Mision Trip

My Mister and I went deep in the heart of Texas this beautiful Spring weekend. It had to be a short 24 hour trip. I don't know what Frommer's says to do if you only have one day, but a native San Antonian directed 90% of these suggestions and it was great.

First: Order yourself up some gorgeous weather. He (and you know Who I mean) doesn't take orders, so perhaps you should ask. Respectfully. And then thank Him for what He deems best. I forgot to ask, and He just gave it as a gift. (Repent, Receive, Thank.)

Arrive at lunch time. Proceed to Los Patios and eat lunch at the Gazebo Restaurant there amidst the cool, shady live oaks. This is a lovely wooded area along the wilder part of the river in the heart of town. Very hard to get to but very worth it. Google it for directions. Relax. Breathe. Eat. Shop. Amble. Burp. Tense up. Drive to the next locale.

The Mission of San Juan: San Antone has a few Missions other than the Alamo along the Mission Trail. This one is operated by the National Park Service. It is not touristy and you can almost imagine the people, horses and cows within the walls. Also the rooms guarded by guns. So, was this a Mission in the sense that the Catholic Church put it there to convert the indigenous population to Christianity? If so, why gun rooms? Or was this a thinly disguised fort in the Mexican/American/Texas conflict? It may have said, but I was looking, not reading. And thankfully, this not full of signs and stories - ya just get to sense it.

Check into hotel: Not the Sheraton Guenther. Trust me.

For non-Texas natives: Walk to Alamo, look at it quickly, walk around the "plaza" briefly, be underwhelmed, depart, mark it off your list of Been There/Done That.

For Texas natives: Disregard all other suggestions and worship at the Alamo the entire 24 hours. Unless you got sidetracked by the bluebells and only have 15 hours.

On the way back to hotel, pass the Majestic Theater. See what's on. If it's something like a virtuoso pianist, say Roger White, doing the hardest piece ever written for piano, by all means see if you can get tickets. And if there are only 4 tickets open in the entire place get as close to the front and left side as possible. You don't know it when ordering, but these will place you in precisely the best location for watching the incredible, almost supernatural hands of this gifted pianist. (See discussion re: "ordering" good weather).

Grab those tickets, head back across the street to the hotel and ask the concierge to make dinner reservations on the riverwalk. If he suggests La Pescora and can get reservations in time for you to make the 8 p.m. show at the Majestic, do it. Good, not great, seafood but you can sit outside or in and not worry about passer-bys sneezing (or worse) on your food as they walk by. If you're worry about things like that. It could happen. You know it could.

Go to the show. Be blown away. You and everyone else who fills that incredible 1929 opera house.

Go back to the hotel room. Choose not to let the Mister's character flaws ruin your little trip. Make sure your Mister likewise overlooks your character flaw. OK, OK - flawZZZ. Dang.

Don't sleep a wink since the hotel room is very noisy.

Wake up. How can you wake up if you didn't sleep a wink? OK, maybe a wink between 3:30 and 6:30.

Grab a non-descript breakfast somewhere, check out, drive through King William neighborhood. Head home.

Sigh.