Friday, March 14, 2014

San Antonio Way

We made a day trip to San Antonio the other Saturday and what a perfect day to do so.  We finally had a break between rainy and cold days; the clouds parted and the sun shone, the temperatures stayed cool and it felt like heaven. 

Lucky for us, we're close enough to spend a day in San Antonio and be back home in less than two hours.  We can visit just about anytime we please, but if you're planning to make a stay of it, all the better.  San Antonio is a wonderful city to visit and you'll be glad to have the extra time to really check things out.

For our day trip, I was on a mission to get to the market (a.k.a. El Mercado or Market Square).  The market is downtown and has leveled parking for a fee that makes it very convenient to get to. 

While many people come to visit the famed River Walk, Market Square is where the fun is really at.  The colors, the smells, and music are so festive.  It's hard not to feel happy in a place like this and who doesn't want to feel happy? Here are some pictures of our visit around the market.

Beautiful Yellow Rose metal art inside one of the markets.
Did you know the yellow rose is not the state flower of Texas?  Blue Bonnets are the official state flower, but the yellow rose has gained fame through songs, the original, of course, being, "The Yellow Rose of Texas."  You can read more about that here if you're interested.

One daughter found the shopping quite enjoyable.

One daughter was glued to her phone :)
We watched this lady create these vibrant flowers, securing them to wreaths.

We ate at Mi Tierra, a very touristy spot to dine in the market.  Though it wasn't the best food, the bakery inside was worth checking out and the margaritas & mariachis made up for what the food was lacking.
Inside Mi Tierra
we were wide-eyed and drooling as visions of sweets danced before us.

 Mariachis singing while we ate was great entertainment for our youngest traveler who'd never seen such a thing.

I found music in the street just outside the restaurant.  Blues, a favorite, lead to a little dancing in the street.
And the shopping continued...

 Does the smile tell you she finally settled on a purchase?

  To end our time at the market, we watched some young ladies dance.

We took the girls to the San Antonio Zoo after our time at the market.  It was a great way to spend time outdoors with the family.  If you're considering a family trip or just looking for an easy paced get-away, San Antonio is a great place to consider.  I hope you enjoyed looking at all of the colorful sights.  Thank you for letting me share my wonderful day with you.