The Gulf from San Antonio to New Orleans March, 2024
[Applause] welcome to photos and travel a show that introduces you to fascinating places around the world please welcome our host and tour guide Jonathan van Bilson hello and welcome to this episode of photos and travel where we bring the world to your doorstep today we’re going
To take a trek through history with a visit to Historic San Antonio in Texas and then we’ll hop next door and explore New Orleans and the mighty Mississippi well learn all about Davey Crockett in the Alamo the plantations of the South and we’ll visit Marty Gro and take a
Trip along the largest river in the US we’ll begin exploring these wonderful gems right after these messages at Voss your independent grosser it’s all about Hometown living and shopping owned and operated by Terry and Christine Voss their newly renovated Port Perry store carries many local items to support our
Town and its residents Pet Value has a fleet of services to help you and your pets to live their very best lives visit Pet Value in Port Perry to discover a world of expertise friendly staff and everything you need for your pets pet value your pet your Store welcome back we’re starting our adventure today in San Antonio a city that dates back to the historic start of Texas and the cowboy era I stayed at the manger Hotel built in 1850 at by German immigrant William manger as an expansion of his boarding house adjacent to his
Brewery immediately successful a 40 room extension was started before the initial building was even complete only 23 years after the fall of the Alamo next door by the 1870s the manger was the best known hotel in the southwest it was also San Antonio’s most popular Hotel throughout the 19th century notable
Guests have included Robert Lee Dwight de Eisenhower and may West the hotel has hosted Theodore Roosevelt at least three times most notably in 1898 when he spent most of his time in the bar to recruit the Rough Riders who fought in Cuba in the Spanish American War the minger holds the
Unofficial title of the most haunted hotel in Texas it is now home to 32 different Spirits including most notable white a maid who worked at the manger and was murdered by her husband because the hotel covered the cost of her funeral Sally roams the Halls tidying up as a thank you for the
Kindness shown what I did not know was the place where she was murdered was directly outside my room San Antonio seems to have more Spirits roaming the halls of buildings than most other cities so a ghost tour seemed in order Ripley’s Believe It or Not was as good a
Place to start as any as they claim an actual Spirit resides there of course I don’t believe in ghosts so the noises I kept hearing were easily explained I Think this is the San Fernando Cathedral which we’ll explore in detail a little later on it is the oldest church in the lonar state so it only makes sense that it might be one of the most haunted locations in all San Antonio it is also the burying place of
Davy Crockett whose Spirit can often be seen wandering aimlessly it is said his face is sometimes visible on the wall beside the Door in the early 1900s when this the Spanish Governor’s Palace was home to a variety of businesses reports of Paranormal Activity have been attached to the property guests of the museum have commented that they have felt incredibly cold upon entering the bedroom that a young girl is set to haunt quite often
Her spirit screams at Visitors here we have the Holiday Inn which was formerly the Becker County Jail where the last public hanging took place room 305 was the hanging room and many guests have spent sleepless nights in that bed chamber it was an extremely interesting night and I was glad to return to my
Hotel I made my way to the second floor and after securing my door I was still fairly certain that ghosts don’t really exist or do They one of San Antonio’s best tourist attra ractions is the Riverwalk which is a network of walkways lined with bars and restaurants along the banks of the San Antonio River one story beneath the streets of the city the Riverwalk is an important part of the city’s Urban Fabric and a tourist
Attraction in its own right regular barges transport visitors along the river which was diverted in 1921 after a disastrous flood which claimed 50 lives there was much discussion about the project and work finally began under the watch of Mayor Jack White he raised enough funds to begin a 4 kilomet project in
1938 through the following decades the network has been improved and extended the major extension of the Riverwalk was constructed for the World’s Fair in 1968 the expansion extended the Riverwalk Beyond its natural Banks to the new Convention Center major expansion began in 1988 when the Hilton was built the first of many downtown hotels that leveraged their slice of urban Riverfront that year an extension created a lagoon at the New River Center Mall many national chain restaurants have flourished now taking up about a third of the commercial space talks are underway at City Hall about limiting their existence on the Riverwalk and keeping it distinctively Local in May of 2007 the Riverwalk was extended by several kilometers to stretch from downtown to the city’s South Side this addition is notable for its emphasis on ecological control and Trail improvements to support hiking and Biking in the mid 19th century a great many Germans had immigrated to Texas and began to settle in this area it became known as Sauer crowd Bend to the rest of San Antonio the area developed into an idelic neighborhood of large impressive houses designed in Greek Victorian and Italian style with even one designed by Frank lyd Wright the main street of this neighborhood was given the name King William in honor of King William I the King of Prussia in the 1870s During World War I when America was at war with Germany the name was changed to Persian Avenue a few years after the war ended the King William name was restored an interest in preservation of the area was initiated and it slowly became a fashionable and desirable place
To live in 1968 the King William neighborhood became San Antonio’s first designated historic district Several of the Mansions need repair but many have been restored and are valued between 600,000 And1 million Us Mission concepion was established in 1716 and was originally meant to be a base for converting The Local H people to Catholicism the heni Confederacy was a large group of kosp speaking Native Americans who occupy the territory in Eastern Texas the mission was moved in 1731 to
San Antonio and was founded by The Franciscan friars this is the best preserved of the Texas Missions with very little restoration having taken place the Battle of conception was fought on this site in 1835 between Mexican troops and Texas insurgents led by James Bowie the 30-minute battle is described as the
First major engagement of the Texas Revolution mission concepion is the oldest unrestored Stone Church in America the mission was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 and is part of San Antonio mission’s National Historic Park when originally built Mission concepion had brightly painted frescos decorating both the exterior and interior of the building
Traces of the frescos still exist on the weathered facade experts restored some of the artwork on the interior ceilings and walls of the Convent in 1988 Catholic mass is still held every Sunday and there are many weddings celebrated at the Mission without question the most famous site in San Antonio is the Alamo mission where 180 Texans and mercenaries fought against Mexico for Freedom Colonel James Bowie Under the command of Sam Houston was sent to remove the artillery from the Alamo and destroy the complex Boe was unable to transport the
Armament since the Alamo Garrison lacked the necessary draft animals Bo we argued that the salvation of Texas depends on keeping Bexar now San Antonio out of the hands of the enemy Bowie in a letter said we have come to the solemn resolution that we will rather die in these ditches than
Give up to the enemy he also asked for men money rifles and cannon powder but very few reinforcements were authorized Cavalry Officer William B Travis arrived with 30 men and 5 days later a small group of volunteers arrived including the famous Frontiersman Dave Crockett the Battle of the Alamo in 183
Was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution following a 13-day Siege Mexican troops under the command of Santa Ana launched an assault on the Alamo Mission all of the Texan Defenders were killed as 1500 Mexicans marched into San Antonio in an effort to retake Texas which belonged to
Mexico for the next 10 days the two armies engaged in several skirmishes unfortunately the Garrison could not withstand an attack by such a large large Force Travis wrote multiple letters to Sam Houston who was less than 100 kilometers away he pleaded for more men and supplies but Houston could not
Spare the number of men necessary to mount a successful defense and fewer than 100 reinforcements arrived the Alamo mission is now a tourist site with most of its casualties buried beneath the road in front A fitting memory to a tragic battle which makes the Alamo mission well worth the Visit my final stop in beautiful San Antonio was the famous Buckhorn Saloon an establishment frequented by Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum began as a private collection of Albert Friedrich in 1881 Friedrich amassed his collection of horns from his own hunting trips and from other hunters and Trappers in its early years anyone could swap food or a drink if you brought antlers or horns of an animal to be
Displayed The Collection became known as the Buckhorn Hall of horns the Texas Ranger Museum in the Buckhorn features authentic Texas Ranger artifacts including guns badges photographs and much More the museum also features Ranger town which is a recreation of San Antonio at the turn of the century and includes a replica of a saloon a jail cell a blacksmith shop and a reproduction of the 1934 Ford V8 which was the famous Bonnie and Clyde getaway car
There is also a detailed carving of the Tree of Life with very fine attention paid to intricacies depicting life Jing Cowboy Times although most of the memorabilia is from the old west Fredick was not particular as to the origin of his artifacts and would accept almost every offering made the Buckhorn Museum features Wildlife from all over the world including fish from the Seven Seas animals from every continent and strange animal
Oddities the exhibit Halls are comprised of over 520 species of wildlife many of which are record holders today for over 131 years the Buckhorn saloon has been known as a Gathering Place for good conversation great food and spectacular exhibits today the saloon houses a a cafe a gift shop a
Shooting gallery and two Museums open until 11:00 p.m. it is a great place to enjoy a fine meal and some interesting conversation and perhaps even meet a cowboy San Antonio is an amazing City the Riverwalk was spectacular and spending time at the Alamo was quite a history lesson when we
Return we’ll head a little bit to the East and explore one of the world’s most interesting and wildest cities we’ll be right back after these messages not all Canadians have the time nor desire to manage their finances and often that responsibility is up to financial professionals our goal is to help
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Business or just need to get noticed at PPR print our sale Flags lawn signs and car branding will get you the attention you need PPR print more than just Printing as I mentioned in this segment we’re going to visit New Orleans with its great food excellent music and of course Mar ra New Orleans with a population of 400,000 is a bustling city with a huge tourist trade it is world renowned for its distinct music Creole Cuisine unique
Dialects and its annual celebration and festivals most notably Marty the historic Heart of the City is the French Quarter known for its French and Spanish Creole architecture and vibrant nightlife along Bourbon Street the city has been described as a the most unique in the United States owing in large part to its
Cross-cultural and multilingual Heritage additionally New Orleans has increasingly been known as Hollywood South because of its prominent role in the film industry and pop [Applause] culture New Orleans is a magnet for artists such as painters sculptures Weavers and Ceramics you can shop their works on Julia Street in the warehouse
District or Royal Street in the French Quarter art markets can be found all throughout New Orleans from the fence surrounding Jackson Square to the co-op markets along decar Street sculptures and various forms of art are found throughout the entire City New Orleans is a sports town and a stadium known as the Mercedes-Benz super doome seen here is home to the New Orleans Saints and and has been since 1975 the complex holds up to 78,000 People the French Quarter is the city’s historic heart famous for its vibrant nightlife and colorful buildings with cast iron Balconies crowd pleasing bourbon Street features jazz clubs Cajun eateries and reverberating bars serving potent Cocktails quieter streets lead to the French market with gourmet food and local crafts where Shoppers can find everything from souvenirs to groceries to housewares since 1791 the historic French Market has remained an enduring symbol of Pride and progress for the people of New Orleans in over 200 years
Of existence the market has been built destroyed and rebuilt many times over but what remains unchanged is the market Central Spirit of Commerce community and culture that is irresistible to visitors from near and Far New Orleans Prides itself on various distinctive housing Styles the oldest are the Creole Cottages which date back from 1790 to 1850 their singl story homes with steeply pitched roofs and front porches that almost touch the street they’re a distinct blend of Caribbean and French Canadian Design American tow houses date back to the 1820s and are found in the central business district and Lower Garden District which we’ll explore a little later on these narrow brick or stuckle three-story structures feature asymmetric windows and iron balconies on the second or third floors another style of buildings quite common
In the French Quarter are the Creole tow houses which date back to the late 1700s cre tow houses often have shops below and homes above bricko or stucco exteriors and arched Windows built after the great fires of 1788 and 1794 these two to four story structures have a strong Spanish influence in the Details Jackson Square is a New Orleans Landmark with the Steeples of St Louis Cathedral visible from almost anywhere the statue of Andrew Jackson boldly stands in the front Courtyard and is a remembrance of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans in commemorating the Victorious General Jackson during the first half of the
19th century this former military Plaza was renamed Jackson Square today it is filled with tourists and Musicians do the cathedral Basilica of St Louis king of France was built in 1850 it is the oldest cathedral in continuous use throughout the United States and it’s dedicated to King Louis the 9th of France who was also known as St Louie what everyone thinks of New
Orleans the first thing that comes to mind is of course marra this funfilled Carnival celebration leads up to the last day of Lent on the Catholic calendar it is a time for partying Before 40 days of fasting begins People throw each other strands of beads or other trinkets including coconuts based on 150 year traditions on March 2nd in 1699 French Canadian Explorer Jean Baptist de banvil arrived at a plot of ground 100 km or 60 Mi directly south of New Orleans he named it point the Marty gr and his men
Realized immediately it was the eve of the FES of holiday in 1703 three the tiny settlement celebrated Louisiana’s first Marty Gro by the 1730s Marty Gro was celebrated openly in New Orleans but not with the parades we know today in the early 1740s the governor established elegant Society balls which became the model for the New Orleans Marty Gro balls of today the earliest reference to Carnival appears in 1781
People go all out when it comes to decorating their homes by putting giant masks streamers and beads on balconies and Porches the festivities run all night as well as all day and a special provision has been made to allow people to conceal their faces by wearing masks during Marty gr it’s the only time of year they’re allowed to do So one of the key reasons New Orleans exists is the mighty Mississippi River delta which Lies 100 km or 65 Mi south of the city Mark Twain said that the Mississippi River was a wonderful book with a new story to tell each and every day Mississippi a chiua Native American word
That means large river is the life force that has shaped New Orleans history Forever the Mississippi river runs through our along 10 states starting in Minnesota it is the largest drainage basin in America and drains about 60% of the country’s Rivers the main feeds come from the Missouri the Arkansas and the Ohio River making this the longest river in North
America with a total length of over 6,000 km or 4,000 Mi the Mississippi is the fourth longest river in the world surpassed by the Nile the Amazon and the yansi the ladder being only 30 km Longer passing the levies gives you an example of just how low this area is and how easily flooding can Occur the Delta is home to massive amounts of wildlife over the last three centuries the Delta has continuously collapsed due to human alterations of the river system in the 18th century the river was the primary western boundary of the young United States and since the country’s expansion Westward the Mississippi River
Has been widely considered a convenient dividing line between the midwestern eastern and southern states and the western part of the Country the first thing you see when you enter the grounds is the lane of Mighty oak trees twice as wide as they are tall in a double row the mere 28 trees create an enchanted forest they were planted in the early 1700s by an unknown French settler who
Placed the 28 seedlings in two evenly spaced rows from his modest house house down to the river the house is a classic Anabella mansion in a white Greek Revival style complete with a wide Veranda Ellum means pre-war and refers to houses in the Deep South built prior to the American Civil
War Oak Ali originally called bon sour was built as a sugar cane plantation designed by the same architect behind the New Orleans famous French Market the Mansion was built entirely by slaves labor over 2 years and was completed in 1837 the architect did not take the temperatures into account when he was designing the house as it was incredibly warm even in winter so Verandas had to be added for a cooling effect even with that the third floor reached temperatures of 50° or 120° fhe during summer naturally It could only be used
For storage as opposed to the Lura Plantation business and family life at Oak allei were kept completely separate that probably goes a long way to explain why the plantation failed financially an attempt was made to bring it out of the red after the Civil War however without the use of slaves it was
Not financially feasible what a fantastic trip this was visiting historic San Antonio and learning all about the Alamo and then EXP exploring the Mississippi in New Orleans with all its bling Oak Alley Plantation was incredible and a great end to this adventure for photos and travel I’m Jonathan van Bilson it’s been
My pleasure to be your tour guide today and I look forward to our next adventure if you enjoyed this program please click the Subscribe button and you’ll never miss an Episode At the standard Newspaper.com travel article look for your next copy in your mailbox
The Gulf of Mexico has always been a tourist haven. In this episode, Jonathan van Bilsen explores San Antonio, home of Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and the Alamo, and then travels east to New Orleans to discover the excitement and bling of this amazing city.