Some Day is Here: Grand Trolley Tour...Day 2

We are ready for this hot scorching day...snacks and water.

We waited on the trolley in the park. I had a couple of crackers and some water. Look who grabed a piece of cracker that fell and was begging for more

We also had a bird that only had one foot

beautiful horse drawn caariage tours

Skateway tour
not my way to do a tour

Alamo Square

Our trolley arrived and we boarded. We got off at the San Jose Mission. In 1720 Fray Antonio Margil de Jesus founded the best known of the Texas missions...San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo. San jose was the model mission organization and a major social center. It has unique church architecture. The size of the complex testifies to San Jose's reputation as the "Queen of the Missions" Massive stone walls were for defense The mission residents learned to use firearms to fend off the Comanche and Apache raids. Their skill--plus imposing walls--discouraged enemy attacks.
A day at the mission:
Everyone took religious instruction daily. Church bells called them to worship three times a day. Following sunrise mass, families returned to their quarters for corn atole (mush) and charque (jerky).
After breakfast, the men and the boys worked in the labores (fields) and in textile, tailor, carpenter,and blacksmith shops. They also worked as masons, weavers, acequia (irrigation ditch) builders, and in the lime kilns. Some took charge of the livestock at the mission's ranch, El Atascosa,about 25 miles southwest of the mission. The women and girls prepared food, swept the dirt floors, carded wool, and fished in the irrigation ditch outside the walls, in addition to raising children. The bells rang at noon, calling everyone back to the church for prayers. The main meal of the day was lunch, perhaps a bowl of goat stew and fresh baked tortillas. The afternoon siesta followed the meal and most activity subsided for several hours. Mounted Indian sentinals, however. continually kept guard outside the walls. Summoned by the bells, everyone returned to the church for evening worship. After supper, recreational time for singing, games, dances, storytelling, and drama filled the evening. At dark all retired to their raised beds of buffalo hides. The next day began all over again when the bells called them to church for morning mass.

doors go into a residence

One of several ovens in the courtyard
these were postioned outside the residences

the foundation remains of the workshop

inside the sanctuary

A door to the sanctuary

A replica of the compound

indoor A three burner stove

very nice residential setting

fine SanJose's legendary Rose Windows, or Rosa's Window
show the Spanish artisans' high level of craftmanship

indians quarters

one gate into the compound
there are four places for defenders to be if necessary

One of several wells inside the compound

Mesquite

Other sites around San Antonio:

Mission Concepcion

a picture while passing through the
King William's historic district
an elegant German residential area

The Lutheran Church downtown

The oldest hotel in the city is The Menger.

La Antorcha dela Amisted
the torch of friendship
this sculpture was created by renowned Mexican sculptor, Sebastian
it was then given to San Antonio by Mexico
to signify the longstanding friendship and roots shared between Mexico and the USA