If you’re deep in the heart of Texas, remember The Alamo
It was the King of the Wild Frontier, the Duke and an old Spanish mission that brought me to San Antonio, deep in the heart of Texas.
San Antonio today, the seventh largest and fourth fastest growing city in the U.S. has a population of close to 1.3 million.
As a kid, back in 1960, I was always fascinated watching the T.V. show “Davy Crocket” starring Fess Parker and the Hollywood movie “The Alamo” with John Wayne.
The Alamo was established in 1718 as the city’s first mission and the site of the famous battle of March 6, 1836. Davy Crocket and Jim Bowie were among the 189 defenders who gave their lives for the freedom of Texas against Mexican Gen. Santa Anna and his army of 7,000 soldiers.
On entering he Alamo grounds I came upon a huge grey marble Cenotaph honouring all the men who defended the fortress.
The Alamo today is a national shrine, like Pearl Harbor. Admission is free but come early as crowds start to line up at 9 a.m. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
During my three days in Alamo Plaza, I enjoyed the guided history tour, the Ampitheater, the Alamo Gift Shop and was able to determine history fact from storybook fiction.
Over the next few days I strolled along the picturesque River Walk, hopped on a narrated 35 minute river cruiseboat along the San Antonio River, rode up the glass-fronted elevator of the 750 foot tall Tower of the Americas, visited the Buckhorn Saloon (est. 1881) with its 520 hanging wall-mounted animal species and the Texas Ranger Museum.
San Antonio is Texas’ top tourist destination. If you should decided to come here, remember The Alamo. ————— If you’ve been on an interesting trip lately, we want to hear about it.
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Send your travel stories to cbrown@medicinehatnews.com.