We woke Monday to temperatures already in the high 70s by 8 a.m. They climbed steadily throughout the day to a degree or so below 100 by mid-afternoon. It was a hot day for Dick's birthday (he turned 70!), so we spent the day running errands, and kickin' back. (We had already celebrated with his dinner of choice last week at Cappellini's, with friends from the park). He did work a bit that day in the RV resort office; and we made sure that everywhere we went was air conditioned. After the chilly winter we had, it was difficult to adjust to the high temps and high humidity.
Tuesday's temps were a bit better. They reached a high of only 90. The humidity had dropped significantly, so it made for a more comfortable workday as I cleaned inside and Dick cleaned outside, packing exterior items for our Thursday departure.
Our last game of Pegs and Jokers was played with Bill and Carole, Jim and Patsy on Wednesday afternoon. Bill and Patsy leave Thursday, as do we, leaving Bill and Carole to hold the fort. Unfortunately, the gals could not pull a win out of the bag; guys: 4, gals: 0. To make up for our loss we made sure the winners (the guys) paid for our dinner that night: pizza at Panjo's Pizza in Rockport. Yum-yum! Nothing like 2 large supreme pizzas to put our misery behind us!
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| L to R: Carole, Bille, Jimmy, Patsy and me |
We arrived at Triple T RV Resort on Bandera Highway in Kerrville by 3:35. Although the temperatures were in the high 80s to low 90s there was a nice breeze, making for a more comfortable set-up. It's a pleasant little park, with lots of pull-through sites. They have extraordinarily clean laundry and private shower facilities (not the case in many of the parks we've been in), a small workout room, a pool, and a clubhouse.
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| Triple T office |
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| Our site |
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| Our neighbor Annette with Calypso. Annette and John (her husband) have had Calypso 21 years. What a hoot! He says "Hello," "Bye-bye," "Want breakfast," "Want lunch," "Want supper," Don't be a brat," and many other phrases. |
Dick and I felt a Whataburger was in order, so in to Kerrville we went. Yum! We were able to get the lay of the land during our drive, too, for our expeditions over the next few days.
Fredericksburg, Texas drew us on Friday, for a day of exploring the town, the National Museum of the Pacific War and Nimitz Museum. First, here's just a bit of history of Fredericksburg (experted from brochures from the Visitors Bureau, Wikipedia, and other history websites).
"Fredericksburg is the county seat of Gillespie County, situated in the heart of what is known as the Texas Hill Country. And, the so-called "hallmark" of the town is the 3.5 mile-long Main Street, which runs through the business district. Century-old native limestone homes and stone commercial buildings stand side-by-side helping to bring and keep history alive.
Fredericksburg, named after Prince Frederick of Prussia, was founded in 1846 by Baron Otfried Hans von Meusbach, new Commissioner General of the "Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas." He, along with 120 men, women and children arrived here in 20 oxen-driven two-wheeled Mexican-made carts. As each family settled, they received a 100-foot by 200-foot "town lot" and a 10-acre "out lot" designated to be used for farmland. (Noted as the home of Texas German, many of the first generations of German settlers refused to learn English.)
During the first half of the 20th Century, Fredericksburg remained much like other Texas hill country farm and ranch communities of German heritage, isolated from the commercialization of their culture. Things began to change when Lyndon B. Johnson became Vice President of the United States. Probably the most momentous event happened on April 16, 1961, when Johnson, Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz and the first Chancellor of West Germany Konrad Adenauer helicoptered in to the Fredericksburg fairgrounds racetrack for a reception. West Germany Chancellor Ludwig Erhard also visited Fredericksburg later that year.
On November 22, 1963, when Lyndon Johnson became President, global attention focused on the Texas White House at nearby Stonewall. The Nimitz Hotel served as headquarters for the media as they reported their favorable impressions of the area with reporting on the president. Throughout LBJ's vice presidency and presidency, Fredericksburg prospered from the tourist trade, changing it from an isolated community into one catering to the tourist dollar.
Fredericksburg has profited from spill-over tourism of nearby Luckenbach, as well, ever since Jerry Jeff Walker recorded his landmark 1973 Viva Terlingua album at the Luckenbach dance hall, and the hit Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) was recorded by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson in 1977. Additionally, the National Museum of the Pacific War and Nimitz Museum has become a huge draw to military history buffs.
The Fredericksburg-Stonewall area has become known as the Peach Capital of Texas. Herb farms, grape culture, lavender production and wildflower seeds have become burgeoning businesses in Fredericksburg, as well."
As you can see, there was a lot to see and do during our few short hours here. Our walk through Fredericksburg started at the
Marktplatz (Market Place), and the Vereins Kirche Museum.
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| Vereins Kirche Museum |
The
Vereins Kirche (Union Church) was one of the first buildings German pioneers
constructed in Fredericksburg in the summer of 1847. The building was originally
located in very center of Main Street between the courthouse and Market Square.
During the fifty years that is was in use, it served as a community hall,
schoolhouse, church and, occasionally, a fort. Because
of its octagonal shape, the original structure was affectionately
called “Die Kaffee-Muehle” (the coffee mill). There were strategic reasons to
choose an octagon shape for this building. The town had peaceful relations with
the Comanche people but in case things would go bad, the church would have to
serve as a fort and an octagonal building offered the best all-around view. As
it turned out, as of today, the German/Comanche Peace Treaty is the only treat between white settlers
and Native Americans that has never been broken.
The
Vereins-Kirche was used until 1896 when it became unstable and was consequently
razed. When the Gillespie County Historical Society was formed in 1934, its
first goal was the construction of a replica of the old church, with the
assistance of the Civil Works Administration, to be completed in time for the
Texas Centennial celebration in 1936. The replica used the original cornerstone
and is designed like the old Vereins-Kirche, though its walls are stone instead
timber. The dimensions are the same as the original building. The new building
was constructed 300 feet north of its original location, in the center of
Marktplatz. The replica of the Vereins-Kirche was originally used as a museum
and library. It is now houses the archives for the Gillespie County Historical
Society
From there we walked up and down Main Street taking
in the historical aspects of the town.
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| Sign says," I used to play with the Grateful Dead." Ha! |
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| Visitor Center |
After walking through the downtown area we visited
the Admiral Nimitz Museum, National Museum of the Pacific War, the Memorial
Walk, and the Plaza of the Presidents. Dedicated to those who served in the
Pacific War, these memorials were not only impressive, but very humbling, to
think that so many men and women served, fought and many lost their lives
fighting for our freedom.
Our first stop was the Admiral Nimitz Museum. Built
by Charles Nimitz, Sr., the museum is dedicated to telling the story of not
only Fredericksburg, but also the Nimitz family and the long and successful
Naval career of Fleet Admiral Charles W. Nimitz.
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| Fleet Admiral Nimitz |
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| Nimitz Hotel and Museum |
Next on our list was the Memorial Walk. What an
impressive and humbling experience, seeing the more than 2,000 plaques lining
the 100-year old limestone walls surrounding the Memorial Courtyard and the
Plaza of the Presidents. Individuals, ships or units from all over the United
States or Allied military branches of service that served in the Pacific during
WWII are honored. The commemorative plaque program began with the dedication of
the Memorial Wall December 7, 1977, and continues today. Inscribed on the
dedication wall are the words of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz on the day he
accepted the surrender document in Tokyo Bay:
“They
fought together as brothers in arms; they died together and now they sleep side
by side. To them we have a solemn obligation to insure that their sacrifice
will help make this a better and safer world in which to live.”
The Plaza of the Presidents was next. Dedicated to
our nation’s leaders who served during WWII, there are monuments of Presidents Roosevelt,
Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon, Kennedy, LB Johnson, Carter, Reagan, George HW Bush, and GW Bush.
Time was growing short, as we made our way into the National Museum of the Pacific War. Over 33,000 square feet of space takes one from the
seeds of conflict through to the signing of the Japanese surrender in Tokyo
Bay. The museum houses 7 macro artifacts, including one of the 5 midget
Japanese subs used at Pearl Harbor, a B25 bomber, Wildcat Fighter, Japanese
float plane, Admiral’s Barge, Japanese Val dive bomber, and atomic bomb casing.
Also on display are personal artifacts from those who fought so valiantly.
Definitely worth seeing, and definitely a humbling experience.
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| A section of a door from the USS Arizona |
We were tuckered out by the time we returned home.
And, believe me, we slept well that night.
Saturday was a day to stay closer to home, and visit
nearby Bandera for their Market Days. The weather was beautiful, although it
was hot: 88 degrees by 3 p.m. The breeze helped, as well as the low humidity.
Bandera is a very small town best known for its dude ranches, as well as its large population of working cowboys. Thus it has been officially designated “Cowboy Capital of the World” by the State of Texas.
In the late 1800s longhorn cattle roamed free
throughout Texas. As they were rounded up, branded and herded north for sale,
Bandera was one of the gathering places for the over 7 million head of
Longhorns that were making their way through Texas and Oklahoma to railheads in
Kansas and Nebraska. Thus, the name, "Cowboy Capital of the World."
We made our way through the market that surrounded
the court house, then headed to Mi Pueblo for a wonderfully authentic Mexican
lunch of enchiladas, chips and salsa—oh, and the refreshing Dos Equis!
We wandered to the Heritage Park to watch a reenactment of life
in the cowboy capital, by the Bandera Cattle Company Co. It was rather silly, but
made the point that life in Bandera back then was hard and shootouts were
commonplace.
Returning to the RV resort we were surprised to see
a zebra grazing in one of the fields, as well as many dik-diks.
Sunday dawned bright and beautiful, and provided a
perfect day to drive the hour or so to San Antonio to see the Alamo and do the River
Walk. Dick had not seen either, and I hadn’t for quite a few years.
I don’t want to labor on the history of the Alamo,
but thought I’d share a few things. (Taken from Wikipedia, brochures from the Alamo and Daughters of the Republic of Texas, and various other websites.)
"The Alamo, originally named Misión San Antonio de
Valero, served as home to missionaries and their Indian converts for nearly 70
years. Construction began on the present site in 1724, and in 1793 Spanish
officials secularized San Antonio’s 5 missions and distributed their lands to
the remaining Indian residents. In the early 1800s, the Spanish military
stationed a cavalry unit at the former mission, referring to the old mission as
the Alamo (Spanish word for “cottonwood”). The post’s commander established the
first recorded hospital in Texas in the Long Barrack, located to the left of
the Shrine and adjacent to the Convento Courtyard.
San Antonio and the Alamo played a critical role in
the Texas Revolution. In December 1835 Texian and Tejano volunteers fought
against Mexican troops quartered in the city, forcing a surrender after 5 days
of house-to-house fighting. The victorious volunteers then occupied the Alamo,
strengthening its defenses. On February 23, 1836 Santa Anna’s army nearly
caught them by surprise, but undaunted, the Texians and Tejanos defended the
Alamo together for nearly 13 days. Couriers were sent out carrying pleas for
help to communities in Texas. On the 8th day of the siege, a band of
32 volunteers arrived, bringing the number of defenders to nearly 200. With the
hope of additional help fading, it is told that a line was drawn on the ground,
and any man willing to stay and fight to step over the line. All except one
did. They believed the Alamo was key to the defense of Texas, and they were
ready to give their lives rather than surrender to Santa Anna. Among the Alamo’s
garrison were Jim Bowie and David Crockett.
The final assault came before daybreak on the
morning of March 6, 1836. Columns of Mexican soldiers emerged from the predawn
darkness and headed for the Alamo’s walls. Cannon and small arms fire from
inside the Alamo beat back several attacks, but the Mexicans regrouped, scaled
the walls and rushed into the compound. Once inside, they turned captured
cannon on the Long Barrack and church, blasting upon the barricaded doors. The
desperate struggle continued until the defenders were overwhelmed. By sunrise
the battle had ended and Santa Anna entered the Alamo compound to survey the
scene of his victory.
While facts surrounding the siege of the Alamo
continue, there is no doubt about what the battle had come to symbolize. The
Alamo is remembered as a heroic struggle against overwhelming odds—a place
where men made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom."
Today, the Alamo has been entrusted to the Daughters
of the Republic of Texas (DRT) by the Texas State Legislature with its care and
maintenance. According to Texas Law, the
DRT must preserve the historic site “as a sacred memorial to the heroes who
immolated themselves upon that hallowed ground.”
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| The Alamo Compound as it was in 1836 |
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| The Alamo Sales Museum: built in 1936, this structure contains both the gift shop and exhibits on Texas history |
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| Courtyard behind The Shrine |
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| Prickly pear in bloom (above) and large oak tree (below) in Convento Courtyard |
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| Memorial in Alamo Plaza to honor those who served and lost their lives |
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| The Acequia; the waterway marks the remains of the irrigation system that served the Spanish communities along the San Antonio River. |
Then, we did the “River Walk.” For
those of you who are unfamiliar with the River Walk, (also known as Paseo del
Rio) it is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one level
below the automobile streets of downtown San Antonio. The River is lined by
bars, shops and restaurants, and is an important part of the city’s urban
fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right. The River Walk winds and
loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks connect major tourist draws from
the Alamo to Rivercenter Mall, and much more. During the annual springtime
Fiesta San Antonio, the River Parade features flowery floats that float down the
river.
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| Map of the San Antonio River Walk |
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| Just one of the many entrances to the River Walk |
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| A mosaic mural of The Alamo and River Walk, done in 1/2" (or smaller) tiles. Beautiful, and a work of art! |
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| Domesticated mallards are commonplace along the River Walk. |
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| Love this shot of a mallard giving himself a bath! |
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| The twin Cyprus tree is located at the intersection of the San Antonio River and the River Walk loop |
Whew! I’m worn out writing about all we
did, but we’re so glad we took the time to see and do. Hope you’ve enjoyed seeing these sites
through our eyes; if not—come see for yourselves!
That’s it for this week. Stay tuned…there’ll
be more as we head next to Carlsbad Caverns!
Hugs,
RJ and Gail
Carlsbad Caverns are a lot of fun. We took Mari there when she was 2 /12 when we were on our way back from Germany....Would love to go back again. Can't wait to see your pix from there!
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