San Antonio Trip -- Riverwalk

It was about time for me to do some driving, so we left to go get BonBons at her B&B. The owners lock the front door at 6pm sharp, and after that only guests answer the back door if they are expecting someone. Grace knocked and rang for quite a while, and finally stepped away to come around to the front. At that moment, I saw BonBons in the back! I thought she had opened the door, seen no one, and gone back in. By the time I got out of the car, she was gone. I told Grace, who returned to the back door.

We finally got it all straight, and it turned out BonBons had been lost for two hours trying to get back to her place! She was coming in when I saw her, not opening the door to come out. She was tired and almost decided to stay in, but then realized she would have to leave to go get food anyway, so she went ahead and came along.

Eagle and Mr. Eagle were otherwise occupied with family who live locally, so we found a place to park downtown, then walked to the Riverwalk to find a restaurant. We ended up at a place that I think had the name Three Canaries, but in Spanish. A call to Ninja and CanDo to tell them where we were, and we sat and looked at the menu.

I realized at once that this is what I call a once a year restaurant. The kind where the prices mean I want service to include everything but a foot massage. I knew that I could enjoy the beautiful salads, and I did so though it is the kind of treat I don't allow myself often. By the time Ninja and CanDo got there they just got drinks, but they had eaten earlier.

Sitting and watching everyone walk by, talking and laughing with friends, it was easy to pretend that this was something I do in everyday life. It is so far from ordinary, though eminently enjoyable, and I reveled in the time.

All too soon we had to leave, and we walked up one side of the Riverwalk and down the other, taking Ninja and CanDo to their respective hotels. Grace told us about festivals and fun things they do on the river through the year, including the mud throwing when they drain it each year for cleaning. Sounds like something #2 Son would want to get in on.

While we saw the beauty of the area, we also saw the sad part -- a very gaunt looking man was sitting by the side of the river, asking everyone who passed if they could get him something to eat. If I had been alone, I would have gone in to the small eatery he sat in front of, and bought him something. As it was, I was walking along with others and had to keep up, and felt stymied. I know, there is probably another person just around the corner asking the same thing. Still, even if I can't help all, I can stop and help one. That's part of what makes us human, that we can touch at least one other life.

Somehow, throughout our stay, we managed to confound doormen and concierges around the city -- CanDo and Ninja had found the restaurant in spite of instructions from their respective hotel staff, and as we left to take BonBons home, we got lost and stumped yet a couple of more people. After finally getting to one place Grace new, we took the long way, the one she was certain of, and everyone arrived home safe, but late.


Today is:

Armed Forces Day -- Indonesia

Day of Bansko -- Bansko, Bulgaria

Do Something Nice Day

Festival of the Five Toes -- Fairy Calendar

Improve Your Office Day

National Apple Betty Day

Republic Day -- Portugal

Sea Serpent Day

St. Placid's Day

Unicorn Questing Season begins

World Teachers Day


Birthdays Today:

Maya Ying Lin, 1959
Bernie Mac, 1957
Bob Geldof, 1954
Karen Allen, 1951
Glynis Johns, 1923
Donald Pleasence, 1919
Allen Ludden, 1917
Larry Fine, 1902
Chester A. Arthur, 1829
Denis Diderot, 1713
Jonathan Edwards, 1703


Today in History:

Founding of the city of Concepcion, Chile, 1550
The Gregorian calendar is introduced in Italy and other Catholic countries, 1582
March on Versailles by the women of Paris, 1789
Shawnee Chief Tecumseh killed in the battle of the Thames, 1813
Founding of the City of Anaheim, 1857
Destruction of most of Calcutta by cyclone, approximately 60,000 die, 1864
A strong hurricane devastates the Bay of Fundy region of Maritime Canada, 1869
Surrender of Chief Joseph, after the 1,700 mile retreat, marks the end of the Nez Pierce War, 1877
The first individual time trial for racing cyclists is held on a 50-mile course north of London, 1895
Sir Samuel Griffith is appointed the first Chief Justice of Australia and Sir Edmund Barton and Richard O'Connor are appointed as foundation justices, 1903
First appearance of the Little Orphan Annie comic strip in the NYC Daily News, 1924
Suffrage is extended to women in France, 1944
The 1948 Ashgabat earthquake kills 110,000, 1948
The first documented recovery meeting of Narcotics Anonymous is held, 1953
Dr. No, the first in the James Bond film series, was released, 1962
The first episode of the famous comedy show Monty Python's Flying Circus aired on BBC, 1969
Signature of the European Patent Convention, 1973
Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian in space, aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, 1984