According to the information at each site -
"The missions of San Antonia were far more than churches, they were communities. Each was a fortified village with it's own church, farm, and ranch. Here, Franciscan Friars gathered native peoples, converted them to Catholicism, taught them to live as Spaniards, and helped maintain Spanish control over the Texas frontier".
First on the Mission trail was the Mission Concepcion.
Here is a drawing of the original layout of the mission.
This is one of the most ornate sanctuaries of the four missions. Services are still held in these churches on a regular basis
Second on the trail (these missions are only about 2 miles apart) is the Mission San Jose. The large grounds of this mission are still in tact and surrounded by the original walls.
Here is the church
And her sanctuary
The Mission San Juan is next.
This is a long and narrow church.
In order to preserve the church and avoid smoke damage, the votive "candles" in the church are electric. Instead of lighting a candle, you simply give your donation as usual and then push the "on" button at the base of your chosen candle.
Last is Mission Espada. This is the only mission that we saw that still has the bells.
Again, this is a narrow church.
On our way home, I noticed the MOST unusual beasts! They are Oryx, Most were native to parts of Africa, but are now listed as extinct in the wild. There is a captive breeding program that is active in Texas and New Mexico in wild game ranches. LOOK at those fantastic horns! I can't take credit for this picture, but we did see about 6 of them standing behind fencing along the roadside.
Today we had two adventures - the first was Luckenbach, TX, the "town" made famous in the 1970's by country star Waylon Jennings. Wanna hear the song? I think this will work...
https://youtu.be/TQfDKclxwJw
Luckenbach used to be a town, but is now actually an incorporated entertainment venue. The town is the general store (formerly the post office), a couple of bar areas, dance hall, campground, and a hat store.
The crowds range between a few hundred on a weekend to 6000 during a big concert weekend!
Our destination was Fredericksburg. This old town is famous for it's over 50 wineries. What makes it even better is that most wineries are represented in the 8 block long town. Town has countless shops, restaurants, and winery "storefronts" where you can buy sample and buy wine by the glass. Or beers at other places. And yes, public alcohol is permitted in the old district, so drinking and shopping are a great combination! A bit of the wide streets.
The town was settled by Germans so there is a big German influence, especially in the restaurants. We ate lunch at one - yum! I do have to admit that I had a Shiner Bock beer instead of a German one with my "chicken-schnitzel"...
Luke wanted to visit the Nimitz Museum. Admiral Charles Nimitz was born here
He was appointed Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Fredericksburg also has a major museum, the National Museum of the Pacific War. It includes an Admiral Nimitz Museum, the George H. W. Bush Gallery and an endless memorial wall of the ships and men who served in the war.
The museum was very comprehensive, starting with the background to the Japanese expansionist actions back to the 1800s wars with China. It chronologically lead from then through Pearl Harbor, and all the major naval battles and the major island battles as the US fought its way back to within bombing range of the Japanese mainland. For each major battle movement of fleets or land forces was shown and narrated, along with video clips of the action.. It was very well done and very well presented. The ultimate takeaway: 350,000 US casualties!
I was not as interested in those museums as Luke, so I took the opportunity to see a few more shops, do a little Wal-Marting, and happily do some knitting on an ignored sweater project. Tomorrow we plan to do laundry, move the RV to another site at the park, and generally get ready to leave. We would like to be ready to hit the road as soon as the dentist is finished with my crown. oh, joy.
No comments:
Post a Comment