In March/April 2019, Debra and I spent 13 days sightseeing south central Texas. We visited San Antonio, Houston, and Austin, as well as places in between. Click HERE to read a short introduction to this memorable trip.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our last day of sightseeing in San Antonio.
This story, which is part of a series, is about our last day of sightseeing in San Antonio.
San Antonio, Texas (March 30, 2019) Debra and I have had a wonderful time in San Antonio. We took a boat ride at River Walk, toured five Spanish frontier missions, and visited historic Gruene. This, our final day San Antonio, was our “cultural” day, as we communed with nature this morning and the arts this afternoon.
San Antonio Botanical Garden
We set out mid-morning after a light breakfast at our hotel. The temperature was in the mid-60s and the sky was overcast. It was perfect weather for our morning excursion.
Earlier this year, Architectural Digest included the San Antonio Botanical Garden in its list of the eight most beautifully designed botanical gardens in America. “The most awe-inspiring structure,” wrote Adrienne Jordan, “is the Lucile Halsell Conservatory.”
The Conservatory, designed by Emilio Ambasz and unveiled in 1988, is a 90,000-square foot complex of five climate-specific greenhouse with specimens from around the world – rainforest ferns, rare orchids, tropical palms, and more. The glass structures, which Debra and I thought looked like futuristic pyramids, soar to 65 feet, while a fern grotto sits 23 feet below ground.
We set out mid-morning after a light breakfast at our hotel. The temperature was in the mid-60s and the sky was overcast. It was perfect weather for our morning excursion.
Earlier this year, Architectural Digest included the San Antonio Botanical Garden in its list of the eight most beautifully designed botanical gardens in America. “The most awe-inspiring structure,” wrote Adrienne Jordan, “is the Lucile Halsell Conservatory.”
The Conservatory, designed by Emilio Ambasz and unveiled in 1988, is a 90,000-square foot complex of five climate-specific greenhouse with specimens from around the world – rainforest ferns, rare orchids, tropical palms, and more. The glass structures, which Debra and I thought looked like futuristic pyramids, soar to 65 feet, while a fern grotto sits 23 feet below ground.
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With a trail map in hand (click map to the right to enlarge), Debra and I began a self-guided tour of the 38-acre Botanical Garden. The first exhibit we saw was the May’s Family Display Garden (behind us in this photo), an ever-changing exhibit of the flora of south central Texas.
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Just past this exhibit, we entered the Family Adventure Garden. As we strolled along the trail, we passed the Secret Garden, Dry Rock Creek, and Muhly Maze – all places where children are encouraged to play and “get hands-on with nature.” Then we came to a display of native cactus on the roof of Prickly Pear Peak. We were familiar with most of the specimens, as they were the same or similar to cacti that grow in our home state, Arizona.
A Long-Ago Memory
Back in the 70s, when I was student at the University of Cincinnati, I joined an outdoors club. I learned how to climb rocks, rappel from cliffs, and explore underground caves. In my sophomore year, I put these new-found skills to good use in Indiana. There I rappelled through a gaping hole in the ground to the cave's floor 30 feet below, where I gained access to a large cavern through a long, narrow passage that I had to navigate on my belly. It was a grand adventure, to be sure. Yet, as I look back, I can’t help but think, “Young and dumb!”
I reprised this escapade at Limestone Ledge, the next stop along the trail in the Family Adventure Garden. There, I saw a cave below a recreation of a layered limestone bluff. Well…not really, as the “cave,” while a tight fit for my 5’ 8” frame, wasn’t terribly challenging – but it did make for a fun photo-op, and a chance to share a story from my college days!
Debra and I continued north past the Conservatory, Children’s Vegetable Garden, and Amphitheater to the Texas Native Trail, which meandered through 11 acres of flowers, bushes, and trees that represented three distinct ecological regions of Texas. There were junipers, Eve’s necklace, and mountain laurel from the Hill Country (south central Texas); towering pines from Piney Woods (east Texas); and mesquite and cactus from the Plains (south Texas). Beautiful flowers of various colors grew in dense patches among the trees. Debra’s favorite was the bluebonnet (bottom photo), which is the state flower of Texas.
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This section of the Botanical Garden was also home to several 19th century Texas-built structures. The Auld House, which was the family homestead of the Auld family, was built in the 1880s at the base of a 300-foot cliff near Leakey in Real County. Made of large-trunked pinon pine that dated from the Ice Age, this 14’ x 47’ cabin is thought to be the largest pinon pine cabin in Texas.
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“My father and a group of young Scotchmen cut the
pinon logs for this home up on top of one of the hills on
the ranch, carried them to the valley, put them on ox carts,
and carried them to the present location.”
~ Don Auld, who bequeathed the cabin to the Botanical Garden
pinon logs for this home up on top of one of the hills on
the ranch, carried them to the valley, put them on ox carts,
and carried them to the present location.”
~ Don Auld, who bequeathed the cabin to the Botanical Garden
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I especially loved the one room oak cabin, which was built in the 1850s. For the longest time I’ve had an affinity for wraparound porches, and this cabin had a big one! The cabin also had a high-pitched roof; inside was evidence that there was once a loft – a “bonus room,” if you will!
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These homes and other buildings were dismantled at their original sites and reconstructed in accurate settings at the Botanical Garden. With a bit of imagination, I had a glimpse into the rugged life on the Texas frontier.
The log cabin stood alongside a small, peaceful lake where we stopped to watch the ducks and turtles.
The log cabin stood alongside a small, peaceful lake where we stopped to watch the ducks and turtles.
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Nearby, Debra spotted a house that was just her size and I found an Adirondack chair that fit me just fine!
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We arrived at the Rose and Old-Fashioned Gardens, located in the oldest section of the Botanical Garden. Colorful and graceful flowers dotted the landscape and fragrant aromas filled the air. Ceramic and bronze sculptures stood as sentries and a recently painted canvas rested on an artist’s easel. These gardens were beautiful. Hands-down, this was Debra’s favorite area!
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We stopped in the gift shop, where we purchased a “memory” of our enchanting visit to the Botanical Garden – floral scented soaps that reminded us of the wonderful fragrances that enticed our sense of smell as we strolled through the gardens.
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BBQ, At Last
It was past noon and we were hungry. I’ve had a taste for Texas BBQ since we arrived in San Antonio. While Debra is not a fan of the mesquite flavor, she said, “Go for it,” and so we went to The Big Bib BBQ on the corner of Lanark Drive and Austin Highway. Tamu greeted us as we walked through the door and guided us through the extensive menu for this family-owned restaurant. With many yummy-sounding choices, I opted for BBQ brisket and rib tips, sweet potato casserole, and collard greens, which I “paired” with a Frostie Root Beer. Ahhh…soooo good! |
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San Antonio Museum of Art
During our travels around the city, we deciphered a theme: San Antonio had a penchant for repurposing historic structures, connecting its past to its present. The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) was another fine example. Opened in 1981, SAMA occupies the former Lone Star Brewery, which was built in 1886.
During our travels around the city, we deciphered a theme: San Antonio had a penchant for repurposing historic structures, connecting its past to its present. The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) was another fine example. Opened in 1981, SAMA occupies the former Lone Star Brewery, which was built in 1886.
The museum’s collection of more than 30,000 objects, which are displayed on four floors in two towers, spans 5,000 years of art, artifacts, and cultures from ancient Egypt to 20th-century America. Over a couple of hours, Debra and I went on a self-guided tour of the world through the millennia!
We started on the first floor in the West Tower, where we saw a sarcophagus from Egypt, marble statues from Rome, ceramic jars from Greece, and much more.
We started on the first floor in the West Tower, where we saw a sarcophagus from Egypt, marble statues from Rome, ceramic jars from Greece, and much more.
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One of the most interesting displays, I thought, was a set of four canopic jars from Egypt, circa 1000 B.C. “What’s a canopic jar?” you ask. It is a lidded container that holds mummified organs! The lids, which are in the shape of heads, represent the Four Sons of Horus (Qebehsenuf, Dumutef, Imsety, and Hapi), the protectors who watch over the organs. The jars on display held the organs of a man named Pef-abekh-neith. The baboon-headed Hapi, second from the right (I believe), guards this man’s lungs.
The exhibits on the second and third floors featured Japan, China, Korea, India, and other Asian countries and regions. There we saw porcelain pottery and vases, tall urns, small figurines, and tapestries and panels.
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The third floor also housed a full-size Scholar’s Studio (Chinese), where a man would read and study, entertain close friends, and “cultivate the Confucian ideal of wenren – literally, 'man of culture.'” This studio would make a great home study!
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The fourth-floor displayed art and artifacts from Oceania – the thousands of islands in the central and southern regions of the Pacific Ocean, which include Australia and Polynesia. Debra and I loved these colorful (and somewhat whimsical) wooden objects – a mask and figurine.
From the fourth floor we walked across a sky bridge to the East Tower, where we entered a room filled with European art. The artists included 16th century Italian artist Bonifacio Veronese (The Holy Family with a Shepherd) and 17th century French artist Hyacinthe Rigaud (Daniel Francois Voisin). There were many pieces of beautiful Wedgewood pottery and porcelain vases displayed alongside the paintings. The sculpted reliefs on the Wedgewood vases were scenes from three well-known paintings by European artists. The fine porcelain vase, manufactured in Germany in the 1890s, was one of the most intricately designed we have seen (click image to enlarge).
From the fourth floor we walked across a sky bridge to the East Tower, where we entered a room filled with European art. The artists included 16th century Italian artist Bonifacio Veronese (The Holy Family with a Shepherd) and 17th century French artist Hyacinthe Rigaud (Daniel Francois Voisin). There were many pieces of beautiful Wedgewood pottery and porcelain vases displayed alongside the paintings. The sculpted reliefs on the Wedgewood vases were scenes from three well-known paintings by European artists. The fine porcelain vase, manufactured in Germany in the 1890s, was one of the most intricately designed we have seen (click image to enlarge).
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There was a small gallery of Texas and regional art on the third floor. Truth be told, we walked through without stopping, as at a glance nothing caught our attention.
(At this point, for some inexplicable reason, I stopped taking photos - so I have none of my own from the first through third floors of the East Tower to share with you.)
The second floor included exhibits of Spanish Colonial, Latin American, and contemporary art – paintings, wooden boxes, figurines, furniture, pottery, and more. (Images from SAMA website.)
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The first-floor gallery featured American paintings, drawings, and sculptures from the 18th to 20th centuries. We recognized the names of a few artists – Winslow Homer (Boy Fishing), Andrew Wyeth (Portrait of Henriette), and John Singer Sargent (Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt, to the right), among them. Several early 20th century vases caught our eye as well - Rookwood Pottery from Cincinnati, Ohio, which is where Debra grew up. (Images from SAMA website.)
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As we drove from the museum, I asked Debra, “What was your favorite exhibit?” (It was a rhetorical question, really, because I already knew her answer.) She said, “The paintings by European artists." Debra has always favored the European artists no matter the museum we visited. Me? I like “old stuff” – ruins and such – so my favorites were the exhibits of ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece.
We had a very enjoyable experience at SAMA – great art in a wonderful setting!
We had a very enjoyable experience at SAMA – great art in a wonderful setting!
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Market Square
We passed a street fair as we neared our hotel. I thought, “Hmmm..another cultural opportunity.” Debra, on the other hand, was thinking, “I’ve had enough walking around.” I dropped her (and the car) at our hotel and walked to the fair, which was just a few blocks away. The fair was in the historic Market Square, a three-block outdoor plaza of shops and restaurants that is the largest Mexican market in the United States. Market Square, decorated with colorful fiesta flags, bustled with people. As I wandered through the square, I smelled the mouth-watering aroma of grilled vegetables and meats before I spotted the food vendors who sold tacos, tamales, quesadillas, and more. There was a stage in the middle of the square, where I stopped to listen to a female vocalist accompanied by a fellow who strummed a Mexican guitarrón. What a fun experience this was! |
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Houston Bound
Debra and I spent a quiet evening at the hotel, enjoying a simple dinner from a nearby market.
Tomorrow, after three fun-filled days in San Antonio, we will drive the “scenic route” to Houston through Texas Hill Country and the towns of San Marcos, Bastrop, and Brenham. We have our fingers crossed that we will see fields of Texas bluebonnets along the way!
Debra and I spent a quiet evening at the hotel, enjoying a simple dinner from a nearby market.
Tomorrow, after three fun-filled days in San Antonio, we will drive the “scenic route” to Houston through Texas Hill Country and the towns of San Marcos, Bastrop, and Brenham. We have our fingers crossed that we will see fields of Texas bluebonnets along the way!