LandCruise episode 9: San Antonio to Savanah

Austin is such a super fun place – didn’t want to leave so quickly – we’ll return soon….Now to finish our Southern States Tour.

Our last night in Seattle was a fun send away. A concert with The Boss (Thanks Diane!!), and a very generous offer to stay at a friends’ Seattle apartment helped so much with our early departure (Thanks A. and B.) Wow – what a view!

Arrived in Texas with excellent weather and family and friends nearby. A quick trip to San Antonio to enjoy a visit with Koby and Julie (Bethea) Stoll and imbibe on some yummy Mexican food. Julie, the ultimate tour guide, introduced us to ‘Hotel Emma’ – a hotel near the riverwalk, once home to the Pearl brewery. Built in 1894, it was the only brewery in San Antonio to survive prohibition. In 2002 it was completely painstakingly renovated into this hotel. Beautifully done!

Riverwalk, margaritas, the Alamo and the new Ralston Family Collection Center were on the docket in San Antonio. My sister Judy/Gensler Assoc. was intimately involved in the design and construction of the new Ralston center which houses many Texas Alamo artifacts. Phil Collins became enamored with Texas history at a very young age after seeing the movie “Davie Crockett” and spend a lifetime collecting them. Many artifacts found here are donated from his personal collection.

Austin brought us some lucky days with lots to celebrate: UT women basketball won the Big 12 Championship; Preston called to say he received his MS from UW; We celebrated my sister Marianne’s birthday taking her to “Casa Blanca” on the big screen, and we counted our 34th wedding anniversary at the same place we stayed on our Honeymoon night.

Attending an OLLI concert at the Bass Concert Hall on UT campus topped off the week. OLLI is an acronym for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, begun in 2001 by Bernard Osher, offering non credit classes to adults over 50. It has been launched at 120 universities. (Thanks Helena for introducing us to this awesome organization.)

Touring the painted churches in central Texas with the excellent guidance of Terri Wagner of the Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce was breathtaking. While touring some very beautiful churches, the history of the Czech and German settlers in the area was brought to light, showcasing how talented they were and how much they prized their heritage and religion. The pelican above was a common element seen. It was believed if necessary, the Pelican pierced its own breast using its blood to feed its young and keep them alive. It became a symbol of Christ sacrificing himself for man – and because of this was frequently represented in Christian art. This symbol was found in several of the churches we toured, and it became a game to see who could find it first. The day ended with the purchase of 2 dozen warm Klobasnecs…….(pigs-in-the-blanket for you non-Czech readers) sweet dough with Czech sausage inside)…..YUM…

Our last night in Austin was enjoyed with another trip to Lupe’s – the fajitas are amazing. Thanks Judy (sis) and Ron for making time for us. Finally able to introduce my friend Helena (a South African transplant) to part of the family and lucky to have sisters nearby!

Traveling through Houston on the way out included a fun visit with my brother Tom and his wife Audrey. A night at “Rodeo Houston” was a check off on our bucket list.

Our fIrst day driving was easy, and we landed in Vicksburg, MS.  This town was an important place during the Civil War. Capturing it on July 4^th, 1863 gave the Ulysses S. Grant and the Union army control of the Mississippi river and turned the tide of the war.  The Confederate loss in Vicksburg was so deeply seated, they avoided celebrating the 4th of July for over 80 years. It was not celebrated it again until 1945 after WWII. True story!

We finally found our way to Georgia! Did you know there is a Bainbridge, Georgia? We spent a cold day at Stone Mountain to view the famous etching. The carving was done in memory of the Confederate generals who fought in the Civil War, Jefferson Davie, Stonewall Jackson, and Robert E. Lee.

Destination – Savanah! In time for Nat’s birthday celebration and meeting up with friends Glenn and Valentina. We visited mansions, churches, and took in the ice cream at Leopolds on the Hop On, Hop Off city tour bus. Jones street, with large live oaks decorated with spanish moss, certainly give you that Southern feeling. Savannah is definitely worth the visit.