Sunday was time to try to see the Missions. 
There are a few ways you can do this. I chose the solo method. I got in the rental car and headed that way. I had a basic map from the hotel, and signs pointing me to the Mission Trail. You can look up the particulars as to how many Missions there are and what they are called. I tried to see two and was only successful in seeing one. Remember the pollen bombs? They were starting to get to me so my touristing enthusiasm was low. The parking was horrible at Mission Concepcion so I didn’t see that one. I did go to Mission San Jose and see it. There was a Palm Sunday service letting out as I got close to the chapel.
One of the most interesting thing about the Missions, at least the ones I saw, was how very incorporated into the town they are. Mission Concepcion is right in a neighborhood. I think some people even parked on the streets in front of peoples homes. The town had grown up around them. And as I gathered from the presentations at San Jose, that is pretty much as it was meant to be. They were meant to be incorporated into the community.
As I mentioned previously. The people of San Antonio are proud of their city. Everyone 
had something I should see. Several had the same recommendations and those were the ones I tried to get to. As I said, I missed out on the light show and a few of the Missions. I also missed out on taking a boat ride on the Riverwalk and the ‘hop on, hop off’ bus tour. But I did get over to the Pearl Brewery area. The Culinary Institute of America at San Antonio is there and there was a stand sponsored by the school. I didn’t eat there so I can’t vouch for how good it was, but it looked unique. I did have an ice cream at Lick. They have some really interesting flavors that I would not have made into ice cream, as well as a vanilla and a chocolate. I had the horchata ice cream. Very tasty.
I happened to get to Pearl during the market. It’s like a public or farmer’s market. They are there every Saturday and Sunday. Go before 2:00pm though, I think that’s when they start closing up the stalls. This was the second place I found live music in San Antonio.
Jorge y Nicole. They play what they call Acoustic World Music. Jorge plays guitar and Nicole plays acoustic bass guitar. I was struck by the sound of their instruments as well as the beauty. Wow. They were nice enough to take some time to chat with me about their instruments and a bit about what they are doing musically. Including a little about recording their CD. It’s also available for digital download. They shared that it was tricky finding someone to record the acoustic instruments well but they did finally find a studio in Arkansas. They play some really beautiful music. Well worth checking out. Oh, and, I asked, the guitar is a Cordoba and the bass are Fenders.
And then there was a book store. There are three places, maybe four, that I consider the most dangerous places for my wallet. Music stores, record/cd stores, sometimes boot stores, and definitely book stores. I wandered in and found some gems. There were some books on music put out by the different Texas University presses. I bought three. So far my favorite is “A Perfectly Good Guitar – Musicians on their favorite instruments”. It is about musicians and their favorite instruments as it says. It includes a picture of a musician with their instrument and also some detail shots of some of the instruments. It also includes a story from the musician about their favorite instrument. It’s may favorite so far because I’ve already finished it. I read it that night at the hotel. It is fascinating and right up my alley.
And that was Sunday. Monday was next and that meant leaving San Antonio and heading back to Charlotte. And this was the most annoying part of the trip. I found out when I got back that my bag had be selected to by opened by TSA. They did a really poor job of putting things back as neatly and safely as I had packed them. I’m really glad that I decided to hand carry that CD back. I was really trying not to break the case since the copy I have already has a cracked case and I carry that back and forth everywhere right now.
So that was my trip to San Antonio to see Olivia Newton-John and be a tourist. I’m certain, I have not done the city or it’s people the justice they deserve. I had a really good time and don’t think I could have chosen a better place to go. And I made a few friends while I was there, either for the moment or longer, friends either way. And yes, I would go back to San Antonio. I know I missed things while I was there but, in addition to my primary reason for going, I saw the most important part of the city, its people.