Moving on to San Antonio

On January 3rd we set out for San Antonio. This was the first time since leaving my brother's house that we did not stay with ATC members. We stayed at a Best Western within walking distance of the Riverwalk and the Alamo. Reasonable price, comfortable room, parking and a pretty good breakfast made our stay a good one. The first day was sunny and warm. We walked through the extensive paths in the Riverwalk and then visited the Alamo. What a wonderful city center! San Antonio has some beautiful architecture. I had been here in 1960 and am amazed at the development of the Riverwalk. In 1960 it was a walk along the river. Now it is a fashionable area of restaurants, shops, and even an outdoor theatre. Hotels back on to the river and tour boats go up and down the river at a steady rate. I remember that I could see the Alamo across the river then but now that view is mostly blocked by hotels and tall buildings. It's a really lovely focal point for the city and we enjoyed strolling along it for two days. It has twinkling lights all around at night that make it a magical place. Last night we had a very disappointing dinner at a restaurant along the river so tonight we went away from the tourist area and found a good local pizza place called Rio Gelato. We really enjoyed sharing a pizza and having a conversation with the owner and two patrons. They were locals and wanted to hear about Canada. The owner is considering moving to Canada because of the election result. Earlier we met a tour boat the operator that wants to move to Canada too. Her own business is online: handmadebybeth.com.
The Alamo museum was fascinating. The history is complicated. The displays, films and speakers did an excellent job explaining it. The grounds are well maintained and the buildings are carefully restored.
We have been so impressed with the easy, friendly manner of the people here and everywhere we have been in the South. For example, strangers engage us regularly with small talk, smiles, and favours. A bus driver stopped and gave us a free ride uptown just to be friendly. People often introduce themselves and want to know where we are from and want to know about Canada. Others are helpful with information and will go out of their way to give us directions and advice. It's a wonderful spirit!