For a day that started with a thunderstorm, Day Three ended up pretty nice. The sun shone, the sky was a deep blue and a drive that looked to be a sloppy mess turned quite pleasant, (except for the strong winds). We arrived at Mission Concepción around one thirty in the afternoon. We generally make a point to visit one of the San Antonio missions each year. They were originally built in the early eighteenth century and are active churches. 
Both the grounds and the chapels themselves are beautiful. One can feel the history in this place. If you’re not inspired to prayer and contemplation here you won’t be anywhere. Photographers are also inspired by the park. On more than one occasion I have observed brides taking wedding pictures at these missions. One would have to be beyond incompetent to take a really bad picture at any of them.
Besides all of this the San Antonio missions are always an easy stop. No entrance fees, no tours, no rigid arrival and departure times. It’s my favorite way to travel actually. Stroll the grounds, take in the sights and soak up the past. From here, it’s on to the Alamo!
San Antonio is a revolutionary town, no less so than Boston and Philadelphia. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Tejano, or Anglo, or anything in between. The only thing that matters here is that you’re Texan, even if it’s just for the day. It’s not unlike being Irish on St. Patty’s day. Of course the Alamo is ground zero for this revolutionary pride. A friend recently told me of a family member whose child began to complain of boredom while on a visit to the Alamo. The youngster was taken outside and summarily spanked. Like Bunker Hill or Lexington and Concord, the Alamo looms large in our collective consciousness. It goes a long way to defining who we are as Texans. We are the sons and daughters of the Alamo, literally and figuratively.
On this the one hundred and seventy fifth anniversary of the battle, all of Texas was here. Re-enactors in period dress roamed the grounds, cannons went off and a brass band played tributes to the fallen. It was a great day, and while crowded, a sense of community was in the air. I couldn’t help but wonder what out of town visitors thought of the festivities.
Rather than hang out on the river walk this year the students elected to return to our San Marcos hotel a bit early. This was a happy choice and allowed them and the adults a bit of down time. Austin being on the agenda in the morning a bit of rest was certainly in order.
I have yet to visit the Presidio La Bahia in Goliad on a sunny day, but I guess that’s appropriate given the historical context of the place. The mission / fort is of course the place where Colonel Fannin and his men agreed to an honorable surrender after four days of fighting the Mexican army, only to be unlawfully executed upon the orders of Generalissimo Santa Anna. Today the mission has been repaired and restored to its former beauty. Unfortunately the point of interest is often overshadowed by popular locals like the Alamo. Not to take away from the significance that place; far be it from this Texan! But Goliad is an often overlooked jewel of a stop that should be visited more than it is. It’s both beautiful and significant.
Another 5:30 am meeting time and departure! The seventh such since I started teaching at Kings Academy. I never sleep well the night before. I lay awake or barely asleep thinking of all the things I have to do before leaving. And my work has increased exponentially since my son came. In spite of this fact I still love these trips. I do my best to mix in new stops and experiences every year. This is both for me and returning students.
Our next stop of the day was the USS Texas. Its massive guns are always a favorite for the students. For me it’s the mundane elements that are most intriguing. The mess halls, on board post office and comm. centers all remind me that there were actual lives being led in those spaces, and the men aboard were trying to maintain any possible sense of normalcy. Most impressive for me is the battleship’s history. Turns out the Texas turns one hundred this year! Its keel was first laid in 1911, and it served through two World Wars and the Korean War.
As a closing side note the Houston traffic was of course a bear as we headed to the south west. And since the GPS wanted to send us down “shorter” routs we decided to have dinner while traffic died down. We stumbled into an authentic Mexican restaurant called Taqueria Arandas. I immediately sensed that we had chosen wisely when the television featured a Mexican sketch comedy show, and it seemed most of the kitchen staff was only fluent in Spanish. It was a terrific meal! If the rest of the trip goes as well as that dinner I’ll be one happy man by the end of it.
The old Texas tourist motto was “…it’s like a whole other country.” Travel around our state a few times and you begin to realize how true that statement is.
It might not be world travel, but for young people it’s often their first opportunity to strike out and study, travel with friends, create memories and have experiences on the road that can be very formative.
The second opportunity will be on Thursday, February 24th at the Broadway Crossing location in front of Lowe’s. For more information on King’s Academy or the Tour of Texas, contact the school’s office at (903)534-9992.