Lake Corpus Christi TX

This week we are staying at the Lake Corpus Christi RV & Marina. It is right on the lake and the lake is big and beautiful. There were full hook up sites, some had concrete pads and some were just uneven ground. There were no toilets or showers but there was a laundry. Probably would not stay here again.

About the lake; In 1929 they constructed a dam across the Neuces River and formed a reservoir. Later that same year the dam failed.

In 1935, FDR’s New Deal made it possible for the dam to be rebuit.

In the 1940s the dam was facing a new problem, silt was filling the lake. Silt is a combination of materials carried by running water and deposited as a sediment in a channel or harbor.

Landowners opposed a new and larger dam but the water district won a court decision for a new dam which was built in 1958.

Lake Corpus Christi covers 21,000 acres and is one of the largest artificial lakes in Texas.

On Saturday we drove into Corpus Christi. We went to the Visitors Center and made our plans for the day. I believe we got there around 10:30 a.m. not 3:36 p.m.

We started out on North Beach and took the girls for a walk along the beach.

Look at the barnacles on this rock.

The USS Lexington

John took the tour of the USS Lexington while we were at the beach.

I asked John to take lots of pictures of the inside for me to choose from. He got some really nice photos and he had a great time!

Gauges for the steam engine to drive the props.

KP Duty

The Mess Hall

Machinist Shop

A Cool Poster

Sleeping Quarters

Lots and lots of stairs.

The Bridge

The Flight Deck

The Big Guns

Interesting facts of the USS Lexington:

Carries enough gasoline to drive your car around the world 132 times.

First ship to have women stationed aboard as crew members, August 18, 1980.

You can park more than 1000 automobiles on the Flight Deck of the Lexington.

You can play 3 football games or 14 basketball games on the Flight Deck at the same time.

Is as tall as a 19 story building and as long as 3 New York City blocks.

Steamed more miles and served longer than any other carrier in the world, 40 years.

The Flight Deck is equal to more than 2 acres of land on which you could grow a crop of 100 bushels of corn.

Has more telephones than a city of 5000.

Carries enough fuel to sail non-stop a distance of 30,000 miles.

Has sailed a total of 209,000 miles equal to 8 times around the world.

Has more sleeping space than Ceasars Palace, The Mirage and Treasure Island (3500).

After John’s tour we decided to drive over to the barrier island. We decided that we needed lunch so we stopped at Whataburger. Their food is so good and their shakes are delicious!

We then headed to Mustang Island. We turned on one of the beach access roads and to our surprise we could actually drive on the beach!

After walking down the beach we drove down the beach and over to the jetties. There were lots of people out fishing and enjoying the beautiful day.

I have always heard that Padre Island was a vacation destination and now I get to see it for myself. We head to the Visitors Center & Beaches at the end of the road into the park. Due to the government shutdown the facilities were closed but the park and beaches were not!

Ranger John!

View from the Visitors Center

The paths of the sand crabs! They are quick!

The Padre Island beach

We had a great day at the beach and we will certainly miss it as we head West into the sunset!

After lunch Sunday, Tracy and I went to the State Park to do some hiking. We hiked all the trails for a total of about five miles. Here are some pictures from our hike. The park has campgrounds with different hookups. It is a very nice park that has plenty of picnicking and trees for shade. It also has bathrooms and showers.

Lake Corpus Christi State Park consists of 356 acres of camping, hiking trails, bird watching, boating and picnicking.

This Mediterranean-style building was built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps Company.

Monday we relaxed and this is how we do it!

“You lookin’ at me”?

Tuesday we left early and drove up to San Antonio, Texas. We spent an hour or so at the Subaru service department so Tracy could get her oil changed and tires rotated. What a beauty of a dealership! Complimentary sodas, coffees, waters, muffins and danishes.

Photo op! Largest pair of boots in the world.

We head towards downtown to the San Fernando Cathedral and John attended mass. LOL we didn’t know it would be in Spanish!

The cathedral built between 1738 and 1750 it is the oldest cathedrals in the United States.

Built by settlers from the Canary Islands and named for Ferdinand III of Castile.

This marker on the outside of the church states that the Heros of the Alamo are entombed here at the cathedral.

About a year after the battle a detail was sent to recover the remains of the Defenders of the Alamo. The bodies it says were burned at three different locations near the Alamo.

Today, the ashes are in a stone crypt at the cathedrals front entrance. Whether the ashes in this crypt are those of the Alamo’s garrison no one really knows. Historians are not in total agreement that this is where the ashes are.

On the front of the crypt are portraits of Crockett, Bowie and Travis.

Here are a few other pictures from downtown San Antonio.

From the Cathedral we went to the River Walk and had some lunch. Dogs on leashes are allowed on the walk and at some of the resturants with outside dining. We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Beautiful mosaic on one of the walls.

Lunch was great! Next stop The Alamo.

The Alamo is most famous for The Battle of the Alamo in 1836. The Mexicans launched a 13 day assault at the mission and killed the Texas Defenders.

The Alamo (Mission Valero) is also one of five missions within a short distance that straddle the spring-fed San Antonio River. From Downtown you can drive, bike, walk or bus from one to the other.

The brick wall around the Alamo seemed never ending.

We could not take pictures inside the actual building. There were metal memorial plaques that had all the names of the Texas Defenders. These men were from all different places in the US and abroad.

Outside, there was an encampment to show visitors weaponry and medical supplies.

There was a small canal with huge koi.

This Old Live Oak was planted in 1912 making it over one hundred years old.

Despite the government shutdown the Alamo was open and maintenance crews tending to the grounds.

This building with a date of 1936 was the museum and is now a gift shop.

This Cenotaph sits out in the square in front of the Alamo. It has all the names of all the Defenders engraved on it and the defenders standing around it.

Before we headed out to see the other missions, we stopped at Market Square and browsed the shops of fine Mexican goods. Vibrant colors filled the market place.

I purchased a bobbing head turtle.

John’s new hat makes him look like he needs to be smoking a big ole stogie.

Onto the Mission Concepcion. The inside of this huge Mission was closed due to the government shutdown but we were able to walk the grounds and take pictures.

Originally built in 1716 in East Texas it was moved to San Antonio in 1731. They sais that Catholic mass is still held here every Sunday.

Two bell towers stand on each corner.

The well that sits in front of the mission.

The stairs to the bell tower.

Onto the Mission San Jose

Called the Queen of the Missions, Mission San Jose was founded in 1720.

The new church which is still standing was constructed in of local limestone in 1768.

The Rose room.

A heavy outer wall was built around the main part of the mission, and rooms for 350 Indians were built into the walls.

Bread ovens in the courtyard.

Notice the stairway. It’s made of wood.

This is what remains of the Convento, it provided housing for missionaries and lay assistants. In 1785 the Convento had nine rooms downstairs and five upstairs, which was covered by a flat roof.

A small cemetery with only two head stones.

A Mill in the back courtyard of the Mission.

The window through the window.

Mission Espada was the last one of the day. It was getting dark so we had to miss the Mission San Juan.

Established in 1690 and later moved to San Antonio in 1731.

This is the remains of a bigger church that was used for three years but with the decline of parishioners, they returned to the smaller church.

All of these missions were established in the 1700’s by the Spanish crown as it expanded its empire into the Americas. Mission life taught local people the ideals of Spanish citizenship which included conversion to Catholicism.

From the missions, the wells, walls and dwellings, the Spanish colonial architecture is the largest collection in the world. If you ever get a chance to visit San Antonio make the Missions Trail a must see!

Our visit to San Antonio was a wonderful experience. Learning of the heritage and struggles of the ancestors of America is fascinating.

The next day John and I ran into Alice, Texas (which is some 25 miles away) to pick up a few supplies. I hadn’t had breakfast, so when in Rome…..we stopped in Orange Grove for some food at a diner called Michael & Mom’s.

I walked up to the dessert displays, OMG I think I gained 20 pounds looking!

We were greeted with warm smiles and hellos and told we could sit anywhere we wanted.

The waitress was so pleasant and friendly. We ordered breakfast and I am here to tell you, I have never seen pancackes this fluffy and thick.

I also ordered a bowl of dumpling soup for that nights dinner and some dessert to share.

Tres lechces (three milk cake) I have died and gone to heaven!.

We took today to catch up on laundry and such, as we head out tomorrow to Carrizo Springs, Texas.

This has been a great place. The people here are so very nice. Jeff has been our favorite though. He made us dinner this afternoon and built fires every evening.

We like playing games in the evenings and tonight we played SKIP-BO and later Tri-Ominos.

Tonight we will boondock and have a steak dinner in Carrizo Springs, Texas on our way to Seminole Canyon State Park & Big Bend National Park.

I hope you have a great week! Looks like the hiking boots will be getting dusted off soon!