San Antonio, Texas

We are in San Antonio, Texas for 5 days on our way back to Florida.  We spent the afternoon of the first day at a timeshare type presentation for Wyndham Vacation Resorts.  We were told that it would be 90 minutes, but it ended up another hour after that.  Needless to say that we did not buy a membership, as we didn't have an extra $88,000 + $181. a month.  We did go to the top of the Tower of the Americas, which was built in 1968 for the World's Fair.  We had some great views of the city.  We also had a nice lunch at the Guadalajara Grill in the La Vallita section of town.
One day we also visited the Cathedral of San Fernando, and saw a wedding in progress.  It is quite a beautiful cathedral.  We also visited the Mission of San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo in San Antonio, built in 1720, which is like a church and a military fort.  There are 100 rooms for the Indians who are learning to become Catholics, high walls protecting everyone inside, the mission and all the quarters for the mission's priests and staff.  It is quite a large place.
Finally, we took a tour of SAS shoes. (San Antonio Shoes)  This is the only brand of shoes Debbie will wear because by wearing them, Debbie no longer has back problems.  She had 7 pairs and purchased another pair after the tour.  What would a visit to San Antonio be without visiting the Alamo and the Riverwalk.  We visited both and had a great time while in San Antonio.

 

Our campsite at San Antonio KOA

The Tower of the Americas

A view of downtown San Antonio

A Mayan sculpture believed to be 750 years old

Debbie was pooped, so we hired a rickshaw to take us to La Vallita

Everyone likes Tequilla

Inside the Guadalajara Grill

The Cathedral of San Fernando

The Wedding inside the Cathedral

Inside the Cathedral are the remains of the Alamo Heros

The walls surrounding the Mission of San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo

The rear view of the mission

One of the four areas where the Indians resided

The front of Mission San Jose

One of the many stoves used by the Indians

The Altar inside the mission

The view from just inside the front door

A barge on the San Antonio Riverwalk

One of the many restaurants along the river

A Christmas Tree on one of the islands

Going under one of the many bridges

Just a beautiful 45 minute ride

Debbie at the Alamo

One side of the Alamo Monument

Another side of the Alamo Monument

The front of the Alamo Monument

The SAS Shoe factory store & Debbie with her new shoes

This is one large store

The SAS kitchen, warm cookies, free coffee & 5 cent popcorn

The Studebaker is part of the interior of the SAS store

They sell SAS clothing too!

The SAS Ice Cream Parlor

So many wonderful displays

A Studebaker truck just inside the entrance

SAS Shoes, just a great nostalgic place to visit

                                                 
                                                                        
                                                                
                                                                               
                                                                                                 
                                                                                
                                                                              
                                                                         
                                                                                     

                                                                          

Christmas in Florida 2012

We flew from Mesa, Arizona to Florida for Christmas.  We were very busy and I'm here to admit our mistakes.  We forgot to take our camera when we visited Debbie's sister Donna and the rest of the Butler family, the staff of the Tampa Bay Toll office, the Christmas party at Ernie's Welding, our friends Paula Williams and Suzie and Brad Bohannon. We had great visits with all of them, but sadly, no photos to share.  We did visit the Casola Family in Citrus Springs and Debbie's brother Ernie Chonko and the extended family in Webster. We did remember the camera on those occasions. 

                                                   Visiting with Tom & Marlo Casola & kids, Sergio & Angelina Monge

Marlo and Tom open a gift of blessed holy dirt from Santaurio de Chimayo

Sergio, the avid reader gets books

Angelina gets Junie B. Jones books

La Familia

Deb and me at the Casola's Christmas tree

                                                                      Christmas Day with the Chonko Family in Webster, FL                                                                   

Yes, the Chonko tradition is to hang the tree upside-down

Tiffany & son Zakkary were having fun

Ernie got a new coffee mug

Mama Kim got a gift basket of goodies from our travels

Zack likes discovering what is inside the empty boxes

Jesse got a new saddle

Amy got lots of gifts

Zackkary got a motorcycle like Grampa Ernie's

Debbie's jean jacket was big, but we'll get the right size

Vince got a jean jacket too!

Dad Gabriel and son Zakkary play a new guitar

The visit was not all play, a good days work on the ranch was great for me

Ernie brings in wood for the nightly bonfire

The nightly bonfire keeps us warm on the cool Florida nights

        

                                                                         
                                                                        

                                                                                   
                                                                               
                                                                                   

Arizona State Capitol, Phoeniz, AZ

Today we drove into Phoenix to visit the state capitol.  We were surprised by the number of beautiful monuments outside the Capitol.  Across the street are 24 monuments, commemorating things like WWII, The Navajo Code Talkers, The Persian Gulf War, The Korean War, Vietnam War, 911, the Battleship Arizona and many others.  We spent our first hour or so there reading and enjoying those monuments.  Then we went inside the state capitol building.  We had a private tour with a volunteer named Larry.  This capitol, unlike any other has a weather vane atop the dome.  Inside we normally stand on the bottom floor and take a photo looking up at the dome.  At this capitol you go up to the 4th floor and shoot down at the floor in the rotunda.  This year is the centennial (1912-2012) of Arizona's entrance into the union as the 48th and final state, prior to Alaska in 1959 and Hawaii in 1960.

The Anchor from the Battleship USS Arizona

The mast from the USS Arizona, sunk at Pearl Harbor

The Korean War monument

Monument honoring Arizona's fallen K9 dogs

WWII Navajo Code Talkers

The Vietnam Memorial and lists of Arizonians who died there

The Arizona State Capitol Building

The Great Seal of Arizona

The state weather vane turns with the wind

A twisted piece of the USS Arizona, sunk 12/7/1941

Arizona's flag

Wax figure of Arizona's first Governor, elected to 4 non-consecutive terms

Debbie with a very old cactus, could be 200 years old

                                                                                
                                                                               
                                                                                 

                                                                                         
                                                                                  
                                                                                      

Val Vista Resort, Mesa, Arizona

We are at Val Vista Resort in Mesa for six weeks visiting Glenn & Terry Gordon.  They are the parents of our daughter-in-law Heather. (we share grandchildren)  We have been doing a lot of nothing, relaxing, swimming, and playing at the resort.  We watched the Christmas parade on Thursday night and enjoyed a block party at Glenn & Terry's on Saturday.  We also attended the Cowboy Christmas party, headlined by  OK Corral.  Saturday was also the Army-Navy game and Glenn and Vince were on opposing sides.  Navy won for the 11th consecutive time.  Go Navy!       The weather is great, everyday in the mid to upper 70's. 

OK Corral

Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus were in the parade

Red Hat Ladies were in the parade.

Mary & Joseph were in the parade, but were is Jesus?

Nana,  Papa Gordon and Spike were in the parade

Grampy Pugliese in the Navy hat & Papa Gordon in the Army hat

Grammy Pugliese & Nana Gordon celebrating after the block party

                                                                             

Thanksgiving at Brother David's in Kingston, N.Y.

After visiting Vincent for 5 days, we drove up to my brother David and his wife Eileen's home.  They opened up their 38' trailer for us, making us feel right at home.  We got to spend some time with their children, Monica and Mike.  Mom also lives in Kingston, and brother Gregg and family live nearby in Port Ewen.  Around 30 of the family gathered for Thanksgiving.  It is always great to spend time with the extended family, as family is really what life is about.

Brother David and daughter Monica(Dave had his gallbladder out 2 days before)

Debbie and Mom ready to eat

Great Nephew Adam, Brother Gregg, Gregg Jr.

Nephew John, Niece Ivy Rose and Great Niece Madison

Vince, Quinn, Vincent, Heather Paris, Maryann, Catrina, Madison, Ivy, Adam

Ashley,(Jeremy's Girlfriend) Nephew Jeremy, Catrina

David's daughter Monica and his wife Eileen

Vince, David & Cousin Danny shootin' the breeze

Vincent and Paris