CHRISTMAS ON SAN ANTONIO’S RIVER WALK

Christmas is coming and San Antonio is a great place to get some holiday spirit.  The day after Thanksgiving, the switch is thrown and 125,000 twinkling lights form a magical canopy over San Antonio’s River Walk.  Christmas carols fill the air as choral groups ring in the holidays by singing carols on boats cruising along the river.  It sounded like fun, so we joined Carolina Tours for “Christmas on San Antonio’s River Walk.”  And it WAS fun and we hope you enjoy the blog!

BILOXI 

Biloxi is a Mississippi city on the Gulf of Mexico.  It is known for its casinos, its grand and historic Southern homes, its lighthouse, and for Belvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library. 

The Biloxi Lighthouse, built in 1848, is the only U.S. lighthouse to stand in the middle of a four-lane highway.  The lighthouse survived Hurricane Katrina and is said to be the most photographed landmark on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

Beau Rivage Resort and Casino is a waterfront hotel with a casino, an outdoor pool, a spa and several restaurants.  It has won every major local, regional and state award for outstanding community service.  Beau Rivage is rated the most-visited casino-resort in Mississippi. 

Beau Rivage is a favorite stopover for Carolina Tours.  As guests, we were treated to dinner and breakfast, as well as enjoying the elaborate and colorful Christmas decorations throughout the hotel. 

NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans is a Louisiana city on the Mississippi River, near the Gulf of Mexico.  Nicknamed the “Big Easy,” the city is known for its round-the-clock nightlife, vibrant live music scene, and creole cuisine reflecting its history as a melting pot of French, African and American cultures.  Founded in 1718 by French colonists, New Orleans was once the territorial capitol of French Louisiana before being traded to the U.S. in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.

The French Quarter is the city’s historic heart, famous for its vibrant nightlife and colorful buildings with cast-iron balconies. It is a melting pot of French, Spanish, Italian, Caribbean, African and Southern styles like nowhere else. Crowd-pleasing Bourbon Street features jazz clubs, Cajun eateries and raucous bars serving potent cocktails.

New Orleans ironwork is on full display in the French Quarter, adding a romantic touch to the city.  Early ironwork was wrought iron, fashioned by hand by German, Irish and African-American artisans.  Cast iron came later; molten iron was poured into wooden molds and allowed to set.  Bourbon Street may be the most famous street in the city, but most of these beautiful buildings are on Royal Street - probably the prettiest street in New Orleans.  

Quieter streets lead to the French Market, with gourmet food and local crafts - and the famous statue of Joan of Arc.  A New Orleans institution since 1791, this area served as a trading place for Native Americans long before European settlement. Today it is a combination farmers’ market and flea market, along with New Orleans-style dining, shopping and music.   

Jackson Square is the heart of the French Quarter: a beautifully landscaped park surrounded by shops, artists, museums, the cathedral, and just across from a splendid view of the Mississippi River. The square was originally known as "Place d'Armes," and later renamed in honor Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans.  It was designated a National Historic Landmark, for its central role in the city's history and as the site where Louisiana was made United States territory pursuant to the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.

For well over a half-century, there has been an open-air artist colony here.  Local artists paint, draw, create portraits, caricatures, and display their work on the square's iron fence. Some have been there for generations.  The square is surrounded by historic buildings and faces the mighty Mississippi River. 

St. Louis Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis King of France, faces Jackson Square and flanked by the historic Cabildo on one side and the equally historic Presbytere on the other.  The mother church of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, this is the oldest continuously active Roman Catholic Cathedral in the United States, originally built in 1727 and dedicated to King Louis IX of France, "The Crusading King." The present structure was completed in the 1850s.

 

At the rear of the Cathedral is the St. Anthony Garden dominated by a statue of Jesus with arms upraised. At night, floodlights project an imposing shadow from the statue onto the Cathedral - a particularly awe-inspiring sight.

 

The Cabildo was built under Spanish rule between 1795 and 1799; a few years after its completion, it was the site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer.  The Cabildo served as the center of New Orleans government until 1853, when it became the headquarters of the Louisiana Supreme Court.  Since 1908, it has served as the Louisiana State Museum. 

The Presbytere was designed to match the Cabildo, alongside St. Louis Cathedral.  It was originally called the Ecclesiastical House because it was built on the site of the residence, or presbytere, of the Capuchin monks.  The building was used for commercial purposes until 1834 when it became a courthouse.  In 1911, it became part of the Louisiana State Museum. 

The Pontalba Apartments are said to the be oldest apartment buildings in the United States. They have retail shops, museums, galleries and restaurants on the ground level; their second and third floors still house prestigious apartments.

Pirate’s Alley is the subject of much legend and lore, some true, and much false.  Some claim it was a haven for pirates in days past, while others claim that slaves were sold here.  The alley is only one block long; not much to see except the Faulkner House, the place where William Faulkner lived and wrote his first novel. 

Café du Monde is the original French Market coffee stand, serving café au lait and beignets 24 hours a day since 1862.  Coffee here is loaded with chicory; the beignet (a square French donut) is fried to a golden crunch and topped with confectioner’s sugar. 

The Steamboat Natchez, a reminder of the old days of river travel, is typical of the steamboats that traveled the length of the Mississippi, taking three to five days to get from Louisville KY to New Orleans.  In their heyday, from 1830 to 1860, some 30 steamboats lined up at the levee.  By the close of the 19th century, they were replaced by railroads and highways. 

SAN ANTONIO

San Antonio, the oldest city in Texas, boasts a rich colonial heritage.  It was founded as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost in 1718.  The city is predominantly Hispanic and Mexican in character, balancing its thriving economy with preservation of its past.    Recognizing the city’s rich culinary heritage, UNESCO has designated San Antonio as a creative City of Gastronomy.   

The San Antonio River Walk is a network of 15 miles of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of the city.  Lined by bars, shops, restaurants, nature, and public art, the River Walk is an important part of the city's urban fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right.

The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops.  During the Christmas season, the River Walk really shines, with 125,000 lights, carolers serenading from boats, and color everywhere.  There are lights blanketing the bald cypress trees, creating a festive holiday scene and beautiful reflections on the water.  

 



There’s always something special when we travel with Carolina Tours, and this trip was no exception.  We enjoyed a dinner cruise on the river – a feast for the senses!  Delicious food, colorful lights, an excellent narration by our driver-guide, and envious looks from passers-by. 

 

The Tower of the Americas is a 750-foot observation tower/restaurant in San Antonio. The tower was built as the theme structure of the 1968 World's Fair, HemisFair '68. There is a lounge and revolving restaurant at the top of the tower that provides panoramic views of the city.

La Villita Historic Arts Village is the very heart of San Antonio. Originally created to house Alamo soldiers, today La Villita is home to artisan shops and galleries.  Many of the shops occupy 19th-century Hispanic buildings, carefully maintained and restored. The district's best-known landmark is the Little Church of La Villita – a Neo-gothic structure built in 1879.

Within the eye shot of the village there is the Arneson River Theater, built in 1939. The venue is best known for its outdoor performances, where the river separates the stage from the audience.

The Torch of Friendship, also known as the Torch of Freedom, is a monument that represents the cultural sharing between Mexico and San Antonio. It was made by the Mexican sculptor, Sebastian, and was offered as a gift to the city. It is located downtown, halfway between the tower of Americas and the Alamo. 

Rivercenter Mall is considered the centerpiece of the River Walk.  It has scores of specialty shops and gift stores, as well as live entertainment in the evening.   

Near the mall is the  Lila Cockrell Theater and the Convention Center, with more huge murals and the "Grotto" - an underground section of the River Walk connected to the Convention Center.  

The Alamo, first established in 1718 as the Mission San Antonio de Valero, was one of the many Roman Catholic missions through which the Franciscan friars attempted to convert indigenous people into tax-paying citizens of New Spain.  As the first mission in San Antonio, the Alamo served as a way station between east Texas and Mexico.  Later, other missions were added to further the cause. 

In 1836, decades after the mission had closed, the Alamo became an inspiration and a motivation for liberty during the Texas Revolution. For 13 days in 1836, some 200 Texas defenders held the Alamo from approximately 2,500 of General Santa Anna’s troops from Mexico. The most famous of the defenders, William Travis, James Bowie, and David Crockett, died fighting overwhelming odds for freedom.

The corpses of the slaughtered garrison were dragged outside, and Santa Ana’s soldiers doused them with oil and burned them in three big bonfires.  A year later the Texans regained control of San Antonio, and the bones and ashes of the Alamo dead -- still in visible piles -- were shoveled into a large coffin and secretly buried under the altar of what is now the San Fernando Cathedral. The remains today rest in a sarcophagus inside the cathedral.

The compound fell into disrepair until it was saved by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, a group of women who convinced the legislature to purchase and restore the site.  Today it is one of the most popular historic sites in the U.S. 

Historical Note:  William Barrett Travis was born in Saluda County, SC, in 1809.  He became a lawyer and practiced briefly in Alabama, before moving to Texas.  At age 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army and died fighting at the Alamo along with his cousin James Butler Bonham and five other South Carolinians. 

The historic Menger Hotel was San Antonio’s first hotel and one of the city’s oldest businesses. It opened in 1859.  The Menger Bar is said to be the location where Theodore Roosevelt recruited many of his famous Rough Riders in the spring of 1898. In preparation for the Spanish-American War, he used the bar as his unofficial headquarters, as well as an induction station. The story has it that Roosevelt would sit in the barroom, waiting for cowboys to come in, he would offer them free drinks as he gave his recruitment speech. The next morning, said cowboy, would wake up hungover and to the realization that he had joined the Rough Riders cavalry brigade.

The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, billed as the oldest saloon in Texas, features over 40,000 square feet of amazing collectibles.  It houses over 500 stuffed animals, a Hall of Horns, a firearm collection, a Wax Museum of Texas History, the Texas Ranger Museum, rattlesnake art and memorabilia of Native Americans and the cowboy culture.  The building still has its legendary saloon, which was a favorite hang-out of Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders. 

The Cathedral of San Fernando is the mother church of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.  It is officially known as the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y Guadalupe and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 
















The original church of San Fernando was built between 1738 and 1750. The walls of that church today form the sanctuary of the cathedral, which gives rise to its claim as the oldest cathedral in the State of Texas. The church was named for Ferdinand III of Castile, who ruled in the 13th century. The baptismal font, believed to be a gift from Charles III, who became King of Spain from 1759, is the oldest piece of liturgical furnishing in the cathedral. The cathedral was built by immigrants from the Canary Islands, for this reason the interior is a picture of the Virgin of Candelaria, the patroness of the Canary Islands.

In 1868, the cathedral was enlarged in the Gothic style, the addition forming the existing nave. Carved stone Stations of the Cross were added in 1874 and stained-glass windows were added in 1920.

We enjoyed the evening presentation of “San Antonio – The Saga,” a video art installation on the magnificent façade of the cathedral.  This 7,000 square foot projection with accompanying music describes the historical discovery, settlement and development of San Antonio. 

The Spanish Governor's Palace is a National Historic Landmark, the last visible trace of the Presidio San Antonio de Bexar and the only remaining example in Texas of an aristocratic 18th-century Spanish Colonial town house. It is one of the oldest residential buildings in Texas; it is a long, one-story, U-shaped stone structure covered in stucco that surrounds a traditional Spanish patio and courtyard.

Market Square, or El Mercado as called by the locals, is the largest Mexican market in the U.S.  It is full of Mexican food cafes and stalls selling handcrafted traditional blankets, clothes, leather and metal goods, all brought from Mexico. This three-block outdoor plaza includes more than 100 locally owned shops and stalls. Enjoy the sights and flavors of old Mexico and find authentic Talavera pottery, exotic curios and handcrafted works of art.

We also enjoyed the Mexican cuisine at Mi Tierra - good food and VERY colorful décor. 

 

Nearby are a couple of examples of colorful murals found all around San Antonio.  The eight-story high mural of a guardian angel watching over a young boy is on the Christus Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital.  The smaller painting of a pride of lions is on the wall of the Goodwill Store.  Both were done by local artist Jesse Trevino, who lost his right hand in Vietnam.  He taught himself to paint with his left hand and is much admired in the San Antonio community. 

King William Historic District covers a sprawling 25 blocks on the south bank of the San Antonio River.  The district has a wealth of stately and historic 19th century residences, impressive gardens, distinctive restaurants, cafes, art galleries, museums and shops. In the late 1800s, the King William District was the most elegant residential area in the city.

 

The Edward Steves Homestead Museum is located on the west side of King William Historic District. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The house was built in 1875 and it became a museum in 1954. It is a beautiful building.

The Hilton Palacio del Rio was our ‘home’ in San Antonio.  It is located on the River Walk and with easy walking distance of the Alamo, the 1968 HemisFair site, and other important sights in Old Town San Antonio.  It is a great location as well as a remarkable achievement for the modular construction industry.  The 21-story, 500-room hotel was designed, completed and occupied in an unprecedented period of 202 days.  After the foundation and lower levels were complete, the pre-cast, fully furnished and decorated rooms were placed by crane.  Plumbing and electricity were then connected to each room.  Presto – instant hotel!

TEXAS HILL COUNTRY

Texas Hill Country, in south-central Texas, is an area notable for its karst topography and rugged hills of limestone or granite.  The area is also unique for its fusion of Spanish and German influences in food, beer, architecture, and music that form a distinctively "Texan" culture distinct from the state's Southern and Southwestern influences. 

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is a landmark in the Texas Hill Country.  The park protects the birthplace, home, ranch, and final resting place of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States.  During Johnson's administration, the LBJ Ranch was known as the "Texas White House" because the President spent approximately 20% of his time in office there.

The Birthplace of Lyndon B. Johnson is where the President was born and lived until the age of five, when the family moved to Johnson City.  The home is furnished in the early 1920s period and depicts the rural Texas lifestyle of 75 years ago.

The LBJ Ranch was the place that President Lyndon Johnson called home.  He had a deep attachment to this place, and after his death in 1973, Mrs. Johnson continued to live at the Ranch until her death in 2007.  The Johnson's ranch house was known as the Texas White House.

The Johnson Family Cemetery is the final resting place for President and Mrs. Johnson, as well as other members of the extended Johnson family.

 

Nearby are other structures important in the lives of the Johnson family: the old wooden church attended by generations of Johnsons, the old one-room school house, and the President's private plane, which he dubbed Air Force 1/2.  

FREDERICKSBURG

In the heart of Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg is a small city with a unique German flavor in its quaint Main Street boutiques, bakeries and generations-old peach orchards.  The surrounding countryside is home to lush vineyards, making up one of the country's largest viticultural areas.  Fredericksburg was settled in 1846 by German immigrants.  

Market Square is the home of Fredericksburg’s most revered treasure, the Vereins Kirche. The octagonal shaped building was the site of the first church and the first school in Fredericksburg. The square offers a gathering space, a playground, and a picnic area; it hosts festivals, concerts and a gigantic wooden Christmas Pyramid – said to be the precursor to the modern Christmas tree. 

 

We arrived at the square just in time to meet our friends Carol Bennett and Jo Wilson, who drove over from Austin to see us.  They led us to a hidden gem for lunch – Vaudeville - a bistro in the basement of a furniture store!  After a delicious meal, we rode in style ((i.e., in the red Tesla) to the Fredericksburg Nature Center.  We walked the nature trail, enjoyed each other’s company and being out-of-doors.  Our time was just too short, but always great to spend time with these two. 

LAFAYETTE

Lafayette is located on the Vermilion River in the southwestern part of Louisiana; it is ground zero for French-speaking and history-rich Cajun country.  French colonists founded the first European settlement here.  In the mid-to-late eighteenth century, Acadian refugees settled in this area, after being expelled from Canada. They intermarried with other settlers, forming what became known as Cajun culture, which maintained use of the French language and adherence to the Roman Catholic Church.  Today Lafayette is considered to be the center of Acadiana, the area of Cajun culture in the state. It is also a center of Louisiana Creole culture.

Martin Accordions builds all hand-made, single row, diatonic accordions for musicians around the world.  For over 30 years, professionals and beginners alike have relied on their squeezeboxes to provide the sweet, rich sound that Cajun and Zydeco is known for. Martin builds, repairs and tunes all makes and types of accordions including: piano, diatonic, polka, concertina, and just about anything else with bellows. 

We stopped by for a tour and a demonstration of wonderful music made by the Martin family – Junior, Penny and Joel.  Joel (the youngest) has two Grammy nominations and has been invited to audition for America’s Got Talent.  His Grandpa is very proud of him - and it shows!

 

Below are two short videos.  The first one is bit of Cajun music, dating back to the late 1700s - it's a long-time tradition.  The second one is a 'Cajunized' version of "Jingle Bells" - played by Joel to show us how he adapts familiar songs to the Cajun style.  

  

MOBILE

Mobile is located on the Mobile River at the head of the Mobile Bay and the Gulf Coast; it is Alabama’s only saltwater port.  The city was founded as a French colony in 1702 and served as an important trading center between the French colonists and Native Americans. During its first 100 years, Mobile was a colony of France, then Britain, and lastly Spain. Mobile became a part of the United States in 1813, with the annexation of West Florida from Spain.  Mobile is known for having the oldest organized Mardi Gras celebrations in the U.S. Its French Catholic colonial settlers celebrated this festival from the first decade of the 18th century.

Bellingrath Gardens and Home is the 65-acre public garden and historic home of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath, located on the Fowl River. Walter Bellingrath was one of the first Coca-Cola bottlers in the Southeast, and with his wealth built the estate garden and home. He and his wife, Bessie, lived in the home which has since been converted into a museum. The gardens opened to the public in 1932; Bellingrath is one of the top public gardens in the U.S. and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bellingrath Gardens celebrates the Christmas season with a display of over 3 million lights that is known as the "Magic Christmas in Lights". The light show features over 3 million lights with 1,000 set pieces in 13 themed scenes spaced around the estate. USA Today included Bellingrath's Magic Christmas in Lights on its list of the "10 Best Public Light Displays in America". 

 

It was quite a show and a grand ending for a fun trip. Many thanks to tour leader Ingrid Long and ace driver Patrick Braswell for one of Carolina Tours' best Christmas trips.

 


But … we weren’t done yet ….

Grand Bay is a small town in Mobile County, near the Gulf Coast and the home of Margaret’s brother.  We waved goodbye to our friends on the coach and enjoyed a few days visiting, relaxing, eating seafood and playing with our favorite puppies.