I am doing a little different adventure. Tomorrow I spend a week, well five days at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America. I flew in late Friday to San Antonio to play tourist before my class starts.
Yesterday, my friend Barbara and I took an all day bus trip to the hill country.
We went to the LBJ Ranch wich turned out to be very interesting. I was certainly around when LBJ was president but I only remember that my Secret Service friends told me about how crude he was. They said he had the most foul mouth of all the presidents and used to love to loudly pass gas in the elevator if he had them as a captive audience. I had forgotten what a huge influence he was in the civil rights era. Shame on me. He also loved to pass out candy to the kids who visited his ranch.
The tour was pretty fun. I had no idea that San Antonio had such a German influence. And I have been here before. We had the best lunch at the Auslander Biergarten in Fredicksburg, Texas. I had a spicy Kasewurst which was sort of a brat but red. It was spicy and had cheese in it. Yum. I barely touched the sauerkraut or the red cabbage. It was a sausage fest.
We saw plenty of real Texas longhorns. I didn't know they were mean and aggressive and were bred because they will eat anything, are resistant to disease and have no natural predators thanks to their nasty personalities. This one looks so sweet.
We ended the tour with a wine tasting. Wasn't terribly thrilled with Texas wines but I did buy a bottle of Muscato that was quite nice. I will say, it was the last thing I tried. Hopefully, it didn't just get better as they wines went! I think it will go well with some blue cheese or maybe an extra sharpe cheddar. Ummm but everything goes well with those two things.
Barbara and I ended up having dinner in the market district at a tourista Mexican Restaurant that was very noisy and crazy. We each had a chili relleno which was average. I love chili rellenos and have had some of the best. The frozen marguerita was pretty good. Two would have made dinner taste better but we stuck with one.
Today, Barbara and I decided to do a city tour. I particularly liked the Viet Nam Memorial. It was the biggest of all the memorials and I really felt like San Antonio gave the Viet Nam Veterans their due. Long time coming in most places.
Barbara ended up going to the immediate care for a sinus infection so for much of the tour, she wasn't with me. Boohoo. She is okay now. Before she left, we had lunch right around the corner from last nights mediocre dinner. Lunch was better but still pretty touristy. I saw the blow shirts at lunch. Made me laugh.
Below was one of the street performers. She was 80 or more...maybe 90? Gave me hope. I could have a whole second (or would that be third) career as a dancer. The old gal could shake it but she had no real rhythm. People were giving her money right and left (me included). Hey if you are willing to stand out there give it your all at that age, you deserve some support.
We went to the Japanese Tea garden which was beautiful. Notice the sign says Chinese tea garden. It was built during WW II and the builders were afraid no one would come to a Japanese Tea Garden. Funny!
We concluded our day with two of the missions. Fascinating. I will be back tomorrow with news of the CIA. I have to be there at 6:40 AM. Whoa. Awfully early! So goodnight to all!
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