Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah (Part 7)

This entry is part 7 of 30 in the series Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah

April 7, 2024

Coast-to-coast: San Francisco to Savannah (Part 7)

By Simon J. Lau

This morning, I visited the Alamo. It’s an iconic symbol of Texas independence. This historic mission-turned-fortress was the site of the famous Battle of the Alamo in 1836, during the Texas Revolution. Despite being vastly outnumbered, a small group of Texan defenders held off Mexican forces for 13 days before ultimately being defeated. The bravery displayed at the Alamo became a rallying cry for Texas independence and continues to be revered in American history.

I never imagined it would be this popular. I assumed it would be somewhat visited, but not the most popular tourist attraction in Texas. As I navigated through the crowds, I began to delve deeper into the history of the Alamo. My favorite discovery was this YouTube video, which provides a comprehensive overview of the New Spain era, Mexican Independence era, short-lived Texas Republic, and American annexation. It’s thorough and helps contextualize this landmark within history.

Afterward, we visited the River Walk, an urban oasis winding through the heart of San Antonio. Lined with lush greenery, lively cafes, and colorful shops. Visitors can stroll along the meandering pathways, cruise down the waterways, or dine al fresco at one of the many riverside restaurants. It was adjacent to the Alamo and nearly just as crowded, it was neat to see but too bustling for my liking.

Finally, I began to prepare for the solar eclipse tomorrow. Initially, I considered staking out a spot at Eisenhower Park, which I visited today. However, after spending a considerable amount of time reviewing the weather forecasts, it’s evident that it’ll remain overcast tomorrow. A storm is brewing, and the cloud cover is thickening. In other words, it’s unlikely I’ll be able to see the eclipse, but we’ll still experience total darkness.

To simplify things for myself, and since my hotel is located in totality, I found the best spot in the parking lot: directly under a tree and facing the building for greater shade cover. My thought is that although checkout is at 11 and the partial eclipse doesn’t begin until ~12:40, we can continue to use this place as a home base. If need be, I can roll down the windows and leave Bruno in the car. Let’s hope it works out!