AMY VISITS SAN ANTONIO'S RIVERWALK

Pam and yours truly waiting in the San Antonio Airport for Amy's arrival.  Yup, decked out in our Texas hats and boots.

Amy and her Mom after Amy got over the "shock" of seeing her Mom in a cowgirl hat and boots!!

The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of Downtown San Antonio.  Lined by bars, shops and restaurants, the River Walk is an important part of the city's urban fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right.

the following is a quote from Wikipedia:

In September 1921, a disastrous flood along the San Antonio River took 50 lives.   Plans were then developed for flood control of the river. Among the plans was to build an upstream dam (the Olmos Dam) and bypass a prominent bend of the river in the Downtown area, and then to pave over the bend, and create a storm sewer.

Work began on the Olmos Dam and bypass channel in 1926; however, the San Antonio Conservation Society successfully protested the paved sewer option. No major plans came into play until 1929, when San Antonio native and architect Robert Hugman submitted his plans for what would become the River Walk. Although many have been involved in development of the site, the leadership of former mayor Jack White was instrumental in passage of a bond issue that raised funds to empower the 1938 “San Antonio River Beautification Project”, which began the evolution of the site into the present 2.5-mile-long River Walk.

Amy and Pam on one of the archway bridges across the river.

The "present day" 2.5 mile long River Walk has since been expanded on numerous occasions and now stretches some 8+ miles throughout the city.   It has become the city's #1 tourist attraction (relegating The Alamo to #2) and is enjoyed by locals as well.   The Riverwalk has been on Amy's "bucket list" for some time......now she gets to cross it off.

San Antonio is a charming city....hard to believe I am saying that for one of the 10 most populated cities in the USA... the photo to the left captures much of the southwestern charm and flavor one can expect when visiting. Visitors can also get great Tex-Mex food here....and it is possible to find the real deal when it comes to Mexican food...given that over 50% of the city's population are of Mexican descent!

This placard on a small adobe home's wall along the river walk got my attention.....El Retiro 515 indeed looks inviting.

One doesn't tire of visiting the River walk in San Antonio....it is a wonderful and quiet (during the week, that is) place to move about the city in a way that almost allows you to forget there is a city of nearly 1.5 million folks one story above where you are walking.   I have visited more times than I can count and it still holds a kind of fascination for me. 

  Beautifully crafted tile work above depicts much of the history of the city and the region, to include the Alamo and the other missions along the San Antonio Mission Trail. 

  

If it isn't already, do yourself a favor and put San Antonio and its river walk on your bucket list.....you won't regret it.