Visiting the Alamo

We all seem to forget that the Alamo was a Mission before it became the site of a bloody battle. The battle was for Texas Independence from Mexico. Texians  or Texicans  both white and Hispanic desired independence. President General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna brought 1800 troops to take back the Alamo and recover Texas.

Facing the Alamo this is to the left and called the Long Barracks. An Outside view.On the inside of that wall are rooms.

This is the inner side of the wall above, you see one limb of the huge Live Oak shown below.


This is the inside of the Right side facing the Alamo. This is just inside and unlike the other side this is a passageway. It looks the same outside as the Right view.

This is the front entrance of the gift shop in the courtyard.
William Travis and Jim Bowie were co-commanding the troops in the Alamo when Davy Crockett and many volunteers arrived to assist the Texians.

(The above pictures are of the giant monument out front, below the carved figures are the names of all that died inside the Alamo)
It was February-March 6, but the battle was the 13 days ending March 6, 1836.  It was a terrible battle,  400-600 Mexican soldiers died and 189 defenders died, every last one in the Alamo was killed.
Remember the Alamo became a battle cry and Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto.  There were 189 Hispanics, Spanish, English, Texians and Americans killed.
My son Jack was sitting here and posed the question, how would you feel if you KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO DIE TODAY, not MAYBE, but for a fact.  They were given a chance to surrender by --- de Santa Anna, and every man choose to stand, KNOWING HE WAS ABOUT TO DIE!  A very hard question.
We glorify Crockett, Bowie and Travis but there were a 186 others of all colors just as brave. Of course I know the reason, their names were well known, but that does not lessen the courage of the 186.
This was our 3rd or 4th trip here. It has changed some. They do not allow pictures inside the Alamo, we visitors feel it is so the shop can sell photos and videos, who knows for sure. There is a claim that photography, especially flash, can destroy what cannonball, battering rams, small arms horses and knives could not. Just my observation.
I would declare that the Gorgeous Live Oak out in the court yard has grown ten feet wider since our last visit.

(The old well under the live oak, it is dry now)




I hope to show a little more tomorrow.
Thanks for dropping by and traveling with us.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Texas is a great state, lots of history and heritage. The Hispanic population here can count their Ancestors back in the USA longer than most of us.
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I list these as Cowboy trucks. Wouldn't you know it. Paula and John showed up in Paula’s beige truck (Butterflies on the windows), and I did not get a picture of it.

At last, we met Paula

For years I was a story teller to children. It was my passion. I built robots, puppets, drew chalk stories, made kites, used magic tricks and anything I could to teach and entertain kids. After losing my hearing it became impossible to interact with children so I decided to try my had at writing. I published my first book, ‘Sticky’, a novel of mystery and adventure. But down inside I wanted a children’s book.

I started following Paula on AOL journals and every once in awhile she would publish a childlike, silly catchy poem, such as a “Frog in Tennis Shoes”.  Then in one entry she told of a large land turtle in her back yard that she fed and conversed with, she called it Toby.

The idea was born, a book called “Toby’s Tales”. I floated the idea by Paula and asked if I could use some of her poems. She graciously agreed and sent me seven great poems:

The Texas Trio

Ode to Shellie Marie

Important Duty

Bunny Woman’s Work

Tea Party

Carrie Went to the Dentist and

Dilly Ducks Birthday.

(Sherry, Jack, Paula and John )

Meeting Paula was such a joy. She and I have corresponded almost daily thru the blogs for years, but have never met. She is just as gracious in person as she is on her Blog, Pauline’s country tales http://pl78064.blogspot.com/

Over the years we have learned that Pauline was married first to Mel. From her description they were a lot like Sherry & I. But Mel passed on and Pauline continued to live, and write. She is a natural poet, as the folks who have followed her blog know.

She now has John, and has had a chance to meet and talk to more animals, since they have a ranch. As we all know, no animal can approach her without being fed. LOL.

So, this has been a Stellar day for us. One more addition to the folks from the Blogs we have met. I declare that you guys blogging must be the cream of the crop. Every person we have met has been a special treat and as my mama would say, “A new wrinkle in our horns”.

Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

(Above a couple more water falls on San Antonio’s river walk)

Tomorrow I hope to finish our tour with more on the Alamo.(The boys have the VHS on of the Alamo, as I type this)

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I feel like another blogger, the driver won’t slow down for a good shot. But I did catch this much of the hot rod on the service road. If Richard Petty had slowed down I would have got a good shot. LOL

Remembering New Orleans…

We let the boys go out to play today and we stayed home. I took the time to figure how to get some photos off the phones.  While doing so I locked up my computer and a CD drive.  I finally got the job complete.

Some views from New Orleans:

Us with Fats Domino, Al Hirt and Pete Fountain.

the white suit is one of the posers, he stands like that for 30 minutes, while folk have their pictures took with him and the dog. On the right Mark posing with Mr. Mardi Gras.

Canal St. and the Super dome.

We boarded the Natchez A real steam boat paddle wheeler.

This is the Domino Sugar plant. the two steam shovels work over time unloading the barges of sugar cain.  There is the paddle wheel of course.

New Orleans skyline and a Coast Guard Boat passing.  The boys were surprised when I told them Fred Alton used to do that here in NOLA, when he was a Coastie.

There are always carriage rides and artists displaying their wares.

Engineers hard at work and Sherry in the Engine room of the Natchez.

I have too many pictures to post, but I wanted to go back and post some, after downloading them from the  phone.

Thanks for riding with us.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

It is not up into the summer yet, but I can understand why cowboys were burned brown tending the cows.

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A 1957 4dr. Hardtop Chevy. On Decatur St.

In the French Quarter.

What a difference a few months make.

We are here in the San Antonio area and having a great time.

We started off the morning at McDonalds. Sherry and I had our split biscuit with Jelly, jack had coffee and Mark the big breakfast. Mark finished first. Here he is outside looking in. He is the only smoker in the bunch and MUST get out side.

Jack picked CornerStone for church service. then off to down town. I cannot believe it has been this long since being here, I DO NOT remember as many high-rise roads and interchanges, and glass buildings:

I do remember some of the older hotels, but it seems several BIG new ones have popped up.

We made it back down town and the River Walk. Sherry and I love the River Walk. It is for tourists of course, but it is beautiful.

We stopped for lunch at the Hard Rock Café on the River Walk.

That is as far as our boys wanted to walk. So up to the Alamo.

It being Sunday, and thanks to Bin Laden and his terrorists, now every one must be scanned. The live was long the the boys want to ‘come back later.  Let’s see the Alamodome!

I mean, to a 75 year old man who is not interested in sports, HOW IN THE WORLD CAN THAT THING COMPETE WITH THE ALAMO?

A bunch of well fed and well paid grown men play a game here.  While, In the Alamo my man Davy was giving Sam Houston time to get read for battle, and getting ready to die.

Oh well I am such an old guy. Of course my sons are interested in the Alamo, we will go back on a week day, it was crowded, it was Sunday.

As we sat at the hard Rock Café, Sherry reminded me we always came here around Christmas, much cooler and pleasant walking the River Walk. Yeah a few months do make a difference.

Thanks for coming along to the River Walk.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

I just wanted to say, life is good.

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Remember the Firebird craze.  Didn’t James Gardner drive one of these? 1979!