one good thing about texas, besides the weather...

i am sorely tempted to continue writing about the weather here. every day brings some new form of pleasant sunniness or windiness or humidity or gorgeous sunset... this may be due to the fact that i have been sludging through the midwest highs and lows for so many years that anything to the contrary is eye-opening. it could also be possible that i'm trapped indoors chatting for dear life with any and all attendees, and that a breath of fresh air is, quite literally, a breath of fresh air. but, i'm going to branch out here for another good thing about texas.

wednesday was the end of confrence 1 and the start of 30 hours of freedom. i napped, worked, worked out and chatted with the sis. then i cabbed it into the city and meandered around the alamo. it's a nice historical point of interest that documents the spot of mass suicide and the end of davy crockett... but it also marks the spot where the americans of mid-1800's decided to stop taking spanish crap from mexico. in my head i thought this would be more of a spot of honor and over-glorification than a sanctuary for a historical truth. but, i'm happy to report, my head was wrong. yes the site was in memoriam to all that died for the cause of freedom, but the whole story was mapped across the entire place - these soldiers would rather have died for their cause than surrender.

i do have a hard time with this concept. for one, i'm a fighter in that if i believe in something, i'll support it til it's no longer there for me to support (and then i'll treasure it's memory)... but i also dont understand literally fighting for that belief. so i kept that in mind as i wandered both sides of the riverwalk.

its a beautiful place - almost european with it's arching walk-ways and old buildings that butt right up to the water's edge. there are numerous places to stop and grab a bite to eat along the way, where you sit outside and peer (up or down, depending on what level you're on) through the palms and live oak leaves and watch as the other tourists do the same as you... it appears to me, from this limited viewpoint, that this is a city for visitors.

later on in the evening, i find that this is partly true. san antonio thrives on commerce from visitors. my author (lifelong resident) tells me this over a bottle of malbec. he had me to his house for cocktails and treated me to a fabulous italian supper at a local secret spot. he, his wife, mother-in-law and i must have made quite the expedition (mom-in-law has an adventure of a time traveling with her sleek walker), but the four of us never lacked for conversation and i had some of the most amazing foccacia, pasta and malbec that i've had in a long time.

so it appears, that besides the weather, one good thing about san antonio is that it houses amazingly friendly people who want you have a good time in their adored city. back at the hotel that night, i fell asleep fast and easy - full of good folks and food.