Remember das Alamo!

See the photo album!Seven and a half years later, Jan and I were roommates again. My old roommate from Berlin was visiting San Antonio for work and invited me to share his hotel room for an evening. How could I pass up the once-every-five-years opportunity to see him?! The last time I saw him was for an afternoon back in 2011. Since then, we hadn't seen each other since I moved to Brooklyn!The weather could have shown a bit more hospitality for our visit. Rains, at times torrential, were only interrupted by buckets of humidity dumped on us. In a word, it was gross. No matter - there was a city to visit and a time to have!An overnight stay in the Alamo city had been on my list for a while. Jan worked during the day, leaving me plenty of time to explore. I can't remember the time I wandered the city as a tourist, without some kind of sporting or conference or festival agenda to attend to.The majority of the trip was spent on a B-cycle, the bike sharing program in San Antonio. For $10/day, I was completely mobile! The seats were comfortable and the pace was conversational, perfect for a River Walk cruise. It was the kind of trip that made me think of some of the day trips we made back in Brooklyn.I wandered in and out of central San Antonio, then explored the northern stretches of the River Walk. The northern extension connected recently rejuvenated industrial sites such as the former Lone Star and Pearl breweries; very impressive architectural work integrating condos, museums, and chic restaurants into a formerly gritty backdrop. Man, I love antiquated industrial sites!I also found time to explore the Mission Trail along the San Antonio River - something that's been on my list for far too long! The 25 mile round trip includes four Spanish missions spaced a half-hours bike ride apart. The fifth mission, the Alamo, lay at the top of the trail.Each mission carried it's own distinct personality. Mission Concepcion had the most interesting interior, featuring unaltered frescoes from the 17th century. Mission San Jose, the Queen of the Missions, incorporated stunning architectural features. The amount of artistry in such a barren land was astounding. Mission San Juan was a bit of a snoozer - pass on this one if you ever make the trip. Mission Espada was the most remote, giving it a very moody, almost haunted presence.Evenings were spent with Jan. Of course we toured das Alamo - how could we not?! Dinner included a big plate of greasy enchiladas and "jumbo" margaritas, as it should. We wandered down the River Walk, enjoying drinks at the Menger Hotel and in the patio perch at the Esquire Tavern. Seven years of living was condensed into a couple of hours. Conversation was easy and punctuated with various emotions. It was good to be together again.Suddenly, time was up and we parted for what hopefully will be a much shorter duration than last time. We need to do this more often, and get everyone involved. Jan, tell your boss you need some more work assignments over here!See the photo album!