S.A.’s biggest party is happening with hundreds of events…this year is Fiesta’s 119th anniversary.
Fiesta Calendar of Events

Pin Pandemonium is a popular event where Fiesta fans buy, sell and trade pins and medals at the Main Plaza.

Many local organizations like the Witte Museum and the Womens Club of San Antonio benefit from these sales, and some pins are limited editions, like the Battle of Flowers and Fiestas Fantasias.

A Night in Old San Antonio, (NIOSA pronounced “knee-oh-sa”) is a four-night event with 15 ethnic areas serving fabulous foods in over 250 booths. April 20 – 23, from 5:30 to 10:30 pm in La Villita National Historic District, the 18th century Spanish neighborhood on the banks of the San Antonio River. Proceeds go towards preserving historic sites and customs.
NIOSA on Facebook

The Fiesta Flambeau Parade has been called America’s largest illuminated night parade. The “People’s Parade” streams through the streets of beautiful downtown San Antonio on it’s 2.6 mile journey during Fiesta Celebration Week with bands, music, dancers, horses, cars, and floats illuminated by thousands of lights. This year’s Grand Marshal is San Antonio native, international performer and recording star Vikki Carr. The Parade is Saturday Evening April 24th.

The Battle of Flowers Parade, produced entirely by women volunteers in yellow, is the oldest event and largest parade of Fiesta. It’s got everything you’d want in a parade; spectacular flower-covered floats, colorful costumes and dresses, striking uniforms, giant helium balloons, decorated horse-drawn carriages and antique cars, R.O.T.C. units performing precision drills, military, college, and high school bands, flag carriers, local civic and military groups, and businesses and members of the Fiesta royalty.

A floral tribute is placed on the lawn in front of the Alamo honoring it’s heroes, assisted by the Texas Army National Guard. Battle of Flowers Parade is Friday April 23, Vanguard at 11:35 am and Parade at 12:45 pm. The Parade this year will be televised by KABB FOX-29.

Fiestas Fantasias at Market Square present free concerts on five stages with Tejano, International, Reggaeton, and Norteno music.

Fiesta on Twitter

The Fiesta Store

I watched the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics last night, and after two weeks of nightly coverage, I was sad to see it all end. But I gotta say NBC did a great job of covering all the events. Bob Costas is really good at what he does, and he’s been covering the Olympics for years.

I really enjoyed the great view from Vancouver too, man the mountains were beautiful. Some of the point-of-view camera shots were amazing. I don’t remember those high-tech cameras being worn by the athletes before, but to ride along with the skiers whizzing down the side of Whistler mountain at 70 MPH was a real treat to the senses!

Speaking of high-tech, the Twitter streams were really buzzing too. The snowboarders and skiers were tweeting away, and sometimes provided more insight into their Olympic experience.

Man there was a lot of drama during these Winter Games, huh? You would have thought it was a national tragedy when Team U.S.A. beat Canada in Hockey during the prelims. They almost got beat at their own game; if only we had scored a couple more points Team U.S.A. would have broken the all time record by winning the gold medal for hockey. It would have been an Olympic first!

But the drama was truly international, Plushenko was pretty mouthy about losing to Lysacek, but Evan had the better performance. Complain all you want, but it’s the judges decision, and they were getting pretty strict with the rules near the end of competition. Hey you carried home precious medal from your last Olympic Games, so go home proud, not loud.

Look at Apolo Ohno, he got disqualified and it really wasn’t his fault the guy went down. Ohno almost got caught in the final crash before the finish anyway, but managed to cross the finish line and finish the race. Plus he was graceful with the press afterward, and made us all proud he won more Olympic medals than any other Winter Games athlete.

Lindsey Vonn and her German pal Maria, they both suffered losses but kept going. So did Joannie Rochette, but she showed the courage to go out on the ice and perform anyway. Lindsey and Julia Mancuso, what was that feud about? Oh, I can’t believe Lindsey ran right over that gate on her last run! Too much drama and not enough focus? The cameras don’t lie. But it made for great television, and the networks loved it!

Bode Miller, what a comeback after Torino. That was awesome, but I can do without the rock star attitude. That seemed to work better for Shaun White, but the dude was cool about it.

Team USA did great, they brought home the most Olympic medals than any other nation, AND broke some new records too! Just amazing performances in the Four-Man Bobsled, Alpine Skiing, Hockey, Snowboarding, and even the Nordic events!

Alpine Skiing: Bode Miller won Bronze Silver & Gold in the Men’s Downhill, Super-G and Super-Combined. Julia Mancuso, Silvers in both Women’s Downhill and Super-Combined. Lindsey Vonn, Gold in Women’s Downhill and Bronze in Women’s Super-G. Let’s not forget Hannah Kearney, she won the first U.S. gold medal in Women’s Moguls in Freestyle Skiing. More medals than ever before in the Nordic Ski events, way to go Team U.S.A!!

And how about Steve Holcomb breaking the sixty-year-losing-streak for the Four-Man Bobsled, and his team winning Gold in that “rocket sled” called The Night Train. The guy that helped build it won Daytona in the eighties.

So yeah I really enjoyed watching these Olympic games, especially with the new POV point-of-view cameras. It brought the action, the speed and the thrill of the Nordic sports right into my living room. I can hardly wait for the London games.

www.nbcolympics.com

www.vancouver2010.com

Downloading and installing one of their travel guides was quick and simple. It’s got lots of great directory information on hotels, sights and attractions, trips and activities, restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs, pubs, shopping, tours, events and concerts.

Schmap Guides Online allows you to explore your destination online with a unique integration of maps, photos and place reviews. It’s also optimized for iPhone and Nokia users.

Schmap Guides Desktop offers a trip planner, where you can take virtual tours and custom print your own full-color travel guides. The Schmap 2.0 desktop mapping application is PC and Mac compatible.

More info at www.schmap.com

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The change of scenery was simply awesome.  The rolling hills, the rise and fall of the earth beneath me, the 3D sunset, the twisted brush alongside the roadway, it all added to the rustic feel of our weekend adventure.  It was a getaway for a day.  A short hop, skimming across county lines and farm roads.  Intersecting with I-10 and west of I-35.  Crossing over from the coastal plains into Texas Hill Country, where the earth lifts you up to touch the sky, and you can see for miles and miles.

Spring break is coming up.  I first thought of Corpus Christi, and then Austin.  Now I’m thinking of going back into the Texas Hill Country.  If you haven’t been, then it’s time to go.  Check out Wimberley, Dripping Springs and San Marcos for a start, and then keep going west toward Kerrville.

Links to get you there:
www.austinchronicle.com/

www.texashillcountry.com/

www.texfiles.com/