We're learning so much history on this trip! Until this week, I did not realize that the Camino Real was not only in California. The missions we are visiting in Texas are also along the Camino Real, or The Camino Real de los Tejas. These mission roads extend through Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana. First we visited, Mission San Antonio de Valero, which you will remember as The Alamo.
On Wednesday we set out to visit the other four missions of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, beginning with Mission San Jose, where the visitor center is located. There's a short film about this history of the missions and the people who lived there, and lots of interpretive displays and artifacts to enjoy inside the air-conditioned building before heading out into the steamy heat to walk through the mission grounds. Mass is still celebrated in each of these missions churches.
I took a LOT of photos, but will just share my favorites here.
On Wednesday we set out to visit the other four missions of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, beginning with Mission San Jose, where the visitor center is located. There's a short film about this history of the missions and the people who lived there, and lots of interpretive displays and artifacts to enjoy inside the air-conditioned building before heading out into the steamy heat to walk through the mission grounds. Mass is still celebrated in each of these missions churches.
I took a LOT of photos, but will just share my favorites here.
Mission San Jose
Mission San Juan
It's a short drive between each of the missions. Arriving at Mission San Jose's parking lot, you first come to this cross surrounded by cacti.
Mission Espada
Mission Concepcion
Mission Concepcion seems to be the best preserved of the five we visited. I was amazed at how high the domed ceiling is inside.
After touring each of the missions, we headed back toward Market Square for lunch. Our hotel clerk had recommended that we go there for Mexican food. Good call! We enjoyed a delicious lunch, then walked through the Mercado (Didn't buy anything. Sorry, San Antonio). Then walked the few blocks over to see the Cathedral. As we were walking back to the parking lot, I realized I had not taken a photo of the front of the church! (if you do a Google image search for San Fernando Cathedral, there are some pretty amazing photos of light shows they present on the exterior of the church.)
San Fernando Cathedral
Inside the church are the entombed remains of the Heroes of the Alamo.
I declined to give money to a man begging inside the church, and I'm pretty sure he was cursing me on his way out the door. Sorry, dude. I'm homeless and unemployed, too.
By mid-afternoon we were driving toward New Braunfels. Passed this place on the way there (Cassie does the drive-by photo shooting for me).
Why New Braunfels, you ask? To visit my high school classmate, Cheryl! Cheryl showed us around New Braunfels and Gruene, then we had dinner with Cheryl and her husband, Lee, at the Gristmill Restaurant. It really wasn't too hot sitting outside overlooking the river, and the occasional breezes made it very pleasant. It was nice to catch up with her!
Cheryl said we needed to stop at Buc-ee's before leaving Texas, and mentioned that they sell everything -- fudge, beef jerky (actually, that's all I heard). The Buc-ee's in New Braunfels has about 300 gas pumps. It's crazy big. We needed gas anyway, so we stopped and bought fudge and beef jerky and cold beverages for our three-hour drive to Houston.
Will save our arrival in Houston for the next blog post. It was a little scary. (obviously we're okay, since I'm posting...)
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