EXPLORING SAN ANTONIO

We caught a boat on the Riverwalk and had a two hour ride around the city.
















We saw some pretty sights.




We went down the river through a lock and came back through a lock.




We passed by the VFW Hall, the oldest one in Texas. It is located in a three story mansion.













Next stop was Sam's, the Cheever's favorite burger place. Once again, we had a terrific burger and the best onion rings we have ever had.




We visited the San Fernando Cathedral. It is the oldest Cathedral Sanctuary in the United States, founded in 1731. This structure behind the altar is called a Retable. It was given to the Cathedral by Charley's sister, Jane.



This cross is on the floor of the Church. It is in the exact middle of the city of San Antonio. Everything is measured from here.




This statue in the Cathedral was donated by the Cheevers.






We drove next to Mission Concepcion, one of the San Antonio missions and the only one on the San Antonio River. The Franciscan missionaries founded the mission in 1731.




The stone mission has been beautifully restored.




This mission is one of the country's oldest original stone churches. The mission churches are still very important to the local communities.


We re-packed our suitcases for the last time and enjoyed a relaxing evening at the Cheever house.  We fly home tomorrow after a beautiful, interesting, fulfilling trip.  God Bless to all our dear friends!

BACK WITH THE CHEEVERS

We met the CHEEVERS for lunch at the San Antonio Country Club. Then we all went to the College of the Immaculate Word for a special tour by the sisters. Nancy went to this college. The Church is magnificent.






The pews face another set of pews across the aisle so the sisters can see each other when they sing. There are kneelers facing the altar so they can look to the front when they pray.






Charley bought this window in memory of his first wife, Sally.



There are gorgeous wood sculptures throughout the Church.



The sisters are explaining everything in the Church to us.



The Sisters told us that the crown of thorns at the bottom of the crucifix is covering the world. It is meant to show that we all suffer and we need Christ to give us peace and hope.

We transferred our luggage to the Cheever's car, kissed the Kiehm's good-bye and drove around San Antonio. Charley showed us Fort Sam Houston. It is the training center for medical personnel of all branches of the service. A huge new Wounded Warrior Center is there, too.

We went to the Cheever home and had dinner and met some of the Cheever clan.

CANYON LAKE

We drove 15 minutes to Canyon Lake, A 9,500 acre, man-made lake. John Kiehm was our pilot. We rented a pontoon boat.



Canyon Lake is 60 miles around. There are homes nestled in the hills.






We enjoyed lunch on the boat and the warm, clear water.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY FROM THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS

John and I and Jackie and John spent another relaxing day in the pool






Here are a few views of the pool from the top floor.









Here are a few more views of the Kiehm's beautiful house.




Who wouldn't want to sleep in this guest room? We had one equally nice. Yes, we are being pampered.




When not in the pool we had fun watching the wild turkeys and deer.



The animals are waiting by this feeder at the time it opens.




We, also, LOVED watching the purple martins swoop in and out of their house and bring food to their babies.




Jackie and I are in our 4th of July shirts for dinner. Another gourmet meal for us--steak and lobster!

WE'RE IN HEAVEN!

Today we went to Mass at Canyon Lake, John vacuumed the pool some more(He is liking this job!).........AND.......We enjoyed drinking Mohitos in the pool!!!














Jackie has an automatic deer feeder. Tonight there were 13 deer in her lower yard. She, also, threw out bread to them. They come up for it each night.






We are eating another gourmet meal at CASA de Kiehm. Jackie AND John are two of the best cooks I know. Here we are eating a tuna tatare stack with avocado and mango. Our next course is Chilean Sea Bass with pine nuts over a bed of garlic red potatoes and spinach with a ponzu sauce. Here you see it below.

CASA DE KIEHM

We arrived at Casa de Kiehm and are enjoying Jackie and John and Chocolate, their beautiful home and their most relaxing pool.









Here is the view from the pool. This is the Guadalupe River. It empties into the Gulf of Mexico.



John Cady vacuumed the pool and John Kiehm gave instructions.






We drove 119 miles round trip to a place in the middle of nowhere. We went to eat the fourth best hamburger in the State of Texas. We can't imagine what the first three must be like because these burgers were out of this world!



The inside of the Cafe isn't much but no one cares. When you put your name on the list for a table the hostess says to get a beer or soft drink. It is all on the honor system.



John Kiehm is up for the challenge!




These hamburgers are worth a return trip!





Our next stop was the Old Tunnel Wildlife area. We were waiting for 3 million Mexican Free-tailed Bats to rise up out of this cave, fly up to 2 miles high to feed or to catch tail winds that carry them over long distances at speeds of more than 60 miles an hour. The bats eat 200 tons of insects nightly. One way they help farmers is by eating the silver moths that attack the corn crops in the Mid-West. The bats return to their cave before dawn every day. Each year the bats migrate to Mexico but return to the same cave the next year.





A hawk was in the trees waiting for a bat to eat. The grey areas are the bats gathering in the trees, waiting to take flight.




Here you see a Mexican Free-tailed Bat under glass. Did you know that 1,100 kinds of bats account for almost a quarter of all mammal species?




I forgot to include this picture in my cafe photos. The dress code for Texas is sundresses and cowboy boots.