Getting ReadyRoger: "Yors, daw kagarot man ni ka mapquest man. Basi magtalang kami sa San Antonio!"
Raymund: "Kabalo na ko, para indi kamo magtalang, SULIA nyo bayo nyo.Parehos bala sa akon subong hu...
Eric: Ang kukulit nitong mga kasama ko...
Up, up, and away...Building heights:
622 ft (190 m) to top of roof.
579 ft (176 m) to indoor observation deck.
560 ft (170 m) to outdoor observation deck.
550 ft (168 m) to restaurant and stationary level.
The revolving restaurant at the top of the tower provides 360degrees panoramic views of the city
View from the window
Happy Pappy
Presenting...The "Sopol" After a hearty lunch (the clam chowder was prima, and le souffle was excelente!), we proceeded to our main destination...
It is said that more than 2.5 million visitors each year, come to see the old mission where a small band of Texans held their ground for thirteen days against the Centralist army of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana. Even though the Alamo fell, the death of the Alamo defenders has come to symbolize both courage and sacrifice in the cause of liberty.
"So alam nyo na yung Alamo?"
"The Alamo"*Originally named Misión San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo served as home to missionaries and their Indian converts for nearly seventy years. Construction began on the present site in 1724. In 1793, Spanish officials secularized San Antonio's five missions and distributed their lands to the remaining Indian residents. These men and women continued to farm the fields, once the mission's but now their own, and participated in the growing community of San Antonio.
*The soldiers referred to the old mission as the Alamo (the Spanish word for "cottonwood") in honor of their hometown Alamo de Parras, Coahuila.
(from http://www.thealamo.org)
Souvenir Photos 
"Victory or Death!"On the grass in front of The Alamo shrine, you will find a bronze plaque, a letter written by William B. Travis on the second day of the siege. Notice the words that Travis underlined three times...
Battle of the Alamo (Thirteen Fateful Days in 1836)
"The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) is the most famous battle of the Texas Revolution. After an insurgent army of Texian settlers and adventurers from the United States drove all Mexican troops out of Mexican Texas, Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna led an invasion to regain control of the area. Mexican forces arrived in San Antonio de Bexar on February 23 and initiated a siege of the Texian forces garrisoned at the Alamo Mission. In the early morning hours of March 6 the Mexican army launched an assault on the Alamo. The outnumbered Texians repulsed two attacks, but were unable to fend off a third... " (More info here)
Plan of the Alamo, by José Juan Sánchez-Navarro, 1836
This manuscript map, part of an official military report on the fall of the Alamo, clearly shows where the Mexicans had positioned their cannons (at R and V) and the line of attack of troops under General Cos (S)
(Source: José Sánchez-Navarro Papers, The Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin; CN 01579a)
We went inside the shrine, mindful of the sign in the front door: "Be silent friend, here heroes died to blaze the trail for other men". Photography is not allowed inside. As you enter the shrine, you will find different flags in the main hall, telling how many defenders came from other states (i.e. New York, Kentucky) or other countries even! Some Alamo fighters, have their origins all the way back from Scotland!
There are two small rooms in both sides of the main hall. These rooms are where the defenders stored the gunpowder during the battle. Here you will now see several memorabilia on display: rifles and personal belongings like the pocket watch of the last courier to leave the Alamo, some keys, rings, etc.
Papa Doc had a swell time going through each and every item...War baby nga daan :)
Plan of the Alamo, by José Juan Sánchez-Navarro, 1836This manuscript map, part of an official military report on the fall of the Alamo, clearly shows where the Mexicans had positioned their cannons (at R and V) and the line of attack of troops under General Cos (S)
(Source: José Sánchez-Navarro Papers, The Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin; CN 01579a)
We went inside the shrine, mindful of the sign in the front door: "Be silent friend, here heroes died to blaze the trail for other men". Photography is not allowed inside. As you enter the shrine, you will find different flags in the main hall, telling how many defenders came from other states (i.e. New York, Kentucky) or other countries even! Some Alamo fighters, have their origins all the way back from Scotland!
There are two small rooms in both sides of the main hall. These rooms are where the defenders stored the gunpowder during the battle. Here you will now see several memorabilia on display: rifles and personal belongings like the pocket watch of the last courier to leave the Alamo, some keys, rings, etc.
Papa Doc had a swell time going through each and every item...War baby nga daan :)
The Alamo courtyards
Alamo Today
Today, the Alamo is owned by the State of Texas and operated by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. The Alamo is open every day of the year except Dec 24-25. They are open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. During the summer (June-August), the Alamo remains open on Fridays and Saturdays until 7 p.m. Admission is free.
The Alamo is located at 300 Alamo Plaza in downtown San AntonioFor places to stay, you can choose to stay in a hotel in honor of a hero and one in remembrance of well, a heroic...prostitute ;-)
*A historic hotel in honor of Davy Crockett
The Emily Morgan Hotel*Named after Texas' most famous prostitute, it is one of San Antonio's oldest high rise buildings.
Who is the heroic Emily Morgan? Click here.
"People worldwide continue to remember the Alamo as a heroic struggle against overwhelming odds-- a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom" (www.thealamo.org)
I am always interested to visit historical landmarks, and the 3-hour trip to Alamo was worth it. It was a walk thru the pages of Texas' history...
Walking thru the pages of history :)
I am always interested to visit historical landmarks, and the 3-hour trip to Alamo was worth it. It was a walk thru the pages of Texas' history...
Walking thru the pages of history :)
