I finally made it back! My beloved Riverwalk and I were reunited on Valentine’s Day of all days. Due to the holiday, it was much more crowded than the previous two times I had been there, but it was great nonetheless. The couple population was out in full force, but so were the Airmen in uniform- so that was pretty much a dream come true…
We saw several people dressed in wedding garb around San Antonio and the stage at the theater was decorated. I heard a tour guide say between 300 and 400 couples got married there that day. Some people were starting to gather one of the times I passed it, so I found a seat and thought I would watch the wedding. Then the announcer/marry-er said “Are ya’ll here for the renewal of vows? Please move down to the front.” Then he was asking people that were passing by if they were married, if they wanted to get married, etc. He kept trying to get everyone to come to the front- including a guy at the top of the steps that had a cane. The whole thing was very awkward…so I left. I didn’t go down the steps though- I was afraid he would ask if I wanted to get married. So I went out the upper entrance and out through what they call Little San Antonio…maybe it was Old San Antonio. Anyway, this was the first visit that I ever went there. There are a bunch of shops, art galleries, and restaurants. It was nice.
We had dinner in the main area of the Riverwalk. There it is just restaurant after restaurant. After dinner, I decided to see what was the opposite direction from where I had been exploring all afternoon. I walked and walked until I was out of the popular area. Again, this was a region I didn’t recognize and it was pretty dark and poorly lit there. There weren’t many people around and there were no business down there. I rounded a corner and looked up to this beautifully lit church. I could also hear a band playing nearby.
Due to the crowds and since we had a lot of time to spend there this year, I wandered off and found places I had never been before. Technically, yes, that does mean I was lost. I found my way back, so it was all good. I loved just going wherever I wanted to see what was there. I was trying to find the Arneson River Theater (a favorite stop of mine) when I found the San Antonio Convention Center and some waterfalls. It is one of the ends of the Riverwalk so it has the turning basin for the water taxis and tour boats. I finally found the theater…they must have moved it because I definitely don’t remember it being there before!
We saw several people dressed in wedding garb around San Antonio and the stage at the theater was decorated. I heard a tour guide say between 300 and 400 couples got married there that day. Some people were starting to gather one of the times I passed it, so I found a seat and thought I would watch the wedding. Then the announcer/marry-er said “Are ya’ll here for the renewal of vows? Please move down to the front.” Then he was asking people that were passing by if they were married, if they wanted to get married, etc. He kept trying to get everyone to come to the front- including a guy at the top of the steps that had a cane. The whole thing was very awkward…so I left. I didn’t go down the steps though- I was afraid he would ask if I wanted to get married. So I went out the upper entrance and out through what they call Little San Antonio…maybe it was Old San Antonio. Anyway, this was the first visit that I ever went there. There are a bunch of shops, art galleries, and restaurants. It was nice.
We had dinner in the main area of the Riverwalk. There it is just restaurant after restaurant. After dinner, I decided to see what was the opposite direction from where I had been exploring all afternoon. I walked and walked until I was out of the popular area. Again, this was a region I didn’t recognize and it was pretty dark and poorly lit there. There weren’t many people around and there were no business down there. I rounded a corner and looked up to this beautifully lit church. I could also hear a band playing nearby.
After exploring that area some more, I headed back towards the Rivercenter Mall where (of course) the rest of the team was. I stopped to take a picture of a small waterfall as a tour boat passed. I heard the tour guide comment on the waterfall and he said there were waterfalls outside the 
Tower of the Americas that were 30 times that size! Thankfully when I had gotten lost earlier that day I saw a sign for Tower of the Americas, so I wandered back towards the Convention Center. By the way, it’s kind of hard to remember how to get to where you were lost. Anyway, I found the sign and followed it and one’s like it until I found the Tower. I’ve seen it from the Riverwalk before, but I had never gotten close to it. The tour guide was right, there where huge waterfalls there!
Tower of the Americas that were 30 times that size! Thankfully when I had gotten lost earlier that day I saw a sign for Tower of the Americas, so I wandered back towards the Convention Center. By the way, it’s kind of hard to remember how to get to where you were lost. Anyway, I found the sign and followed it and one’s like it until I found the Tower. I’ve seen it from the Riverwalk before, but I had never gotten close to it. The tour guide was right, there where huge waterfalls there!
I’ve always loved night pictures, but have never been able to take good ones and my favorite part about the Riverwalk is that everything is so beautiful that every picture looks good. I experimented with a lot of different settings and finally got some good night shots! I can’t wait to go back and take more…someday……..
