 DAVY CROCKETT'S TRAVEL ADVICE IS SEEN OFTEN IN TEXAS |
 THE 5 MISSIONS OF SAN ANTONIO ARE NOT TO BE MISSED |
 A TOUR OF THE MISSIONS BEGINS AT THE ALAMO IN DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO |
 THE SPANISH MISSIONS OF SAN ANTONIO WERE SMALL CITIES BEHIND A WALLED FORTIFICATION |
 MISSION CONCEPCION IS THE LEAST RESTORED OF ALL THE MISSIONS OF SAN ANTONIO |
 SARA WOULD HAVE FIT RIGHT IN WITH THE RELIGION CLASSES AT THE MISSION |
 MISSION SAN JOSE IS THE LARGEST AND MOST WELL PRESERVED OF ALL THE MISSIONS |
 THE CHURCH AT SAN JOSE IS BEAUTIFUL AND STILL AN ACTIVE PARISH CHURCH |
 THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH IS BEAUTIFUL |
 AT ONE TIME THE ENTIRE CHURCH WAS COVERED WITH DESIGNS WHICH NOW HAVE MOSTLY WEATHERED AWAY |
 THIS IS THE FAMOUS ROSE WINDOW OF MISSION SAN JOSE |
 THE FRONT GATES OF THE MISSION GROUNDS ARE STUDDED WITH GUN PORTS |
 THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY CANALS THAT BROUGHT WATER TO EACH MISSION |
 WATER WAS USED TO IRRIGATE CROPS AND GRIND FLOUR AT THE MILLS |
 SARA IN FRONT OF MISSION SAN JUAN |
 OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE IS REVERED AT THE MISSIONS AND BY THE NATIVE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO |
 THE CHURCH AT SAN JUAN WAS ALL DECKED OUT FOR CHRISTMAS |
 THE BUILDINGS OF THE MISSIONS OF SAN ANTONIO ARE MONITERED CONSTANTLY BY THE PARK SERVICE FOR DAMAGE |
 MISSION ESPADA IS THE SOUTHERN MOST OF THE SAN ANTONIO MISSION |
 THE CHURCH AT MISSION ESPADA IS BEAUTIFUL |
 THE WALLS OF THE MISSION ESAPADA |
 THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IN RURAL TEXAS IS NOT TO BE MISSED |
 THE SHEER NUMBER OF LIGHTS IS HARD TO IMAGINE |
 THESE HUGE LIVE OAKS WERE COVERED WITH LIGHTS JUST INCHES APART |
 THE LIGHTS TURNED NIGHT INTO DAY |
 SARA LIKED THE COLORED LIGHTS THE MOST |
 MANY OF THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS DISPLAYS HAVE LIGHTED FIGURES |
 SPECTACULAR............... |
 HOW MUCH TIME DID IT TAKE TO PUT UP ALL THESE LIGHTS.. |
 HOW COULD YOU GET MORE CHRISTMASY THAN THIS SCENE! |
 A CHRISTMAS TRIP TO TEXAS WITHOUT VISITING THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS WOUD BE A REAL MISTAKE |
 WE SO ENJOYED THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IN RURAL TEXAS HILL COUNTRY |
 OUR CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER STARTED AT THE FAMOUS SAN ANTONIO CHART HOUSE HIGH ATOP THE TOWER OF THE AMERICAS |
 WE STARTED WITH AN ELEVATOR TRIP 750 FT UP........ |
 LOOK AT THAT VIEW AND WE ARRIVED JUST BEFORE SUNSET |
 SARA LOOKED FABULOUS AS USUAL |
 THE CHART HOUSE RESTAURANT REVOLVED SLOWLY AS WE DINED PROVIDING AN EVER CHANGING VIEW |
 THE SUNSET OVER SAN ANTONIO WAS AWESOME |
 THE THOUSANDS OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TWINKLED BELOW US IN THE DARK |
 CHRISTMAS EVE 2009 DINNER COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR US |
 THE TOWER OF THE AMERICAS WAS PART OF THE 1968 WORLD FAIR IN SAN ANTONIO |
 AT TRIP TO THE OBSERVATION DECK ATOP THE TOWER OF THE AMERICAS IS WORTH IT EVEN DURING THE DAY |
 INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES MUSEUM IS WORTH A VISIT |
 THIS IS A VIEW OF THE MUSEUM FROM ATOP THE TOWER OF THE AMERICAS |
 WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE THISFAMOUS TEXANS' FOOTWEAR? |
 EVEN LAURA'S TENNIES ARE DISPLAYED |
 A TYPICAL GERMAN KITCHEN WAS REPRODUCED |
 THIS WAS A NATIVE PEOPLE'S DISPLAY |
 THE TEXANS LOVE THEIR QUILTS |
 THE CHURCH OF SAN JOSE IS THE LOCATION OF THE MARIACHI MASS |
 THE GROUNDS OF THE CHURCH ARE COVERED WITH THESE LIVE OAKS SOME OF WHICH NEEDED SOME HELP TO STAY OFF THE GROUND |
 THE ARCHES OF THE CHURCH ARE DRAMATIC |
 SARA AND THE LADY OF GUADALUPE JUST BEFORE MASS |
 THE IRON WORK NEAR THE CHURCH IS INSPIRING |
 THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH IS DRAMATIC IN ITS SIMPLICITY |
 THE LIGHTS ADDED TO THE CHURCH'S BEAUTY |
 EVEN A BIRD JOINED US FOR THE MARIACHI MASS-ST ANTONY WOULD HAVE BEEN PLEASED |
 THE MARIACHI BAND BEGAN THE SERVICE WITH TRUMPET CALLS |
 THE SPANISH CHOIR WAS WELL REHEARSED AND YOU COULD RECOGNIZE ALL THE SONGS AS THEY WERE PART OF THE MASS |
 THE FRANCISCAN FRIAR WITH THE MARIACHI BAND |
 NOTICE THE HUGE GUITARRON AT THE FAR RIGHT-IT IS PLUCKED MORE THAN STRUMMED LIKE A REGULAR GUITAR |
 THIS COUPLE WAS CELEBRATING A WEDDING ANNIVERSARY AND WAS HONORED AT THE END OF THE MASS |
 LOCAL SAN ANTONIANS LOVE TO DRESS UP FOR MASS IN TRADITIONAL GARB |
 THE FAMOUS RIVER WALK OF SAN ANTONIO IS FUN DURING THE DAY |
 AND THE STREET SCULPTURES RISE UP TO THE SKY-THIS ONE IS A GIFT FROM THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO |
 .BUT IT IS AT NIGHT TIME WHEN THE RIVER WALK BECOMES CHRISTMAS EYE CANDY |
 A BOAT TOUR IS THE ONLY WAY TO SEE THE RIVERWALK AT CHRISTMAS |
 THE BRIDGES PROVIDE A FOCAL POINT FOR THE RIVERWALK |
 THE WALK WAYS ALONG THE RIVERWALK WERE FILLED WITH STROLLERS |
 ANOTHER BRIDGE COVERED WITH LIGHTS |
 THE MANY SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS WERE ALL OPEN FOR HOLIDAY SHOPPERS |
 THIS DISPLAY WAS ONE OF OUR FAVORITES |
 WHAT CAN ONE SAY....BEAUTIFUL |
 WHAT A PLACE TO SHOP |
 THE WATER WAS AGLOW WITH CHRISTMAS COLOR |
 IMAGINE LIVING AT THIS CONDO ON THE RIVER WALK |
 BEAUTIFUL EVEN WHEN A BIT OUT OF FOCUS |
 THIS WAS THE PLAZA AT THE RIVER MALL.......WOW |
 OUR FELLOW TOUR BOAT PASSENGERS-LOOK AT THE CHILDREN'S FACES.. |
 OUR RIVER WALK BOAT TOUR WAS ALMOST OVER |
 ONE MORE LOOK BACK |
 OUR VISIT TO RIVER WALK AT SAN ANTONIO WILL LONG BE REMEMBERED AND CHERISHED |
 DO SAN ANTONIO AT CHRISTMAS AND Y'ALL WILL UNDERSTAND |