Leonard J. Hansen

San Antonio full of history and cultural surprises

By Leonard J. Hansen

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Don’t call it a cow town any longer. Sure, you’ll find great country and western music, probably 500 restaurants serving Tex-Mex cuisine and a springtime fiesta with rodeos and other events which team horse and rider. Many locals and visitors do dress in Levi’s and cowboy boots; but the town once defined by cattle roundups and a significant place in history has become quite civilized, cultured and particularly fascinating to mature travelers. In 1691 Spanish explorers discovered a river Native Americans called the Yanaguana, and, because they arrived on the feast day of St. Anthony, posted their own name for the waterway, San Antonio. The city was founded in 1718 by Father Antonio Olivares when he established Mission San Antonio de Valero, later known as The Alamo. San Antonio has grown from its early roots in cattle and as a crossroad for trade to the nation’s eighth largest city, but it is not shoulder-to-shoulder dense as in many other metropolitan areas. Other than its bustling downtown and Riverwalk areas, the city, instead, has spread out in its growth, and made space for parks, a famous zoo, major attractions and in 1968 a world class exposition, HemisFair. Uniquely in its growth, the leaders and people of San Antonio created a Renaissance opportunity in culture, arts, historical preservation and recreational quality. Its art museums are considered among the nation’s finest; the symphony is described as one of the nation’s best and most innovative; and its historical preservation deemed unique in the world. San Antonio is a remarkably enchanting city; and senior discounts are offered almost everywhere. Hotel rates are inexpensive in comparison with other major cities. Come for the fiesta in spring or one of 50 other major events. Or consider the recommendation of this travel writer. Plan your trip for the December holiday season when San Antonio offers one of the nation’s most memorable celebrations. The Riverwalk along the San Antonio river is festooned with lights; holiday music is everywhere; nightly boat processions culminate at a concert; and the cathedral and churches open their doors to all faiths for tableau staging and concerts. The innovative San Antonio Symphony not only performed Handel’s Messiah, but provided songbooks so that audience members could join in on the triumphant chorus. Along the Riverwalk, visitors can walk easily and shop safely in a dizzying array of quality shops, and dine or have coffee or a drink at open-air cafes along the river while taking in the lush setting, the movement of boats on the river, and the other visitors from throughout the world. It may be one of the best admission-free shows anywhere (food and beverages extra, of course). Historic hotels, such as La Mansion del Rio, provide not only fine accommodations but many rooms with balconies or window views of the Riverwalk area. In a visit to San Antonio, plan to arrive early at the mission compound which became the foundation for the city. The Alamo is the battle scarred and restored site where Davey Crockett, James Bowie and 187 other heroic defenders, fell in 1836 in a 13-day siege by 4,000 troops of the Mexican Army of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. At the time, the Alamo was surrounded by open expanse; today the city has grown around it. It is the most-visited attraction in Texas. More than a monument, it is a step into history for travelers who learned about it from the major motion picture, history classes, books or television specials. (The Alamo is open daily; admission is free, but donations are accepted.) Other missions, each distinguished in individual history, are open to visitors, including Mission San Jose and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Mission Concepcion and Mission San Juan. Learn about the missions and their history from the 1700s by accessing: www.nps.gov/saan/ The San Antonio region has historically been diverse, drawing 27 different ethnic and cultural groups, including Mexicans, Africans, Chines, German, French and others. German immigrants, for example, brought farming, milling and merchant skills, today preserved in the King William district. The Institute of Texas Cultures, originally created for HemisFair, uniquely presents the story of the many groups by showing, using movement and step-in settings rather than the typical museum-type presentation of items. The city is easy to navigate if driving; public and tour transportation is very good and reasonably priced. San Antonio is served by major airlines, including Delta, Northwest, Southwest, United, America West, American, Continental and TWA. You can’t see it in a dash on a day. San Antonio should be taken with breathing and immersion time. Plan a minimum of three days, but better five or seven. If you want, wear your Levi’s and cowboy boots, but plan to dress for dinner, the theatre or an evening on the town in a city that knows how to have a good time. Discover San Antonio for its history, but enjoy it as one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the nation. It is a cow town no longer.