In the Lone Star State

Being here in the Lone Star State, it's unsurprising to see so many stars around the place. These stars are rather easier for us to identify than those we seldom recognise in LA, so we did a bit of star spotting today.

We began with the easy ones - they are around every tree on the street.



Look up and there are many on the buildings downtown San Antonio.

On a flagpole in the old Spanish Governors Mansion.

And on the tomb of the heroes of the Alamo - William Bowie, Davy Crockett and John Travis - in the cathedral.

Further along, there are several in the pavements and walkways around the city, some commemorating the Texas Sesquicentennial in 1986.

Others are set in walls as decorative features here and there.


We especially enjoyed a walk along the Riverwalk this evening, after dinner, and spotted a whole trail of them we'd missed earlier in the day.

And of course, there's the Texas flag itself.

Our trip has got off to a wonderful start here in San Antonio thanks to Rick, Maggie and Mary. A local can show us all kinds of interesting and curious things we'd otherwise miss.

Such as this explanatory plaque to mark the invention of barbed wire, which transformed the way of ranching in the late 1870s.

Almost as fascinating as the fact that there a group of barbed wire collectors exists - who knew?!

And of course, having paid a visit here this afternoon, we'll not forget The Alamo.