San Antonio Riverwalk
Walking toward what we think might be the location for the Confucius Wishing Lantern Festival I hug my heavy winter coat tighter. My woolen mittens are damp from holding on too many times to wet
The sky is gray. The air on the verge of bitter cold. It is not raining. Not really. But the mist is so heavy that without my umbrella I would be wet–like my mittens. I comment to Michael, “I have never seen the Riverwalk so quiet.”
I mean, we’re it! No one bars our progress. The only couple encountered was when we first descended the steps leading to the river at our hotel. They made a comment along the lines that it is a great day for a walk. Positive thinkers–we should all emulate them. Despite the typical San Antonio winter day, I think I do prefer it to a 100-degree, high humidity day in July. Plus, the quiet is beautiful! Welcome. And I’m dressed for the weather.
A GO RIO tour boat floats toward us with only one tourist on board. “Maybe they canceled the Confucius Lantern Festival due to the weather?” I think. Out loud. But still, we walk. Hoping.
Approaching the Arneson River Theater area, there are colorful lanterns hanging from the curved stone arch and people huddled together at the top of the grassy seating area. Maybe I’m wrong. We walk on, passing one of the areas on the list where lanterns can be launched, but not before 6:30 p.m. It is way before that.
Confucius Wishing Lantern River Parade
Reaching the River Center turnaround, it is minutes before dusk. There are more people in this area. Some of them carrying colorful squares of light. There is something large, vibrant, lighted, floating toward us. We stop at the top of another stone bridge and wait. And are rewarded.
A river parade is not anything I anticipated—but here it is. Each giant floating lantern more colorful, more charming than the next. And no one—no head—no body—is in our way as we watch. I feel like I am at a party where all of the guests decided not to come. It makes me sad, but I am also grateful and happy that it is not suffocatingly crowded.
The parade at an end, a city crew places a giant net across the portion of the river where we stand. Turning, we follow small, hand-held, colorful squares of light as they bob along with the motion of those carrying the paper lanterns. Eventually, we stop under the protection of a wide overpass spanning the width of the river.
Confucius Wishing Lanterns
The Confucius Wishing Lantern Festival website said they had 30,000 lanterns for sale, and that the purchasing areas and the decorating areas had been expanded to accommodate the crowds. But only scant hundreds line the bank. Even so, the air is festive, and the dozens of families present are happy as they launch their lanterns one by one into the river in honor of loved ones. The fragile colorful squares bearing hopes, dreams, and wishes of those who cast them into the water, bob and swirl, gather and separate, traveling where the winds of this winter night send them.
Perhaps the small number of individuals who line the river banks is disappointing, but I feel a sense of community with the dozens of
When the chill begins to penetrate our coats and scarves and headgear, we climb the long stairs up and away from the river bank to the lights and cars of city streets. I call up an Uber on my phone, and we head back to Hotel Indigo for warmth and food.
Be a Tourist!
To keep abreast of what is happening in San Antonio, be a tourist. Visit their website and mark your calendars for whatever event might appeal to you. Something is always happening, and even if there is no event scheduled, the city on its own is a great place.
https://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/directory/category/events
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