A Girl Goes To San Antonio...And Leaves Part Of Herself There!!

So anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of Texas...but I was shocked when I came to San Antonio that I finally found a place in Texas that I not only didn't want to leave but also fell in love with; so much so I left a part of me there.

I was dreading going to Texas for work to the point where I would have done anything not to go...but I am so happy I did.  The day that I got in, Sunday 05/15/2015, it was hot...it was humid...and frankly I was instantly reminded as to the reasons why this Washington girl doesn't go anywhere near the south.  The whole trip started when I was leaving Jacksonville, FL and it took WAAAAAY TOOOOO long! There was a medical emergency on the airplane and what should have been only a 3 hour flight took almost 12!

 I got in to the airport so late that I BARELY made it to the rental car pick up location {and before I got any further can I please ask why, and I mean WHY is it that when I am in Texas the only cars that I can rent are Fords.  I am a Chevy girl...this was depressing choices at something that I love doing the most weekly when I travel - but when my only choices are Ford, Ford and more Fords it isn't much fun at all!!!} and then I was going to have to navigate my way through a new city, a new loation and on a hungry grouchy mood {again all factors that wasn't helping San Antonio}.  Okay so I was going to chalk the evening up to a loss and go to sleep and get up early in the moring and head out for a run before work.  Well let's just say that about the moment that I got up to the 17th floor that my room was on my suitcase decided to explode and my stuff decided to leave a trail down the hallway {So yeah I was done and the week hadn't even began}...I was going to sleep.

View From My Room

Okay so one of my most favorite things to do in a new city is to get lost in the city itself; to become

apart of it and fade away in to the hustle and bustle of the streets and be invisable to just about everyone; except those few people in life who can get past my wall and actually get me to smile at them and open up {and I can count the number of people who have done that in my life on one hand...it's not easy, but so worth it with me when it happens} ...but the opening up usually comes when I'm sitting at a pub or at a bar eating dinner by myself.  However the best hands downed way I found to see San Antiono in a way that I've never scene it before is to go running.  I headed out first thing Monring for a run down by the riverwalk since that is where my hotel was and throughout the downtown area including the Alamo.  Is there a better way to see history, culture and everything you didn't expect other than getting out there and being apart of it?! Nope, I don't believe so...which is why no matter how much I wanted to not run in the AM I knew that I would see something new each and every morning...and that made getting up worth it!!   My favorite part of getting up for an early morning run besides everything that I've already talked aobut is the ability to eat a great breakfast and eat coffee...however I am not a looker when I get done running, infact I look like a tragic mess - but at least I went out there!




Work was a bust that day because I drove across town for what was supposed to be a big meeting that turned in a big old flop...But I was so excited to get back to the hotel because I found out that there was a pub in the basement of the hotel called Dirty Nelly's {Or Nuckies as someone I met kept calling it...not sure they got Nuckies from Dirty Nelly's but I'm pretty sure they said it to make me smile and laugh each time!!  I crack up easily and all...}  and I was so excited to go because Ryan and I had just been in Ireland an in the shadow of the Bunratty Castle stood a bar called Dirty Nelly's that we fell in love with while there and never  in a million years did I think that I would leave a peace of my soul & heart in an Irish Pub in Texas...but I did; I left a big part of myself on that third barstool and can't stop smiling each and everytime I think about that bar.  Now, lets talk about the dinner that I had there.  I went in an ordered my usual Double Jameson on the Rocks with a Guinness back...and then couldn't decide on dinner - so I asked the bar tender...what's good here and I ended up with Irish fries and Sheppards Pie! {Holy. Mother. Of. God. That was one of the best meals that I ever had...} 

I sat at the bar and talked to so many different people that came and went as I was enjoying my beer and whiskey while listeing to some Irish Music...and the funny thing is that I can't remember most of the people that I talked to but there was this one person in town for a conference that was a blast to talk to...and it is amazing to have the nights when you lose track of time lauhing and making new connections.  At the end of the day in my book losing yourself in the people who are all around you is something that will change your soul and smile all at the same time {and left me thinking wow this week isn't going to be as shitty as I thought it would be...}.

Tuesday morning I was up adn running for my frist day of testing at work with my fruit salad, protien shake and Thrive patch on to help me through the day and I'm not going to lie as I was driving to work I was already counting down the hours until I got off work and was able to get a run in, dinner and see if San Antonio could shock me anymore and embed itself within me deeper {and yes it did in ways I can never explain} but alas I have to make it through a long day of looking at data and fielding the endless questions that I knew were going to come my way.  Once I was done with my annoying as he
ll day I was ready to run out of the door, hop in my car and get out of my work clothes and see what the River Walk had to offer...

I found myself at a place called Cafe Ole along the riverwalk and wow what a great time.  The margaritas were on point {although some might call them too "tarty" but maybe that's just because they are sissys and can't handle it...hehe} and the fajitas were so much better than anything you will find in Washington!  I didn't stay out that late Tuesaday night because there was something about laying in bed, watching TV and eating chocolate cake with berries from room service...and that is exactly what I did {and boy was it amazing}.  I loved the simplicity of getting lost in the doubet covers and falling a sleep with a big smile on my face!

The Riverwalk in Downtown San Antonio

So here we are, Wednesday morning, and I am not feeilng life in general.  There were horrid thunder and lightening storms and I wasn't sleeping to save my life.  I was up pacing my room so in the morning when my alar went off 2 hours after I had fallen asleep I just knew that it was going to be a ruff day {and the pic of my face proves that}.





I knew that my day wans't going to inlude any type of working out or anything exciting because I was spend...like almost dead spent and thinking at work all day long when you are fighting the tired makes you even more tired!  I ended up taking a nap, watching TV, sleeping more and watching a little more TV before I decided to go check out the Riverwalk at night and finally I was able to fall in love with it even more.  Around every corner there was something new to see, something new to expierence and something new to love.  The Riverwlk is amazing in the day and there is nothing like the energy flowing through that river with all the people who come to expierence it daily but there was something differnet at night...something that can't be explained other than a girl having falling in love witha city and the city loving her back as well.

I found my self at the Alamo again so I could see it at night and then at an old skool place called Pat O'Briens that served THE BEST HURRICANE that I've had yet in my life...and I slightly love them {Everyone in hondours knows that hehe}...but just look at the Alamo at night!  There was a silent peacefulness about it at night because all the tourists were gone, all the people pushing you for a photo were gone and even all the noice of the city was calming down...which gave me a moment to realize that when I wake up in the morning I was flying away from this city that I fell in love with, didn't expect it and felt heart broken about leaving - but it was better because I know that I would be back soon, and I would get to expierence more and more of what this city had to offer {that doesn't mean it didn't hurt because I am not a person who likes new places, who wants to stay and wants to expierence more and more but that was me with my last night in San Antonio and I didn't think that I was going to get a wink of sleep...but there could be chocolate cake hehe}.

Did I run as much as I wanted too while on this work trip? No.
Did I eat as healthy as I should on this work trip? Hell No
Was I ready to leave this city? No

Like I said in the begining, I am not a person who likes anythign about Texas but there was something about San Antonio that took over my  heart and soul that week and I had the hardest time gettign on that Airplane and flying home because it was so far away from my favorite running path, Irish pub, istes and etc...but knowing that I got to do everything that I've done so far and everything else I wanted to do but didn't have time and would be there waiting of me next time; it would just slowly kill a small part of me until I get back down there again.

I hope everyone has an amazing night & I hope tonight you can close your eyes and remind yoursel of your favorite person, place or expierence that you have taken lately...then go out and plan your next adventure.



Meg
a.k.a. Nutmegz
HF#120333