Before we went to the IMAX last week, we ate Mexican food on the riverwalk. 

 We had two types of waiters:  the ones on my left who patiently served us food and drink...and the feathered ones on my right who impatiently waited on us to give them our food. 

Here is a greedy duck hogging a tortilla all to himself (obtained from a nearby table).  There was quite a bit of ruckus and chasing going on but the duck managed to keep the tortilla all to himself.

The Riverwalk almost never existed. Because of constant flood issues and city mess with the San Antonio River in the early 1900s, the city nearly paved over it. After all it was no more than a mere trickle of garbage, that during heavy rains, flooded downtown.  Impassioned citizens set out to save the river and convinced the city with a play called "The Goose that laid the Golden Egg" that the river could become an asset.  An architect envisioned a recreation of Venitian canals with gondolas.  The WPA employed workers to build the riverwalk with local stone from a nearby quarry (by the zoo).  The original stonework can be seen in many of the walkways and bridges today.  However, the riverwalk was still a scene of crime and pollution, with the backdoors of businesses facing the river.  Eventually store and restaurant owners were convinced to open their businesses with access on the river side.   The first restaurant to open facing the river was Casa Rio, where we had lunch.   Today there are ongoing extensions and improvements to the river, with access to the streets throughout most of downtown. Floods are now controlled with flood gates and an underground tunnel for overflow.  Big name hotels and restaurants abound on the river. Whenever we have visitors, the one city trip I usually recommend is the river, which is quite unique. The plants and flowers are huge because of the unique ecosystem.  Located below street level, it is warmer than the city streets in the winter and not affected as much by the rare frost.  Also it is usually a bit cooler than the street level in the summer.

Having tediously made their own mosaics when we studied Ancient Rome a few years ago, the kids can appreciate more intricate craftsmanship when they see it.

Across from the Riverwalk is the Alamo. 

We didn't visit, because we have been there so many times, I don't want to see it the same way again.  Instead, after we study it at the dialectic level in history in a few weeks, we will pay a visit.  It should be interesting seeing it through a fresh perspective.  This was how I approached our vacation to Colonial Williamsburg this year.  My husband had made it an option the year before, but I suggested we postpone the trip until we had studied the American Revolution at the dialectic level.  This produced excellent results as the kids were able to actively engage and experience everything in a new way.  We will also be doing a parallel study of the American Revolution vs. Texas Independence!  Stay tuned!