
Last month, when I was in San Antonio for the AIIM Conference, the conference hotel was right on the River Walk. I knew I’d get to see some this self-proclaimed “world famous destination” but I wasn’t sure how much of a tour I could squeeze in. Cheryl suggested that I take the barge tour. That turned out to be an excellent idea. It took about 35 minutes; the tour guide was funny and informative (which is a great combination) and there were lots and lots of doors. I’ll spare you the history/engineering/depth and elevation data. I will say that the San Antonio River that winds through the River Walk is made up of natural segments and man-made extensions. That wasn’t bad, was it? Oh, and it’s only 3 – 5 feet (about 1.5m) deep. Sorry, I couldn’t let that rest.
Since I’m skipping the history (I don’t remember much), I’ll share a funny story with you and then let you stroll through the gallery.
On my way back from The Alamo, I spied a Visitor’s Center. You can ask my family, I always stop in these places, and I always gather brochures. I picked up a brochure, maybe two, a tee shirt, a magnet and I proceeded to the checkout. I saw a sign for “Barge Tour” tickets and I asked about that. This conversation ensued:
“Can you tell me about the barge tour?”
“Blah blah blah barge, blah, river, blah blah tour.”
“How much are the tickets?”
“Well, the problem is, we’re out of adult tickets. We only have youth and senior tickets.”
“How old do you have to be for senior tickets?”
“Sixty.”
“Woo hoo!”
“Really? You don’t look like you’re sixty.”
Note: At this point, I took off my Pirates baseball cap
“Oh, never mind, you’re good.”
She quickly apologized. I told her not to worry, as it’s the kind of think I would say.
If you’d like to take a barge tour along an international virtual river of doors, head down to Captain Norm’s dock on the outskirts of Montreal. The ice has melted in Canada and Norm has replaced the skies with pontoons and is ready to set sail. You can see his doors as you approach the dock. Look for the little blue deck hand – he’ll punch your ticket and off you go.
As you look at the photos in the gallery, try and imagine sitting in an office with a view of the River Walk and trying to do any work. Between the happy tourists and the places selling food and adult beverages, I don’t think I’d be all that productive. If you want to start a slide show, click on any picture in the gallery. As always, thanks for dropping by.
So timely to post about San Antonio. I only wish I had a margarita in hand right now. I loved the River Walk area when we visited there. Your photos are cool.
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Thanks Ally. Go fix that margarita 🙂
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Awwww…I sure miss seeing the Riverwalk. Remind me to tell you about us buying tickest at the St A lighthouse. Too funny. She cheated them out of the most expensive ticket because….why? There were no physical adult tickets? 😳🙄😂Franks for the memories. You should be yhere during Fiesta. So fun!
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We were there the eeek before Fiesta. I can only imagine. I’ll hsve more photos on Saturday.
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Yay! Can’t wait. Thanks for sharing the typos love. 😉😂
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Agreed – I’d get NO work done!
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I know, right?
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Dan, I finally have declassified papers about the 478th AAA – should I sent them email? I think that would be the easiest way.
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That would be wonderful. You can use nofacilities at gmail dot com if you don’t have my email from your blog.
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It is 1:50 pm right now, I should get back to you within the next 1/2 hour.
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I love river walks, Dan. Those buildings are beautiful. 3-5 feet deep? You could have waded through it, lol.
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Thanks Jean. They told us not to worry about sinking.
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I have always wanted to go to Riverwalk. These photos will be shown to my husband to move us along with a trip there sooner rather than later. 3-5 feet deep?! No kidding……Luckily, I didn’t plan on wading…although give me a couple Margarita’s and who knows…
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Thsnks Lois. I’ll have more (non door) photos on Saturday. It’s beautiful.
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Barge tour? Yes, that sounds fun. I really like that building with the “egged shaped thing” — I’m curious about all the hole-things above it.
Dan, having to fight for a senior discount is a great thing. :D Hugs.
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Thanks Teagan. I was wondering the same thing about those holes. Maybe drainage ? Anyway, I like the building.
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Oh the joys of aging lol At least you didn’t have to pull out your id.
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Oh my – that photo is worse than the real thing 😏
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The barge tour sounds like an ideal way to see a good part of the shoreline hot spots.
Some awesome finds in this collection but I absolutely love that egg-shaped door – so original.
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Thanks Norm. You can imagine me sitting there thinking “please be a door” – I might be hopeless 😏
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I feel validated, as I noticed some of the same buildings you did. Can’t say I have your eye, though. Nicely done, and many thanks for taking the time to document my visit! ;-)
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Hs ha – you’re welcome Steve. I feel better, too!
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At that point, it could have gone the other way….like if they asked if you needed assistance getting around. :)
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Ha! thanks. I might have taken them up on the offer.
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River Walk FTW! Love the pictures, especially the one of the Clifford Building (the one with the tower). My publishing house recently published RIVER WALK CHAMELEON (is it BSP if you plug somebody else’s book?) by Joanna Foreman, set mostly on the River Walk. She gave her main character an apartment in the Clifford Building, which is how I know what it is. :)
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That’s so cool. I like that. I have more pictures to share on Saturday. It was such a pretty place.
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Good shots of the Riverwalk. Dick’s Last resort is a landmark. Glad you could take the tour. My office overlooked the Riverwalk and I would take a stroll during lunch. Was very relaxing. There are also wonderful artworks along the walk as well. Thanks, Dan
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Thanks John. I have more to share on Sat. I don’t know how you ever got any work done, or how you ever forced yourself back in after a walk.
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I know right. It was a matter of guageing how much my underarm sweat showed.
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Ha ha
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A barge trip that only has senior and youth tickets? That’s strange. I note you got snaps of a lot of balconies. Nice.
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They had just run out of Adult tickets. I could have bought them elsewhere but this worked out better. I do like balconies. Thanks.
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I’d love to take the barge tour. Our older daughter, her now fiancé, and I all took the architectural river tour in Chicago last summer and it was a blast! I plan to take it again. I also think you should have thanked the woman for assuming you weren’t old enough. (I know you didn’t say “No worries”, right?) It’s only a problem when they immediately offer you the senior rate, especially if you aren’t that old. :-)
janet
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You’re right Janet. I was pleased. I hope to take that boat tour in Chicago if I get back out there. It sounds like fun, on a warm day.
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It’s definitely cooler even on the river, so the warm day is a good idea.
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Yeah. It was cold the day I was there and we were thinking of a night cruise
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Whohoo, this is Dan, the explorer in Texas’ last rainforests and world’s most famous destination on a barge tour, looking for headhunters. Sorry, could not resist that one, especially after you mentioned the depth of this river.
But without your text looking at your images, it gives one definitely a different feeling – the colors are much brighter, the outdoor sitting areas, etc.
This is Jesh StG -this week from my other blog, which often gives me problems when linking, so here a direct link
https://thejeshstudio.wordpress.com/2018/04/27/may-studio-musings/
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Thanks Jesh. It did have a tropical feel at some points. It was so good to see all that color.
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I feel for the people who are color bling.
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I am, but it still looks like an amazing collection of colors. Probably not as many as you see but plenty 🙂
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oh I see a typo in my comment – hope you know I meant people who are color blind.
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I did the River Walk years ago and loved it… it seemed very magical. I was surprised that your pictures showed very few people I thought it was usually pretty packed. Anyway, next time I go I’ll take the barge for sure (especially since I can get a senior’s ticket :) Funny story!
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It was early in the morning. I have more pictures which feature other sights and a few more people. It was pretty crowded when we went back for dinner.
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Gorgeous buildings, doors, windows, and I’m really thinking about the delicious food. Oh, I do love ‘good’ Mexican food. :-) It has been many years since I’ve visited San Antonio, so I enjoyed your visit and the memories. :-)
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Thanks Judy. I ate Mexican food all week 🙂
I really liked seeing the color (especially) the green given that it was still snowing when I left CT for that conference.
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I love the river walk. Have family in San Antonio and enjoy visits.
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Thanks. I hope to get back at some point.
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Terrific doors, buildings, balconies, and scenery. And yes, that white grid pattern is stunning.
Love the senior citizen story. Lol. So the trick is to know when to wear your hat and when to take it off so it works to your advantage.
🔹 Ginger 🔹
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Ha ha – yes, I have to remember when to show my age. I do like the balconies.
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Great doors! I’m glad the lil egg shaped thing was a door, and a splendidly shaped one at that! Groovy! I really like the shot of the rows of doors, arches, and balconies. I will skip what looks to be a fragile balcony and take the coral colored wrap around balcony instead :)
I’m afraid my imagination is broken, and I couldn’t fill it in tonight — but I’d love to see what’s in everyone else’s heads!
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Thanks! I’ve been trying to get to your post but it’s been refusing to load. I’ll grt there, it might be my phone.
I like the balconies but some do look a little light on structure.
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Oh pity! I lost one blogger entirely, can’t load her from any device in my home. Do not understand this at all. Hope you make it over eventually!
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I made it but only from laptop.
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Oh thank tacos!
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I loved River Walk and enjoyed this trip down memory lane. I drank a lot of margaritas there … you know, when in Rome … :)
We also did the barge tour, if only because it looked like a fun way to kill time away from the margaritas :)
Love, love, love the arched doorway with the pocket door. Good catch …. I’m not sure I would have noticed it. As well as the flood gates … I definitely didn’t get those either.
As for the ghost door … it disturbs my OCD that they left the balcony there. That’s just wrong.
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Ha ha – I didn’t think of the balcony with the ghost door (I like that term).
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Pushed send too soon. I did drink a few margaritas, as well as those spiced-salt dressed beers. Good thing I was walking.
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It’s impossible not to catch margarita-fever in San Antonio 🙂
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Beam me over to the river walk and that adorable egg shaped door, Scotty. Wonderful, Dan!
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Thanks Jennie. I love that door 🙂
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You’re welcome, Dan. Me, too. 🙂
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Funny story!
I like the folding doors, and all those lovely balconies. The little odd shaped egg doors was a neat find!
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Thanks! I really like those folding doors. The egg shaped one is a fav. I like thinking about how that could be made.
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The barge trip sounds like a fun combination of information and joking, Dan. I would love this, too. 🙂
I loved the balconies especially the peachy pink building! It was so pretty! I liked the white gridwork on the windows and doors in that first photograph.
I have always wanted to go to Texas! Also, over on the West side of the Grand Canyon. I have been to nice places but never want to stop traveling. Maybe another plane trip, a senior tour or a train trip ahead. I like using my AARP card which starts at age 50. Many people use it at Walgreens on Tuesday for extra savings, as well as reducing prescription costs. Last but not least, the light dappling between the trees and your talking about how could anyone work while looking out the window were super great additional comments. ✨
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Thanks Robin. There are so many amazing places in this country. I wish I could afford the time to go everywhere by train. Flying is efficient, but I’d prefer rolling along the rails.
This little tour was almost surreal. I tried getting pictures of the birds that nest in the canopy, but no success. At times, it was like a jungle ride for 2-3 seconds.
I do like the balconies. Thanks for stopping by and for the comment.
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I’ve never been to San Antonio, but it looks lovely. And sunny – something I haven’t seen in a while. The tour seems like fun, and yay for seniors tickets. :-)
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It was a very nice little tour. The city is wonderful, but it was already almost too hot for me.
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Oh wow!! The architecture is amazing!! SO different from this part of the world. How I enjoyed this river walk with you! I stared at your photos a long time! As for being at least 60, there are advantages. LOL Thank you for this share, Dan!! Just beautiful! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
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The architecture is very different, but I like the stone and the color, and all the other uses of color, Amy. Between the buildings and the plants, it’s such a vibrant area. Thanks for the comment – I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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I wanted to jump right into some of those pictures and never leave. *sighs* I agree about the “whole” effect. Just glorious!
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🙂
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[…] I had a bunch of photos from the River Walk (both walking and by barge) so I decided to share them today, since a lot of people liked the doors on Thursday. […]
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Pretty doors, pretty place Dan.
If you’ll excuse me, though, I have to go cover the “60’s” on my head. No senior discount here. ;-)
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Ha ha! I’m not going to reply to that.
Thanks for the comment on the doors.
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And the egg shaped thing was a door….awesome shots…love the River Walk and you really got some great pictures!!
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Thanks Kirt. It was a lot of fun. I’d like to go back.
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Like I said before and you experienced…it’s just so different than anything I seen in a US downtown area before! Love it!
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Additional comment since we are the same age….I think my brain has me at a younger age, because I keep forgetting about the senior discount on stuff…just celebrated a birthday and I’m wondering…when and how did I arrive at this age so quickly?? I still have the humor of an 18 year old male…doesn’t that count for something??? Probably only to other 18 year olds and hearing that type of humor coming out of a face obviously much older…probably not a good thing after all…:)
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You’re young at heart, Kirt, so it wouldn’t occur to you to ask for that senior discount.
It is a most unique downtown area. I definitely enjoyed this trip.
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Ohh, yes! I love this tour. Such great light and buildings and doors. I hope you all won’t mind me saying it, but this doesn’t look like America at all. Why don’t you strut it more? San Antonio then. Adding to the list.
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Thanks. There are so many parts of America that most people don’t know about. Every city has something.
On the other hand, it’s a four hour flight from my home to San Antonio 🙂
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Feels like a tiny piece of Venice in the USA. The pictures are lovely and provide a great online tour of the area.
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I’m glad you enjoyed this, Sharukh.
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I was in a ball cap recently when I was checking out of a liquor store, and wouldn’t you know it — carded. Not that I minded, of course. Speaking of ball caps, your Pirates are right in it so far. I know they’re in third place of the NL Central at the moment, but they’re nipping right at the heels of those Cards. Doing a lot better than my Orioles, that’s for sure. :P
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Thanks Paul. The Pirates have been a bit of a surprise. Taking a series from the Cubs and sweeping the Cards – I’ll take that any April. Of course, the Brewers continue their dominance in the home field, but I think we’ll get up on them when they come to PNC. You guys are in a tough division, but I’d love to see you doing better.
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