Anyhow, other than for internet issues, San Antonio has to be one of the coolest cities in the US. I've been finding that each city has a character of its own, San Antonio is just a fun, laidback place. It's big enough that there is a decent sized downtown with lots of restaurants and shops yet not so big as to make driving and negotiating the city stressful. For those of you who haven't been here, 
the cruz of downtown is known as the riverwalk. Basically, its a canal that runs through downtown from the main artery of the San Antonio river. The sides of the canal are kept like a botanical garden: flowers, trees, sidewalks and waterfalls. In certain areas of the riverwalk (it's about 3 miles all told) there are dozens of restaurants, bars and shops. It's a really neat setting for dinner or drinks and just a fun place to walk around in general. I'm fully aware that I'm here at the best possible time, it apparently gets pretty hot here, but still in the evenings of summer its can't be too bad. The other great things about San Antonio are that it's cheap, and the food is amazing (and cheap, woot).
the cruz of downtown is known as the riverwalk. Basically, its a canal that runs through downtown from the main artery of the San Antonio river. The sides of the canal are kept like a botanical garden: flowers, trees, sidewalks and waterfalls. In certain areas of the riverwalk (it's about 3 miles all told) there are dozens of restaurants, bars and shops. It's a really neat setting for dinner or drinks and just a fun place to walk around in general. I'm fully aware that I'm here at the best possible time, it apparently gets pretty hot here, but still in the evenings of summer its can't be too bad. The other great things about San Antonio are that it's cheap, and the food is amazing (and cheap, woot). So you've probably read that I've been eating at a lot of 24 hour diners. Nothing against them, but after a while the food leaves something to be desired. I haven't had a really great meal since Vegas, not that anything was bad just not memorable...fuel so to speak. Well, San Antonio more than made up for it. First, early in the afternoon I sampled a Texas institution, Blue Bell ice cream. Seriously, this is the best stuff ever created by man...especially Birthday Cak
e ice cream. It's probably a good thing for my waistline that I don't actually live here. So after walking around the riverwalk for a few hours and taking a fun little riverboat tour, I went to the oldest restaurant on the riverwalk, Casa Rio. This place was built in 1946 and still owned by the same family, the guy on the boat told me that it was the best deal in the area. Holy crap he wasn't kidding. Seven dollars bought two enchiladas, a tamale, rice, beans, a beef taco, and half of a plate of cheese nachos. I could eat maybe half of it. Four dollars went to a fifteen ounce Cuervo margarita. Seriously, not only was there a ton of it but it was about the best Mexican I'd ever had. Th
ere were actually mariachi's walking around the restuarant too so I got the whole Tex-Mex experience. Pretty great for $13 after tip. I had to laugh though, this riverwalk happens to be what Richmond's canalwalk is based on. You know that ditch on the edge of downtown?? Yeah, that. See San Antonio not only has a very different culture, but also the city got businesses to agree to build before they made the canal as pretty as it is. So instead of just dumping millions into a ditch, they knew that there would be some reason for people to go there. Good job San Antonio, why you so stupid Richmond??
e ice cream. It's probably a good thing for my waistline that I don't actually live here. So after walking around the riverwalk for a few hours and taking a fun little riverboat tour, I went to the oldest restaurant on the riverwalk, Casa Rio. This place was built in 1946 and still owned by the same family, the guy on the boat told me that it was the best deal in the area. Holy crap he wasn't kidding. Seven dollars bought two enchiladas, a tamale, rice, beans, a beef taco, and half of a plate of cheese nachos. I could eat maybe half of it. Four dollars went to a fifteen ounce Cuervo margarita. Seriously, not only was there a ton of it but it was about the best Mexican I'd ever had. Th
ere were actually mariachi's walking around the restuarant too so I got the whole Tex-Mex experience. Pretty great for $13 after tip. I had to laugh though, this riverwalk happens to be what Richmond's canalwalk is based on. You know that ditch on the edge of downtown?? Yeah, that. See San Antonio not only has a very different culture, but also the city got businesses to agree to build before they made the canal as pretty as it is. So instead of just dumping millions into a ditch, they knew that there would be some reason for people to go there. Good job San Antonio, why you so stupid Richmond??Anyway, on to Houston and eventually the Big Easy.
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