San Antonio Missions National Historic Park

 San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, TX

15 Nov, 2022

5 Missions along the San Antonio River in San Antonio

The missions established in the 1700's as the Spanish colonized the Southwest have always been special for me.  While the stories of colonization and subjugation of indigenous populations are sometimes difficult, the missions themselves are very beautiful window into a time in our history.  

Part Church, part community, part fort, the missions had very large forecourts surrounded by walls. The walls often contained small apartments built into the fortifications for the indigenous laborers.  

 

Small living quarters built into the walls around the mission with small ovens outside for cooking.

 

 

 

Driving through Texas during a cold snap!

Temps were unusually cold this trip.  Usually I boondock and just use a Little Buddy propane heater to warm up the van at night before bed - but this trip, I stopped in RV parks so I could plug in an electric heater overnight.  Even with my 'big coat', it was a chilly drive!  My time for this trip was constrained by some medical appointments on the front end and camping plans for thanksgiving on the back end - so, I had to take the highway (I-10) route to San Antonio.  There really isn't much along I-10 but lots of semi-trucks and way too much of the boring parts of Texas.