Bay View RV Resort – Rockport, Texas – January 2-15, 2017

We haven’t updated our blog for a while so I thought I’d share a few things with you from the past couple of weeks.

Our activities continued much the same as the past little while, with Yoga, Texas Hold’em, Pegs & Jokers, the walking exercise class and, Dick working at the office; then there were dinners out at Oyster House, the clubhouse and Panjo’s Pizza. We did add one more activity: Dick and I are taking a dance class at the clubhouse every Friday afternoon, taught by our friend Bob. So far we’ve learned the two-step after just one lesson. 

Tuesday evening last week we had a neighborhood fish fry at Gary and Pam’s. They have a rather large cement patio and open yard free of trees where it’s easier to accommodate a large gathering. About 50 of us got together to enjoy fried fish, shrimp and potluck side dishes. Fun times! Afterward Gary started a campfire where a few of us die-hards gathered for a while, until the chilly temperatures chased us home. 

Tuesday Dick and I packed up, got in our rental car and headed to San Antonio for the week, to care for our 3-year old granddaughter, Anastasia, while her mom, Hollee, attended an Isagenix conference. We had intended to take her to the San Antonio Aquarium, the Doseum (the only museum just for children where kids learn by doing, creating and tinkering—instead of just looking and listening), the zoo, and along the Riverwalk, but none of that happened. Instead, we ended up caring for a sick little girl in our hotel room for 3 days. She had come down with a bad cold, cough and runny nose. We did manage to venture out for a little walk around the neighborhood and to eat out, but she was pretty miserable.  Our hotel had complimentary breakfasts every day so that helped with scheduling.

 

Across the street from our hotel (Best Western Alamo Suites) was Lucy’s, a dog sitting/boarding/grooming place that could accommodate up to 250 dogs! Wow! So, we had to check that out. We were able to snag a private tour of the facility and Anastasia was able to pet one of the dogs being boarded. Other than the dogs barking—and some were quite large and noisy—everything went well.

That evening, Thursday, we drove to Señor Veggie, a true vegan restaurant in the heart of downtown San Antonio, to meet up with Hollee and some gals from her Isagenix team for dinner. Hmm, not so much a fan of vegan, although the black bean nachos were pretty good. The “mac and cheese” that Dick ordered was made with organic pasta, steamed broccoli, a cashew “cheese” sauce (okay, but we prefer real cheese), with an almond “parmesan” and breadcrumb topping. I ordered the “portabella fajitas” made from grilled zucchini (they were out of portabella mushrooms), sautéed peppers and onions, brown rice, black beans, Romaine and, corn tortilla strips. Various other dishes were ordered by the others, which they all seemed to enjoy. (Give us a good ol’ hamburger or steak any day!)

Friday we stayed in the hotel; Anastasia was really not feeling well. She kept saying, “I’m not feeling well; I’m feeling ill, and I feel like I’m going to faint.” Oh, out of the mouths of little children…ha! She did take a long nap that afternoon, during which her fever broke and she felt much better. Dick picked up takeout from Wendy’s so we could eat in the room. Anastasia ate grapes. 

 

Saturday morning Hollee took Anastasia to the conference with her so that freed up Dick and me to do a bit of exploring. Skies were overcast and a bit of drizzle was in the air (as it had been over the course of the week) but that didn’t deter us from visiting 4 of the 5 San Antonio missions in the area, the 5^th being the Alamo.

The chain of missions along the San Antonio River were established in the early 1700s, and were Spain’s most successful attempt to extend its domain northward from what we know today as Mexico. What started as dreams of wealth soon became futile so the Spaniards concentrated on spreading the Catholic faith among the frontier Indians. (As an aside, over 30 Spanish missions and 19 presidios were established in today’s Texas from 1659 to 1795, with their main emphasis on converting the Indians to Christianity. The missions and presidios also offered Indians sanctuary from their enemies.) Early missions were unwalled communities built of wood or adobe, but later, as tensions rose between the French, northern Indian tribes and mission residents, the mission structures were encircled by stone walls. 

San Antonio’s 5 Spanish missions (Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan, Mission Espada and Mission San Antonio de Valero also known as The Alamo) are the largest collection of Spanish colonial architecture in the United States. These 5 missions are built within 3 miles from the next, proving critical to Texas’ history and heritage. They helped shape the San Antonio landscape with their acequias, fields, ranchland, and compounds. Peoples from the Indian culture and from around the empire of this “New Spain” came together to share technology, art and cultures, all the while continuing to play an important role in early Mexican history and in the struggle for Texas independence.

Franciscan friars within the missions aspired to teach community harmony through Catholic sacraments of baptism, communion, reconciliation, confirmation, and marriage. In turn the Native Indians were expected to give up their own religion, culture, and even their names. They were expected to become Spanish. Today the blend of their native lives with Spanish and Catholic cultures comprises the rich cultural heritage known throughout San Antonio.

After close supervision Native Americans were expected to mature in Christianity and Spanish political and economic practices until they would no longer require special mission status. Then their communities could be incorporated into “ordinary” colonial society, or secularized. The mission's communal properties were privatized, the direction of civil life became a purely secular affair, and the direction of church life was transferred from the missionary religious orders to the Catholic diocesan church. Often this secularization caused the downward spiral of the mission community.

 

We had been to The Alamo on previous trips so we didn’t stop there. (Founded in 1718 The Alamo was the first mission on the San Antonio River.)

Our first stop was to the Mission Concepción. This mission has stood the test of time and elements for over 250 years, and is one of the country’s oldest original stone churches. Named Neustra Señora de la Pruisiima Concepción, the church looks essentially the same as it did in the mid-1700s. Colorful geometric designs once covered its surface—inside and out—and are still visible, providing glimpses into its colorful past. Experts restored original frescoes on the convento walls and ceiling in 1988. (The convento served as living and office space for the missionaries.) A conservation effort in 2010 exposed original frescoes in the sanctuary and nave. We were amazed at the beauty still visible.

Our next stop was to the Mission San José. Named Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo for the governor of the Province of Coahuila and Texas, it was proclaimed the “Queen of the Missions,” so named for its size and extraordinary Spanish colonial Baroque architecture and statuary. Construction began in 1768. For over 104 years this mission operated, until in 1824 it ceased operating. From then on the mission was neglected and in the years following Benedictines, Redemptorists, and Holy Cross Fathers ministered from the ruins. In 1931 the Franciscans returned to the mission and live there today.

On the grounds of the mission one can see the restored Indian quarters that surround the central common area, the restored granary (which could house enough maze to feed the entire population for a year), and the convent which provided a residence for the missionaries and lodging for visitors. The church, which was restored in the 1930s, boasts one of the premier examples of Spanish Colonial ornamentation in the U.S. with its Rose Window, although its sculptor and the significance of the window remain a mystery. There are 2 theories: one is that a Spanish carpenter carved the window to memorialize his sweetheart, Rosa, who was tragically lost at sea on her way to join him; the other is that the window was named after Saint Rose of Lima, the first saint of the New World. The mystery remains…

Next was a stop to the Mission San Juan, or San José de los Nazonis. Founded in 1731 by a Spanish Franciscan Order, it was named for a 15th century theologian and “warrior priest” from Italy, Saint John of Capestrano. The first chapel was constructed of brush and mud, and eventually a 2-bell bell tower was incorporated into the structure. In 1756 this building was replaced by a long granary with a flat roof and an attractive belfry. A larger church building was begun in 1760, but due to the lack of sufficient labor it was never completed. This Mission didn’t prosper as others did because lands allotted to it weren’t sufficient to support the amount of crops of livestock necessary to sustain it. The Mission, in 1762, reportedly owned 1,000 head of cattle, 3,500 sheep and goats, and 100 horses. By 1794 the Mission had become secularized, being attended by the resident priest at Mission Espada until 1813. It was then attended by the one remaining missionary at nearby Mission San José until 1824. The Mission’s native population either disbanded or moved, and the Mission was largely neglected until 1840 when religious services were once again conducted, this time by diocesan priests. The neighborhood surrounding the Mission is partially inhabited by descendants of the Missions population. In 1967 Franciscans returned to Mission San Juan.

In 1934, as part of a public works project, some of the native quarters and foundations of the unfinished church were unearthed. The church, priests’ quarters, and other structures were reconstructed during the 1960s. A $2.2 million renovation in 2012 stabilized the foundation of the mission’s church, which had started shifting due to the clay soil beneath the building. A pier-and-beam foundation was added that extends around the perimeter and as far as 29’ into the ground.

Our last stop was to the Mission Espada or Mission San Francisco de los Tejas. This is the oldest of the east Texas missions, and it still looks much as it did in the mid-1700s with its unique features and solitary character in the distinctive Spanish features of the church doorway, espadaña (or belltower), brick archways, and flowing acequias (irrigation ditches). Founded in 1690, along with several other missions, it served as a buffer against French encroachment from Louisiana. Today the church serves as the heart of the surrounding community which includes many mission descendants from the early church. Franciscans, clothed in their simple, brown habits, work in the convento. Surrounding the central common area of the mission are remnants of the Indian Quarters, granary, workshops and cemetery. The mission became secularized in 1794, but it was impoverished; each of the 15 remaining families received land, but shared equipment and supplies. An inventory of goods shared included 8 yokes of oxen, 1 cow and calf, 4 horses, 3 mules, 1,150 sheep, 2 looms, a few spinning wheels, 1 pair of shears per family, 3# of steel, 98# of lead, 2 cannons, 25# of iron, and 875# of wood.

We met up with Hollee and Anastasia at Denny’s, right across the street from the conference center, for lunch. Dick enjoyed a “Super Bird” sandwich (grilled turkey, cheese and bacon); Hollee had a “Fit Slam” (egg white and veggie scramble with fruit and an English muffin—hold the meat), and finished off Anastasia’s French toast. Anastasia did eat quite a bit of the fruit she was served. I enjoyed a grilled chicken chef salad. Then it was off to the conference for Hollee, and nap time for Anastasia.

Sunday morning we packed up, checked out, and headed in the direction of the airport to drop off Hollee and Anastasia for their trip back to Reno. They actually live in Incline Village on north Lake Tahoe, where they had had one of the biggest snowfalls in decades. Here’s a photo taken at nearby Mt. Rose on January 13, after just a couple days of snow.

On our way to the airport we stopped at the Alamo Quarry Marketplace for lunch.  The Canyon Café caught our eye. Since they started the company in 2002, the chefs at Canyon Café have created dishes that are really unique with flavors influenced by Spanish, Native American, and Western United States cultures. Sure glad we found this place! Décor is typical southwestern; wait staff is congenial and very accommodating. Chips and salsa were brought to our table first—we couldn’t get enough of them! The chips had a sweet and spicy flavor (brought by blending special spices and brown sugar together and heating them ever so slightly so the flavors came together perfectly); the salsa was thick and had a smoky chipotle flavor that paired with the chips oh, so well. Then came the entrees. Anastasia had the cheese quesadillas from the child’s menu, that came with fries. Hollee noshed on a chicken avocado fajita wrap that included sautéed peppers and onions, fresh avocado, pico de gallo, lettuce and a creamy cilantro dressing, served with a side of southwestern fries. Dick ordered Pancho’s enchiladas platter, that included roasted chicken, Monterey Jack cheese and green onions wrapped in flour tortillas and topped with a 3-pepper cream sauce and tomato salsa, served with southwestern rice and tossed salad greens.  I’m a sucker for fajitas, and I wasn’t disappointed with their "flip and sizzling” chicken fajitas, grilled to order with sautéed onion and peppers, and served with southwest rice, black beans, soft flour tortillas and fajita toppings. YUM-YUM! Wish there was one closer to us—we’d definitely go back again and again!

Then, it was off to the airport to say our farewells to Hollee and Anastasia. We wish we could’ve done more with Anastasia, but maybe next time…

That's it for this week.  Stay tuned for more! We leave you with a view of the sunset over the Aransas Bay Marina, taken from the Oyster House. Enjoy!

RJ and Gail