Historic Menger Hotel Luncheon - Tuesday, February 3, 2015

The ladies from our RV park decided to have lunch at the historic Menger Hotel in downtown San Antonio (next to The Alamo). Twenty-six ladies signed up. When the day turned out to be cold and rainy, only 14 hardy souls ventured out. Not only did we venture out, we took the city bus into downtown; that way we didn't have a bunch of cars paying for parking.

Here's our group waiting for the bus. We colorized the gray day.

The Menger is a beautiful hotel hiding lots of secrets in its rooms and hallways. The Menger Bar sports two bullet holes in the woodwork. A gentleman brought an alligator to the hotel, and left it. Teddy Roosevelt recruited Rough Riders for the Spanish-American War. This Victorian-era hotel hosted Sam Houston, Generals Lee and Grant, and Presidents McKinley, Taft and Eisenhower.

For lunch, we could opt for the Luncheon Buffet for $17.95 or order off the menu. Two ladies chose the buffet. The rest of us ordered off the menu. My Menger Club Sandwich was so-so. It had turkey as the main meat. I expected real turkey, not deli-meat turkey. The Reuben Sandwiches, however, looked excellent.

Our group at the Menger Dining Room

The Menger Hotel

Rare clock that shows time and date

Susan's and Peri's boots on the Menger welcome mat

In the photo below, we are listening to the history of the Menger. The painting in the background has been in the Menger for years. It showed up in the movie "Giant" with Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, Sal Mineo, Dennis Hopper and Chill Wills.

Gathering to listen to info on the Menger's history

Our docent

The lobby at Menger Hotel

The Menger Bar

The pool area

The hotel docent talked to us for 15-20 minutes about the history of the hotel and bar. He showed us where the abandoned alligator once lived.

What a fun lunch and talk. When we were finished, we looked around the hotel and bar.

Since we were downtown, Peri walked with me to the Via bus office. I wanted to pick up my Senior Discount Bus Pass. The card lets me ride the bus on weekends for free and only 60 cents on weekdays. (Normal fare is $1.20.)

When we got to our bus stop for the ride back to the RV park, a number of the other ladies were there as well. We made it home safe and sound. So ended our rainy-day excursion into downtown San Antonio.

Travel Bug out.

Downtown San Antonio - Wed., Apr. 30

Darren, Susan and I headed out at 8:30 a.m. on a gorgeous San Antonio morning. The temperature was about 72 and a cool breeze was blowing. Susan put on a light jacket which she removed 15 minutes later.

Our 10K Volksmarch started at the Holiday inn Express on Cesar Chavez Blvd. and wound through King William Historic District where we entered the Riverwalk.

King William Historic District

King William Historic District

Yellow-crowned night heron.

Yellow-crowned night heron fishing.

Duckling in San Antonio River downtown.

We passed the Convention Center. Susan and Darren are standing on a map of the U.S. made up of rock representing each state. If a state did not send rock from their state for the map, then granite rock from Texas was used. Behind Susan is a copper replica of the Liberty Bell.

Susan and Darren

Below is a parking meter which has been re-purposed into a "Donation Station" for Haven for Hope

Make your donations here!

Riverwalk, downtown San Antonio

Riverwalk, nicely leafed out for spring.

As we walked through downtown, some people stopped us and asked for directions to The Alamo. That's the way we were headed, so we said, "Follow us." We asked where they were from and they said, "Kansas." Turns out one couple was staying at Traveler's World RV Resort. What a coincidence. I told them I worked there.They also wanted to know where to see the IMAX movie about the Alamo and how late the buses run back to the resort because they wanted to see the Riverwalk at night. They headed off to RiverCenter Mall to see the movie and we continued on to the Menger Hotel and The Alamo.

The Menger Hotel is where Teddy Roosevelt recruited Rough Riders for the Spanish-American War. 

Click picture to enlarge.

The history of barbed wire.

The Alamo in the heart of downtown San Antonio.

The Emily Morgan Hotel, a Doubletree by Hilton,
used to be a hospital.

Adornments on the Emily Morgan Hotel.

On the outside of the Emily Morgan Hotel.

Registration desk at the Emily Morgan Hotel.

Lobby at the hotel.

In the lobby of the hotel, is the following plaque dedicated to Emily Morgan, the inspiration for the song, "The Yellow Rose of Texas." Interesting reading. Click the photo to enlarge.

From the Emily Morgan we headed across the street to look inside the San Antonio Express-News building.

Ceiling design in the Express-News building.

Mural of an old-type printing press on the wall in the lobby.

The decor above the elevator.

 The newspaper press below had advertising in lead blocks, not individual letters.

Reliance B Iron Hand Press

Darren and Susan inspect the linotype machine.

The original newspaper in San Antonio was the San Antonio Light owned by William Randolph Hearst.

The guard telling Susan and Darren stories.

POW-MIA plaza.

"Hold on to your hats!" Gusty winds.

Hotel Havana

San Antonio Public Library, main branch

Inside San Fernando Cathedral

Everyone's cheering on the Spurs.

Zero Milestone of the Old Spanish Trail.

A shop at El Mercado

We were close to the finish of our walk. Lo and behold, Mi Tierra Restaurant and Bakery came into view. Lunchtime!

The festive interior of Mi Tierra Restaurant (open 24/7)

I had an excellent chicken soup with chunky veggies. Susan and Darren shared a plate of lunch. Darren and Susan ordered sopapillas for the table. We had all picked up our sopapillas when Susan said, "We forgot to get a picture." So back on the plate they went. Guess what? I already took a bite out of mine.  I also ordered flan which we all shared.

San Antonio has many bike rental stations around town. These are great for riding on the Riverwalk!

After the walk, we went our separate ways. I headed home, then went to my hair appointment (haircut). Susan and Darren headed back to their house to finish putting down mulch.

House finch outside our RV window.

That's all for now.