The Alamo in San Antonio Texas May 2021

 We were so lucky to visit the Alamo in San Antonio Texas again recently.  I posted this video to youtube about it.  

Here are also a couple of photos with a Teddy Roosevelt look a like Texas Ranger, and reenactors at the Alamo.  

Also I have included the small container that holds the remains of the Alamo defenders in the front of the San Fernando Cathedral.  No visit to San Antonio or the Alamo is complete with out stopping by this wonderful church.

AND, ANOTHER trip to San Antonio Texas!

So, not too long ago my wife and I were thinking of doing a four day trip somewhere, and she suggested San Antonio.....  again.  I immediately said that sounded good to me.  No arguments.  San Antonio has become one of those places we love, and we are OK with going back as often as possible.  There are spots there I feel drawn to......  and spots that I still want to discover.

This would be our 3rd trip to this great Texas town in about a six year period.  

I made several videos of our time in town that I will be posting.

Of course we spent time at the Alamo again.  We went to the market.  We were all over the Riverwalk.

We did visit the AMAZING Briscoe Western Art Museum for the first time.  We were FINALLY able to stay at the legendary Menger Hotel.  AND we attended a service at the San Fernando Cathedral.  More on all of those things later.

San Antonio is filled with historic hotels, and we felt lucky to get a room at the Menger this time, but we still ended up hanging out a bit at the Hyatt Regency Riverwalk, which is right across the street from the Alamo.

We stayed at this slick hotel on our first trip to town and it is kinda special to up.  Part of the Riverwalk actually flows through the hotel.

On our first trip to San Antonio, we really enjoyed our stay at this hotel, and we hung out at their coffee shop each day, enjoying tea and coffee, and writing out our postcards.

It was nice going back to that little spot, which might be unremarkable to some, but has become special and sentimental to us.

We really enjoyed the service at the San Fernando Cathedral too.  Your visit to the Alamo is incomplete if you don't visit this church, as the remains of the Alamo defenders are here AND the church played a part in the battle.

I asked the priest to bless some water for me and he said a very sweet blessing.  I can't really explain it, but this church service and interaction with the priest was very special for me.

This was our first trip that we were not able to do a ghost tour with Sisters Grimm, but we still made a quick stop to their shop, which is inside of the Menger Hotel (accessible from the outside of the building).  I have raved about them before and I hope you make sure to do a tour with them on your San Antonio trip.  I really love what they do.

I will be posting some video's over the next few days of one of this great and historically rich city.

 

Mill Springs Kentucky and Battlefield Coffee Co. in Nancy KY May 2021

 

I have posted video on the Battle of Mill Springs before, but here is a bit more to go with it........

Fort Boonesborough Kentucky May 2021

 We stopped by one of my favorite spots in the state of Kentucky recently, Fort Boonesborough!  We talked to a lot of the pioneers there, and had a great time!

Common Grounds Coffee Lexington KY May 23 2021- the day it closed.

 On May 23rd, the downtown Common Grounds Coffee in Lexington closed, after nearly 30 years!

Salem Indiana March 2021

 AND, just a quick video driving through Salem Indiana.  VERY cute little town!  We stopped by a great coffee/donut place with a train layout!

New Pekin Indiana March 2021

 We drove through New Pekin Indiana recently!

Hamburg Indiana March 2021

 I posted a brief video of a drive we made through Hamburg Indiana!

Borden Indiana March 2021

Chincoteague Ponies Postcard

This spectacular postcard, showing Wild Ponies of Chincoteague is undated and unused.  It says- The famous Chincoteague Ponies swim from Assateague to Chincoteague Island annually where they are auctioned on the last Thursday in July.  The remaining ponies swim to freedom for another year by returning to Assateague Island.  This is the only Wild Pony Round-up and Swim on the East Coast and is witnessed by thousands of visitors each year.

Concert Memories: Toad the Wet Sprocket, Evansville IN- sometime in the early 90s.

I remember hearing commercials for Toad the Wet Sprocket coming to Evansville at a smaller venue.  This sounded kind of cool, because most of the bigger name acts at that time played Roberts Stadium, and most of the shows were arena type bands.  This was not the usual show for the area back then.

Also, The Wallflowers were the opening act.  Going to see Bob Dylan's son was a major reason to go to this show.

This was simply not a good show for me.  I remember not being impressed with the Wallflowers.  It seemed that half of their set was covers, which is OK, but it seemed to me like they sounded sloppy.  I think Toad played their two big hits at the time early in the set, and we were also not impressed with them live that night either.  Maybe it was the acoustics at the venue, maybe it was a bad night, maybe it was me...  but, I left the show feeling unimpressed.

Starlight Coffee Co in Floyds Knobs Indiana

I am pretty good at scouting out great little independent coffee shops when I travel.  Somehow, I have missed the great Starlight Coffee Co in southern Indiana....  Just a a little over an hours drive from where I live!

On a recent road trip, we pulled over for a driver switch and saw this place!  Well, I had to go in for a drink!

I had a very nice beverage and the friendly young staff was happy to help with suggestions!

I just checked their website, and they have locations in New Albany and Charlestown, in addition to this one in Floyds Knobs.

 

Spring Mill Village Mitchell Indiana March 2021

 In March of 2021, we walked through the pioneer village at Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell Indiana.

Spring Mill State Park Indiana March 2021

 And here is another video from our trip to Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell Indiana.  This one is just us exploring the park.

Spring Mill Inn Mitchell Indiana March 2021

 In March, 2021, we spent some time in the historic Spring Mill Inn in Mitchell Indiana!

Mitchell Indiana March 2021

 Here is a video from March 2021 of us driving through Mitchell Indiana!

Gus Grissom Museum Spring Mill Indiana March 2021

 In March of 2021 we visited the wonderful Gus Grissom Museum in the Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell Indiana!

Stones River National Battlefield Visitor Center March 2021

After our recent battlefield tour of Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro Tennessee, we took a tour of the National Park visitor center on the grounds!

Fainting Goat Coffee in Spring Hill, TN

I did mention this place in my video about Spring Hill Tennessee, but I wanted to put a few pics up.  We LOVED Fainting Goat Coffee, it is just a perfect little coffee shop in a perfect little area.  Spring Hill is a small town that packs a wallop, and it is very lucky to have such history, AND such a great coffee shop!

The coffee was good, and they have a good logo.  They have exploited the heck out of their name too....  Any road tripped should be embarrassed if they leave Spring Hill without getting a coffee here AND a shirt...... and maybe some other merch.

If you are visiting the many Civil War spots in this area, make sure you stop by here for some coffee.....  

 

Spring Hill Battlefield Tennessee March 2021

 We drove through Spring Hill Tennessee recently ANOTHER great little town in this great state that is packed with history!  

We did a driving tour through town and stopped for some great coffee at the Fainting Goat Coffee House!

Rippavilla Plantation, Spring Hill, Tennessee March 2021

As of this moment, Rippavilla Plantation in Spring Hill Tennessee is closed, but we were able to visit it before that happened.  This is a great Civil War site, and I hope it is open for tours again in the near future!

Fortress Rosecrans Stones River Tennessee March 2021

In March of this year, 2021, we were able to visit the preserved parts of the Civil War Fort in Murfreesboro Tennessee!  Fortess Rosecrans is a very nice place to take a nice walk, and think about history!

Battle of Hartsville Tennessee March 2021

Fort Granger- Franklin Tennessee March 2021

While we were in Franklin Tennessee, we did some walking around the Civil War Fort, Fort Granger!

Stones River Tennessee January 2021

 AND, here is a video I made while driving around the Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro Tennessee!