TRAVEL

San Antonio Riverwalk Luxor Style

My husband is not a huge fan of long road trips. In light of this, when he asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, I decided to abuse the opportunity at hand and request a San Antonio road trip!

I am a Christian.  This does not mean that I see myself as a “Christ-like” being in any way… it simply means that I am a believer in God the Father and his son Jesus Christ, his purpose, the return and basically I try not to be evil because of such beliefs.  Sometimes I get angry, I occasionally curse, but I do try really hard to forgive mean, hateful, crappy people. I study my Bible, I do not believe in man made religion, only Bible based, non-denominational churches.

I state all of the above only to say that my road trip request to San Antonio was for the purpose of visiting John Hagee’s Cornerstone Church with my husband.  Twenty-five years ago, I remember that my Granny always had Hagee preaching on her TV when I would go visit, and my husband began watching him with me about 7 years ago.  It’s long been a morning tradition with us to watch Pastor Hagee’s  early morning weekday sermons on television  as we’re getting ready for work, and we always planned on going together, in person…so this was my chance to make it happen!

We ended up deciding to stay at a Hotel on the river walk, so we could go to dinner and go hear some music the night before.

A cold front blew in that afternoon, and the temperature dropped to below 40 degrees.  I grabbed my new hat purchased while in San Diego, so as to not be bothered with wet weather and wind blown hair. The coat from Cache, is the warmest one I own, and I grabbed it as a last minute thought when running out the door.  It came in very handy.  My boots were high and very warm, so I thought it would be fun to wear deep purple pleather shorts, with a turtle necked sweater for added warmth.  (Yes, I am a rebel at heart, not a joiner, not much of a follower.  It’s liberating.  I do what I want.) So this was my kooky, fun, warm, birthday outfit. It’s who I am.

Our hotel was a recent remodel, located on the end, and the idea is to grab a taxi boat, to take down to the restaurant and music area of the river.  It was a pleasant surprise to see a river boat going by our window the minute we got to our room. (I will include a future post on our hotel in the travel section of the site soon.)

After a fabulous dinner, we went to enjoy some music before catching a $5 taxi ride back to the hotel.   Throughout the night, my husband was patient with me in the freezing cold, as I kept stopping to snap just the right photos of the river walk with different settings on my camera.    I love the monet-like, painted look of some of my shots.  We were so excited about going to church the next morning, that drinking and dancing the night away wasn’t really where our hearts were at, so we were not out very late, and headed back to the hotel by 11pm.  (My how things have changed.)

I just have to share this part, because it’s a new year, and I’m keepin’ it real. I’m saying what I think, and I’m not going to suppress my opinions and display a false, neutral view point om issues I feel strongly about. So…

When we got back to the hotel, my husband clicks on the TV… which was on the Showtime channel.  Help me Jesus…there was a 63 year old woman, correction – there was a completely naked 63 year old woman on the TV, explaining why she was using a young, male gigolo for sexual companionship and activity.  OH MY.  She almost made it sound sensible. Rational.  However, the very graphic nude 63 year old body was too much for my husband and I to bear, so as the next scene was the woman and her gigolo kissing in the shower, my husband changed the channel.

Ugh. It’s official.  Society has fallen.  I don’t want to see my own naked body in broad daylight on Showtime, so why would I want to see anyone else’s? It was creepy, but it’s our fabulous, new dirty world.

The next morning, we were excited to go to church, hear Pastor John Hagee and his son Matthew Hagee preach the strongest Biblical message I’ve ever heard.  It was an honor to get to attend service and praise God in the presence of such strong leaders.

Church was followed by a wonderful and romantic brunch, and this was literally the best birthday I’ve ever had. Peaceful. Low-key. Meaningful and deep.  Oh, and food!