The Charreada (Mexican Rodeo)

Click to enlarge all photos
On Sunday, the last day of San Antonio's annual FIESTA! celebration, we went to the Charreada.
These monthly events (except during winter) are held by the San Antonio Charro Association.


The grounds around the keyhole-shaped arena (lienzo) were completely open to the public, so I wandered around looking for interesting scenes.


During the opening ceremony a stallion became excited to the point where it was obvious, if you know what I mean. Then he attempted to mount a mare whose rider was holding the flag of Mexico.
Quick action by the charros prevented an international incident.
We all had a good laugh, but I didn't want to get caught taking pictures of something like that so you'll have to settle for these candids of cowboys and charros.


I'll get to the action next post, in a day or two.

NIOSA

Night In Old San Antonio happens almost every night during the weeklong FIESTA.
Held in La Villita, it's not the place to go if you hate crowds but the beer & wine, music and food from our various historical ethnic groups can help lure even the most agoraphobic among us.


Lonesome Louie, the One Man Band


The Tower just after sunset.

Lately the elevators keep getting stuck. They're external, running up and down the dark channel seen here, on three sides.
Landry's™, who bought the Tower concession rights and completely overhauled it last year including the restaurant on top, is pissed at the city for not getting the elevators fixed correctly or replaced.
After a handful of incidents where passengers were stuck for up to several hours, nobody wants to take a chance that they'll be next, so business is going in the toilet costing Landry's millions (or so they say).
The Tower has stairs, but even healthy people think twice about using them since it's 750-odd feet tall and has thousands of steps.

A Fountain At Night

Taken the same day (night) as the previous entry, this was a test of one of the possible subjects for a series of pictures I'm working on involving moving water at night.
I hate the cloudy sky, and the fact that I didn't have my tripod so was forced to use a park bench to hold the camera steady.
The stone walls of the fountain don't infuriate me too much, so it could be worse but not by much.

Seriously, I haven't shot anything I can show here or anywhere else in the last 8 days.
This whole week has been clear and clean and dry and green and I pissed it away.

I didn't even pull out the camera when Caesar (a dog) learned how to eat corn on the cob like people do.

Downtown Infrared

Taken from Maverick Plaza in La Villita, showing the Hilton Palacio Del Rio Hotel and some trees and clouds.

I really haven't been using my camera much lately, but that should change soon.
Usually I get enough pictures to last me a week in just one afternoon, or get out of the house more than I have been.
Too much reading, not enough doing.
A trip to the zoo is planned for Monday, and I think I need to insist that we go someplace interesting over the weekend, too.
I miss having a backlog of photos that I'm dying to share.

Easter Sunday--Dessert

After our dinner (the usual goodness--turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, stuffin' muffins) we had guests including little Isabella here.

We nibbled on her toes and fingers for dessert.

Church At La Villita

Click to enlarge, the double-"L"s are silent
La Villita, "the little village" is a restored part of the original San Antonio, a few blocks from the Alamo. I didn't do any research so I can't tell you how old this church is, but over 150 years is probable. Shown above is the back door and the stained-glass window that's behind the altar.
I've been shooting a lot of small churches lately, but this one is in the tiny category.


This is the view I prefer.
It comforts me.

Funny Dog Photo Time

This is my buddy Caesar. He's a huge weimaraner that's had some medical issues lately. I sure wouldn't like having one of my eyes sewn shut!


These are old photos that have grown on me over the last few months. I'm sure anyone who owns a good dog can relate to his expressions as a bowl of stew gets the undivided attention only possible from man's best friend.

Our Lady Of Grace Church

Another infrared photo of a charming smalltown church, this one in La Coste Texas a few miles southwest of SA.

Tower Life Building At Night

It was the tallest building in SA for decades, until the Tower Of The Americas (seen obscured by fog in the previous post) was finished in the late '60s.
I was doing the sound for MiG Ayesa's show at the Hard Rock Cafe and shot this during a spare moment/smoke break.
No tripod, but there were some metal posts on the edge of a parking lot that provided a steady rest for my hand-held camera.

Look closely for bats.
I hear there's lots of them around San Antonio, or there will be after they return from winter migration.

Fog And Birds

I was taking a photo of the disappearing tower when the birds showed up and made it better.

Got Any Spare DVDs?

Wounded military men and women all pass through Ramstein AFB in Germany on their way home. They get treatment and/or are stabilized enough to be able to fly to the USA.
They are bored, with nothing to do and nowhere to go.
And they're DVD collection is weak.

If you can, please send a DVD or three their way.
(No bootlegs please!)

USO Kasiersslautern
Unit 23152
APO AE 09227


Thanks.