How it is Down Here

San Antonio is filled with many different attractions and sites. It has so many places to visit; and not just on the surface. Beneath the busy, vibrant, and overall unique city of San Antonio lies a different city. A whole different world, in fact, can be found and explored using the assistance of experienced caver Alisha Topperwein . She has gone on quite a few caving expeditions and was eager to share her knowledge of caves in San Antonio. The central point, however, is a cave by the name of "Robber Baron". When this area of town was still ranchland, This cave was often visited. Local legend says that in the 1930's, after some children were lost for a day, the owner decided to dynamite the entrance to reduce risks. The cave was re-excavated in the 1980's, and is now owned by a local group for preservation and study. It is reputed to run for several miles. I was fortunate enough to visit this seemingly limitless cave, as it is the longest cave in San Antonio. Now there are many dangers associated with caving that everyone should be aware of. According to Alisha, the most dangerous thing to happen in a cave is lack of a light source. Its pitch black down there and if you're not equipped with at least two spare flashlights, then your in danger of getting lost, getting stuck, and stepping in or just coming in contact with an insect or species that can be potentially dangerous.
This leads to the next danger of the cave; animals, insects, and other critters. There are six species that can only be found in Robber Baron and no where else on earth! two of which are endangered species! in fact, the cave even has its own spider crawling inside that was given the original name, "Cicurina Buronia", or as we like to call it, the "Robber Baron Cave Spider". Other caves around the world can have mountain lions, bears, bats, possums, wolves, coyotes, snakes, scorpions, and other venomous insects and dangerous animals. If you're bitten or attacked and you happen to be deep in the cave, it could be a while before help is available. This is why it is best to have not only a guide, but also someone experienced in first-aid.
The third danger found in pretty much any cave is the cave itself. If you're not careful or if you do not have proper knowledge of the cave you're in, there can possibly be a cave in; one of the walls can be very weak, and without knowing, someone brushes up against it so that the weight of the earth literally crushes most of bones in their body. When you don't know the cave well, you can fall maybe down a crevasse or in a deep area that you can't get out of. Basically, you can get stuck or stranded, again, without help for a while or worse case scenario, forever. Though these dangers are mostly worse case scenarios, they must still be taken into extreme consideration.
The Robber Baron Cave is located on the North side of San Antonio just off of 410 in someone's backyard at the bottom of a sinkhole. The gear needed was kneepads, a helmet, very unwanted clothes, gloves, a camera with a flash, a bottle of water, and 2 or more flashlights. When I entered there were about ten people altogether, One experienced caver, and everyone yielding at least one flashlight. The opening of the cave was a pretty tight fit. Once inside, I was able to stand comfortably but only because im so short, I think everyone else had to tilt their heads when they stood. I found some amazing things in the cave, blind roaches and silent crickets, I even found some crystallized rock formations. We didn't explore the whole cave because the cave is so long and branches off so much with so many channels that we probably didn't even see a fourth of it. We entered a room with tagging all over it aptly named the "graffiti room" where we hid candy in for a scavenger hunt. Another room that was only accessed by practically squirming through an opening slightly larger than a computer screen at the foot of a boulder led to a room comfortably fitting about four people. Its not recommended to stay in the cave for so many hours simply because of the abundance of CO2 (bad air).
The Robber Baron Cave is referred to a horizontal maze cave. There are basically three types of caves; horizontal maze cave, vertical maze cave, and deep caves (of course, there can be a combination of the three). There are mostly horizontal maze caves in San Antonio, with Robber Baron being the longest. These types of caves branch off horizontally in any and every direction. Vertical maze caves involve descending and climbing. For that you'll also need a harness, a rope, a pulley, a cam, a sling, and a karabiner. Deep caves don't just have pathways; these caves are like underground mansions with wide openings and channels so wide you could comfortably fit ten eighteen wheelers side-by-side.
With the expressed dangers of the caves its evident that a guide is imperative to have. If there is no guide, you must have not only knowledge of the cave, but proper training and experience of the cave with at least two other people with you. But even with the most experienced caver, being careful is not an option. anything can happen underneath the earth's surface. We must respect what is not known about caves and not have a careless, nonchalant attitude about these underground wonders.
There are so many caves in Texas alone that have not yet been discovered and so many caves in the world that can yield hidden information to all of mankind. Perhaps the remanin of an ancient civilization, or possibly new species of any kind of animal or insect, minerals, and crystals. I recommend that if anyone is looking for a fun time, or if anyone likes to explore that they try out this exciting hobby. -1,021 words

Heartbeat of the Homeland

San Antonio is the 10th largest city in the country. It has a great influence on Texas as far as culture. Food, clothing, and language are some of the things that define San Antonio as the unique city that it is. But an even greater influence and distinct characteristic of this city is the music. Conjunto music is everywhere around town, but hard to find if you're not looking. Rooting itself in European and Mexican music, conjunto owns its sound and is compared to no other. It uses the basic instruments of a band such as the drums, bass, and even some brass. But the key instrument that brings the sound to life and really accentuates the genre is the button accordion. It is vital to any conjunto band and is practically the main focus; the heart of the band.

Conjunto music is different from other genres in terms of it listening audience in that it its community based. There are night clubs and gatherings that promote this music all over San Antonio. It is a very underground genre that doesn't get a lot of attention from the mainstream audience. it depends on the locals, who, by the way, thrive off of it. Conjunto has a certain purity that it somehow retains and remains untainted. With its own listeners its been in a sort of "discreet limelight" ever since Valerio Longoria put lyrics to it in the 1940's. As time progresses, I'm more than positive it will continue to thrive. More than 60 years in the making, Conjunto music is extremely needed and must be thought of whenever thinking of San Antonio's heart.

Traditional vs Contemporary

The two pieces of art that interested me the most come from the San Antonio Museum of Art. The titles of the two works are "Passing Storm over the Sierra Nevadas" done with oil painting on a canvas and "Double Scramble" done with fluorescent alkyd on canvas. The first is on the third floor of the east tower and the second piece is on the second floor of the east tower.
The work entitled "Passing Storm over the Sierra Nevadas" is a magnificent piece of American art done by Albert Bierstadt. It really caught my eye simply because of the piercing feeling of nature's depression laced with the hope of a brighter, more illuminating future. I related to it from the get-go. I love the use of color in this painting. The mountains in the background have a blue tint. Although its a saddening color, its the subtle brilliance of the background itself that makes the color a desperate cry of hope contrasted with the front matter. Perfectly complimented, we see the front with a monochromatic burnt orange. Though this color is usually more thought of as warm, the murky shadows looming over the body of water seem to give it a bland and stagnant feel. So you have the front capturing your attention with the cool calmness yet losing it at the same time in comparison to the majestic mountains in the blue-bound background. From serenely depressed to depressingly magnificent this painting entails more emotion than a Hollywood romance movie.
Done with a type of oil paint known as "alkyd", the next piece I saw was titled "Double Scramble" and my attraction to this particular piece wasn't emotional like the other piece, but it was emotional. Its hard to explain, but it was more like an optical illusion as my eyes were traveling in a figure eight form in a rapturous delight. The feeling it brought was non-ambitious, a more worry free feeling that didn't lose me because of the only constant in the piece; two small and dark squares. One placed in the center of each square. All other colors on either side are violently opposing of each other. This very symmetrical piece simply belongs. It diversifies itself, and unites itself at the same time. There is so much movement yet its so symmetrical its like organized chaos.
Wow is all I have to say about these two pieces. There was so much intensity even in the stillness of the first painting that it was all worth writing about. Though the first painting really opposed itself in color it united itself in some twisted sense. On the other hand, though the second painting was opposed in a twisted sense it was the color that united it. No doubt about it, these are two very different paintings. One is American and traditional, the other is modern and contemporary. Both are done with oil paints but brought to life in different ways. My view and interpretation must be obsolete to the surpassing value of knowing the genuine inspiration each artist felt. Words may fail us where the arts dare to go, which is why I deeply appreciate these raw moments of life realistic or abstract. -535 words

Here are the following links to each painting:

http://www.samuseum.org/collections/collection.php?uid=2

http://www.samuseum.org/collections/collection.php?uid=7

My Hood

The place where I live really has no name, and is on the Southside of town. The exact location is 850 Big Oak Drive. It is located off of 281south outside of 1604. Surprisingly, the socio-economic status of my neighborhood is uniquely diverse, with a blend of all three classes. There is much variety found where I live, with a few elderly couples, fairly-sized families, and even single adults. You will find mobile homes, professionally built houses, hand-made houses, and just plains homes. The racial ethnicity, however, is unmistakably entirely Hispanic or of Mexican descent.
The elderly couples are very reserved and don’t communicate with anyone except for their families. They keep their lawns green throughout the year somehow and they never cause any trouble. Now the fairly sized families like my next door neighbors make a little more ruckus. Families like theirs come from all over the country; otherwise they’re pretty much raised here. Lastly, the single adults a lot of times have divorced and are looking to start a new life. With my family it’s a little of everything, which is why I don’t mind living where we live.
Transportation, however, is an issue. Since we live so far out from the city, shopping for clothes and going to the movies is an occasion for us. Major features for my neighborhood would include fast food restaurants, a Dollar General, and some gas stations. Other major features that would epitomize my neighborhood would be family owned businesses. These may include various taco shops, a car shop, and a fruit shop. Everything is spread apart however, making it imperative to have some sort of transportation. There has been a Toyota plant built nearby the High School providing jobs and it hires anyone depending on the position. This plant, I believe, will benefit the neighborhood simply because it will provide more work for the south side area, resulting in population growth and ultimately, a much denser community.
My neighborhood has many weaknesses and few strengths. The highway which runs right through us is very dangerous. It can and has been the cause of many accidents many times resulting in deaths. If I want to pay my friend a visit, I have to drive or walk across the highway, so it’s a risk with the people who constantly speed day and night. Another weakness is how far away EMS is. If an accident does occur, it almost always takes at least five minutes for a response. There’s not much of a food choice without going into town. One strength, rather advantage, is that with the property and the freedom of it we can have any animal we want and as many as we want. Some people have farms in their backyards, literally! It is, overall, a very peaceful neighborhood with very rare cases of disruption or commotion.
I study at Palo-Alto College located at 1400 W. Villaret Rd. approximately fifteen-and-a-half miles from my house. I work at Whataburger located at 4125 S Loop 1604 E approximately eight miles. It takes me about twenty minutes to get to my study place and about 10 minutes to get to work. My friend that lives closest to me lives about five miles away across the highway. Mayfield Park Baptist Church, my “fun” is located at 700 W. Hutchins Pl and is about 22 minutes away from where I live.
I don’t identify very close with my neighborhood other than the fact that I live in it. I do feel a sense of place and community probably only because circumstances force me to. The abundance of Mexican food may be the only thing that appeals to my being there. Yes, it is just a transition point in my life until further notice. I would not like to continue living there simply because of the inconvenience as far as transportation goes. I spend a good hour-and-a-half getting from point A to point B in any given day. This is my neighborhood, this is my San Antonio. -671 words

Historical Fiction

This movie "The Alamo" is quite dismaying as far as being historically inaccurate. John Wayne is a great director/ actor, but the movie seemed to be outside the truth. The superiority of the Anglos in comparison to the Tejanos is offensively awe striking. I don't know how much knowledge John Wayne really had about the Alamo, but I do believe he was misinformed.

In the movie, there wasn't any appearance of a Tejano with a high and honorable status. They are either volunteer soldiers with Bowie or narrow minded natives of the adobe pueblo known as The Alamo. Hardly veiled with valor, Tejanos never acted on courage if the Anglos didn't act themselves. On one account, Jim Bowie kicked one of the Tejanos from behind downsizing him and telling him to saddle up only when told. When Juan Seguin came with valuable information regarding the whereabouts of General Santa Anna, it was quickly shunned by the high-minded authority of Kernel William Travis. The idea of two men quickly fighting off five Tejanos, and in such a nonchalant way, says very little about the Tejanos' fighting abilities. Also, the movie shows all Tejanos in complete and utter opposition to Santa Anna when in reality, there were a handful of them who were for him.

The women were sadly misrepresented as well. Being wooed by white men doesn't suffice for the way they are presented. Neither does teasing table dances performed by the Tejano women only waiting to be danced with. The children were also poorly portrayed... literally! A little Tejano boy carrying a woman's luggage for a bit of gratuity might not have been far-fetched, but it was definitely not necessary. I do want to know why there was no mention of Jose Antonio Navarro. As one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence, it seems incomplete to leave him out. Not only Navarro, but what about Stephen F. Austin? Known for bringing Anglos to Texas in the first place, and known everywhere as the "Father of Texas", why did the film fail to at least mention this man who practically epitomizes a republic of Anglo/ Tejano equality? It does the Alamo no justice and adds on to the inaccuracy of this movie in its entirety.

There were some things that old "Duke" managed to get right however; Crockett did come from Tennessee, he did bring twenty-three men with him, Smitty did deliver the letter, and Santa Anna did greatly outnumber them which did lead to their defeat at the battle of the Alamo. The attitudes of each individual were surprisingly on point as well. William B. Travis was indeed a good "starter of wars" as Bowie would point out in the movie. Davy Crockett was portrayed as an optimistic and adventurous man. He was also political but liked to refer to himself as a "common" man also as the film would point out. James Bowie was a slave trader, which was loosely shown when he freed Jethro of his indentured servitude. The character of General Sam Houston was also rightly portrayed, although not much of him was shown throughout the film.

Overall, I believe John Wayne could have done his research a little more. If anything, this old western flick was just an example of "Hollywood" at its finest. I strongly recommend you not view this movie if you are a history buff, rather, only if your looking for entertainment and some cheap laughs. I hate to be such a critic, but truth hurts. -587 words

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In the story of the Alamo, there are two distinct groups that both play significant roles in the battle of the Alamo. The anglo settlers were presented as heroic, in that every anglo mentioned in the Alamo was mentioned with favor. On the timeline display, it said that Stephen F. Austin was permitted to bring 300 families from the United States to Texas, although the decree of April 6, 1830 stated that U.S. citizens were not allowed to colonize. William B. Travis became commander after being arrested, and Stphen F. Austin had the privelege of commanding 300 volunteers self proclaimed as the "Army of the People" after being released from prison in November 7, 1835.
The Mexican government was also very influencial and favorable. They authorized a Texan Navy to patrol the waters on the gulf on November 25, 1835. Because of political conditions, problems arose between the Colonists and the Mexican officials. Also, Jose Antonio Navarro and Jose Francisco Ruiz were the only native-born texians to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence. When the Mexican Constitution was drafted by delegates from all parts of Mexico, San Antonio lost its status as the capital of Texas.
Overall, I believe that the groups presented in the Alamo do a pretty adequate job of presenting the complete story, though it could be rather difficult to summarize without a tour guide.

Mission Down South

Mission Espada is a historical landmark located on the southern most part of San Antonio. It is visited mainly on Sundays for mass at church, but it also holds much historical value which attracts the community as well as tourists. In addition to its beautifully constructed buildings, it contains a dam and aqueduct which makes it unique in comparison to the other missions.
Being the first mission to arrive here in 1731, Espada started in Mississippi, then moved to Austin, and finally came to what is now called San Antonio. Since all of San Antonio used to be plains and green lands, the Spaniards decided to build where there was a resource of water. This supply of water is now known as the San Antonio river which is where all the other missions are located by.
I learned a great deal about Mission Espada. The natives, though hunter/ gatherer nomadic, were still civilized in that they were an independent, organized group, just not as developed as the Spaniards. But the Natives had no choice but to succumb to this sugar-coated slavery known as converting to Catholicism. Though they were offered shelter from Comanches and Apaches, these Indians still sacrificed beliefs, dignity, and freedom. The activities of the Indians became routine and habitual as opposed to the spontaneous lifestyles that they were used to. In a culture where eating, sleeping, and loving occurred on impulse, these Indians were now being summoned by the church bell for just about everything. The Spaniards introduced the natives to such things as irrigation, looming, and religion where many of them would ultimately intertwine these teachings into their own culture. But then, they were reluctant and very seldom were any of them sincere in the practices they were encouraged to engage in.
The Church played a major role in the missions, though it was not the mission itself and merely a part of it. I wouldn’t be surprised if a good handful of the Natives were actually active and sincere about the new belief that had been introduced to them. I know that when I first stepped foot into the church building at Mission Espada, I felt a presence that was almost pulling at my very soul. Without sounding superstitious or crazy, it was alluring and irresistible yet gentle and calming, so perhaps there was a genuine faith incorporated and cultivated among the inhabitants of this land. Nothing is for certain, since man sees the outside, but God sees the inside.
San Francisco Mission de Espada is about much more than just old ruins of a historic landmark; rather it’s the origin on which we Mexican Americans base our traditions and beliefs. Such a valuable piece of the past has done nothing short of paving the way for future generations to come. Hopefully they will not soon forget the distinctive roots from which they stem from. As for me, its clear to see how deeply impacted I was after having had little knowledge of this mission site or any of them for that matter. My hope is that your interest in the matter would be deeply reawakened.

Mission San Francisco de la Espada

When we first arrived at the Mission San Francisco de la Espada, I didn't like it. Honestly, all I saw were old buildings that needed remodeling. Nothing that caught my eye. Then the tour guide started explaining in detail how in the 1690's Mission Espada started in Mississippi, moved to Austin, and ended up here in 1731 which is now the furthest mission south. The way the Spaniards taught the male natives how to kiln bricks and the women how to use the loom interested me as well. There were two churches built; the first one was considerably small with a socrasty, an altar, and a dirt floor where the congregation would come to worship. But soon after the church was built, a weakness in the walls was noticed. So before the church became any more unstable, another one was built about two times larger with and oddly made door. This one still stands and is still active today. The entire mission had a wall surrounding it to keep the hungry apaches and comanches out. I found out that the mission is not a church, but rather a town with a church. Espada has many descendants possibly attending the church today, although its history for the most part is a mystery. Names, faces, and personalities might have been lost along the way, but their story is told through the physical remains of these buildings and through the lives of their descendants as well. So now I don't just see old buildings, but the beginning of a legacy that is vibrantly living on today as what we call the TEX-MEX or Spanglish culture.