When we awoke on Wednesday morning, after our 4:30 arrival, we were renewed and ready to hit the streets of San Antonio. Luckily, our hotel was mere blocks from the Riverwalk and the Alamo. We strolled the city streets to the river then took a flight of stairs down to the river level.
The river goes right through a main part of the city and boasts a variety of restaurants, galleries, and various shops. The weather was just right for a nice walk, so we meandered down both sides, looking for a place to get coffee and some lunch. We reached a point where there was some construction, causing us to go up and over the river and back down the other side. As we exited the stairwell to turn up the street that would lead us back to the river, Corelyn proclaimed, “The Alamo!”
We had previously agreed that we would only stop at the Alamo if we had time, and we’d just “drive by and grab a photo.” Turns out, we happened upon the Alamo and took a few dozen photos in front before reading the plaques surrounding the famous structure and heading back to the river. Time for food, and coffee.
We settled on Boudro’s, which turned out to be a famous restaurant. They had the prettiest seating on the river, however, and the most delicious looking menu. We obviously got giant coffees, and then settled in for a nice meal after the Sonic disaster from the night before. Corelyn got chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, and I settled on a shrimp and bacon sandwich. This meal was the beginning of our food tour of the South.
We ate quickly, getting coffee refills and enjoying the sunshine on the river. When we were finished, we walked a bit more of the river before heading back to the hotel. It was time to drive to Austin, then finally to Texas City, which was near Galveston and the Gulf.
As we drove to Austin Corelyn researched what we should do in the city, which clearly was go to a park (of which Austin has many) and get barbeque. So we headed Zilker Park, which boasts acres and acres of green space, as well as a botanical garden and a prehistoric garden. Yes, that’s right: a garden designed as a replica of what the dinosaurs would have walked among.
We immediately, obviously, headed to the prehistoric garden, walking amongst various ferns, trees, and flowers. As we had to use the restroom, we followed signs and mistakenly ended up in the botanical gardens! They were beautiful, and held various historical buildings, including a one-roomed schoolhouse, a blacksmith’s shop, and an arch from a historic home that once majestically stood over Austin and now is housed in the gardens. We spent the next hour or so snapping photos, both of the flora and the arch, and of course ourselves. In the process it appeared as though I was bitten by a few fire ants – and reminded that we were finally out of the west (almost) and headed back to the east where there are many biting bugs that love me.
We headed back to the car, which was parked in the parking lot underneath the highway (great use of space, Austin!) and hightailed it to the downtown area for some barbeque. We hit some traffic, and after some yelping found Ruby’s BBQ, where Corelyn enjoyed brisket and I ordered and promptly devoured baby back ribs. The BBQ sauce had a hint of spice but was delightful, and the ribs came with the most delicious coleslaw I’ve ever had, and potato salad to die for. Corelyn choose hot and spicy beans for her side, which proved too spicy even for her – needless to say, I did not try them.
While we were eating, we did encounter some interesting fauna — a great-tailed grackle, to be exact — that attacked Corelyn mid-brisket. She was about to take a bit when we heard a horrible noise, and then there was a flurry around Corelyn as the bird hit her arm and then fluttered around her purse. We deduced after the fact that the grackle was trying to steal Corelyn’s food and hit the ceiling fan, causing it to be slammed to the ground and into Corelyn. We were the only people on the patio, at this point, and we tried to warn the men next to us of the bird’s intentions, but they didn’t seem to hear us. Or maybe, believe us?
After a full dinner we switched drivers and head for our final destination of Texas City (or TEJAS CITY if you’re us, tired, and giggly.) We arrived relatively early, a treat, but we were in the middle of nowhere, so we watched the latest Glee, talked to MAC, and drank decaf coffee out of coffee cups and plastic cups (the plastic cups served as coffee sleeves because the cups were hot – an ingenious move on Corelyn’s part.)
We went to bed relatively early, up to date on Glee and well fed. This day was an excellent day, and a good introduction to our tour of Southern food.
[addtoany] Yum