San Antonio spring break

Writing about my spring break trip to visit Matt in San Antonio is long overdue (it happened over a month ago), but here are the pictures anyway.

This is the outside of the officers' quarters Matt is staying in at Randolph AFB, viewed from the courtyard outside. It's basically a hotel with a tiny kitchen area inside (only a microwave to cook with). Matt has been eating lots of sandwiches and frozen dinners. Oh, and don't forget Chipotle and Coldstone. He is ecstatic to have those restaurants down the road again. He and the other people from Sheppard who are there with him frequent them often!

I took this picture to give you a glimpse at the state pride around here. In this one little corner there is a Texas flag bench, a large concrete boot with the state outline etched into it, and a Texas state embossed flower box. It was sunny, warm and with flower blooming in mid-March though, which is nice.

This building is situated at the end of a long straight road coming from the main gate and they call it the "Taj Mahal". At first we thought it was the headquarters building for AETC (Air Education and Training Command), but later I found AETC to be located somewhere else. There is a theatre on the back of this building, but other than that I'm not sure what it's for...impressive nonetheless.

This is that main street I was referring to. The gate is at the very end and the flags are for each state of our country.



Yes, indeed, I took a picture of the gas station. It took me a minute to realize this was the gas station because it looks just like every other building on base: cream stucco and red tile roof. It's amazing how pretty they can make a gas station look.

They even dec'ed out the price sign with shnazzy red tiles.

The missing man formation. This sculpture stands about 15-20 feet tall. The inscription on the bottom reads: We who came home must never forget those who could not. I just stood in awe for a few minutes and thanked God for Matt.



As I walked around the base, I fell in love with this place. The sign says "Bachelor Officers". I say, what a nice place for bachelors. The southern style porch and rockers look so chill for a lazy afternoon with a glass of sweet tea, especially mixed with the palm trees.

Another nearby palm tree. I haven't seen any of these since we were in Hawaii.



I stayed in San Antonio for a little over a week. The last full day I was there, we drove the boat up to Canyon Lake near New Braunfels, Texas. IT WAS GORGEOUS! This is in the top two prettiest things I have seen in Texas (tied with Palo Duro Canyon four hours west of us). The water was totally blue, beautiful blue and clear. The lake was created from a dammed up river, and is lined with rocky canyon. I'm guessing the bottom of the lake is pretty rocky, too, as this would keep it from becoming a mud puddle like other lakes around here.



"Toad" (Paris) was the only one interested in posing for the camera.

You can see the dam in this picture.

When we first got to the lake, I dipped my feet in for a second. One of the guys asked how cold it was, to which I replied, "about like Lake Superior in July". As a Minnesota guy, when he dipped his feet in, he agreed that was exactly right! We skiied and boarded anyways! It was gorgeous. Freezing, but wonderful.



Since then Matt has taken the other IPS with him out to this lake again a few times. The canyon wall blocks some of the wind, which means there are some great calm places out there, a rarity around here. If this lake was closer, we'd go all summer long!