The initial invasion force gathered in the Hospitality Room the afternoon of April 29 prior to striking the Riverwalk area. Back: Chuck Mansfield, Darrell Hixon, Jack Quigley, Ed Houston, Deryl Hull, George Elliott, Patsy Bean Elliott, Carol Tipton, Jack Tipton. Front: Pat Tipton Hixon, Jane Asher Quigley, Helen Sims Hull and Helen Wright James. Harold McKellips and Shirley Hamilton McKellips arrived too late to join the first night assault at Boudros Steak House and the amphibious reconnaissance of the entire riverwalk on a barge.
Luncheon at the Mexican restaraunt in the market place on April 30,2003
Day 1: April 29. Assemble in the lobby, then move to the hospitality room for refreshments and conversation. After the group picture, we trekked down to the Riverwalk to Boudros Steak house for dinner. Then a short walk to the barge dock and board a barge for a trip around the river. Then back to the hotel and settle in for the night.
The group decided to cancel the reservations at the Mexican restaraunt since we ate Mexican for lunch. We started around the river counterclockwise, looking and enjoying each other. When we came upon Joe's Crab Shack, Ed suggested we start there with a round of drinks and an appetizer ON HIM. No one objected. As we sat there enjoying the drinks and goodies, we decided to make this our dinner location. After dinner we walked back to the hotel and sat in the lobby talking until 10:30.
Day 3 May 1. The group gathered in the hotel dining room for breakfast and saying goodbye to the Hixons and Tiptons who were heading home early. We took in the Alamo in the morning along with several million (it seemed) Texas school children. Shirley and Helen posed for a picture before a pot of Four O'clocks which matched Helen's blouse color.
We boarded the trolley for the Tower of the Americas for lunch. Some 750 feet in the air, we circled the city one and a third times as we ate lunch and talked. After the trolley ride back to the hotel, we said goodbye to the McKellips who were leaving. Seven of us went to the IMAX to see the "Alamo, the Price of Freedom" show (the 2 pm was sold out except the front rows so we got tickets for the 4 pm where we sat back on the tenth row.
Day 2 April 30. The group reassembled in the lobby and prepared for a tour around San Antonio. Our first stop was the San Juan Mission, a National Historical Park. We looked at the displays, saw a movie and then walked through the mission compound. Our next stop was the Market Place, arriving just before noon. The group ate lunch in the famous mexican rstaraunt there, as shown in the above pictures. We reboarded the bus around two and went back to the hotel. Free time until 6:15. Checkout the mall, the Alamo, the neighborhood , the hospitality room, or take a nap.
