks by restaurant tables. Every conceivable type of cuisine is represented. Tour boats run regular services for sightseers and diners alike – stopping between courses to clear the plates! As the sun went down, the river was almost exclusively illuminated by the lights of the restaurants.
We found a cool balcony table for dinner, which enabled us to view the river and surrounding night life below. But the heat had clearly gone to Brigid’s head. As John prepared to order a couple of ice-cold beers, Brigid announced that she would rather have … ICED TEA!!!