The River Walk

On the way to work on the San Antonio river
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Down early for breakfast.  Great server who has "a nothing is too much trouble attitude" and is keen to talk.  Good selection of food with a cook in the centre of the buffet dispensing fresh eggs, pancakes, waffles etc.  We even get a tea to go without asking.   Off to the river walk and after walking for miles we join a river boat cruise.  Professional and humorous guide on the 45 minute trip who informs us that (Surprise! Surprise!) two of San Antonio riverside hotels are in the Guinness Book of World Records.   On the 4th April 1985 the Fairmount hotel was moved from its original location to its present location, a distance of 5 blocks, on wheels; making it the largest structure ever moved on wheels.   It weighed in at 3.2 million pounds and it took 6 days to move it through the downtown area.  We just have to visit this hotel later on.   Secondly the Hilton Palacio Del Rio was the fastest built hotel, 202 days from start to finish, when it was built for the World Fair held in San Antonio in 1986.  The hotel was fully sold out when it opened 3 days prior to the commencement of the fair.

River Walk
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After the cruise had finished we decided to go over to the convention centre to preregister for the American Dental Association (ADA) meeting which we had come to visit.  After collecting our badges we spotted that there was a rodeo on the Friday for delegates attending the conference and in spite of our previous experiences of social events with dentists at other similar events I decided that we should go.  I do have to admit that Pauline said that we would regret it.  But at $60 each including food and booze and a rodeo how could we go wrong?

Surprise! Surprise! Guiness Book of World records

More River Walk
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The reason we are actually here is to attend the meeting's associated exhibition called the "World Market Place".    You note the preface "The World" just like the "World Series" the ADA has the "World Market Place".  In the UK it would have been called "The Market Place" or the UK's Market Place" but right here in the heart of Texas, in the US of A  it is naturally called "The World Market Place".   This is the biggest dental related exhibition in the world.    However the Greater New York Dental Meeting claims to have more exhibitors and of course the Chicago Mid Winter Dental Meeting claims to be the coldest.  Now the ADA next year will be held in Hawaii which naturally enough is claiming to the sunniest and surfiest Dental meeting in the world.    However, what Pauline and I do know from previous experience, is whatever its title, the ADA exhibition takes a day to just walk around it, and that is without stopping and talking to any of the exhibitors.

Yet More River Walk
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By the time we are registered and have walked back to the hotel it is time to eat.  We had noted a nice looking riverside French restaurant on our walk earlier in the day and popped in and booked a riverside table.    When we arrived we discovered that the guy who had taken our booking was the hotel manager and of course he should not have taken the booking but rather have passed us to restaurant bookings.  Anyway, although he had not checked the availability of the nice riverside tables they had managed to move things around a little and there was a table awaiting for us outside.    The setting is great although it is a little chilly and Pauline has not brought a jacket so she opts for soup to start.   We start to notice that it has has taken a little time to get our order to be taken.  In fact the whole service is disorganized and basically comprises of someone arriving who firstly assures us of our importance to the restaurant as honoured guests, and then says that he/she will just go and get water, bread, cutlery or whatsoever and that Fred, Harry or Joe, our waiter for the evening, will arrive in a few seconds.  We wait and wait and wait in fact the only bloody wait that does not take place is any sign of the waiter!    Anyway to cut a long wait short the meal when it does arrive is uninspired and boring.   Now how can this be when the Zagat guide gives it nearly top marks for food and service.  Well the answer, I find out later, lies in the fact that the chef has recently hot footed it to another establishment.    Hey Ho the breakfast was good and there must be a good restaurant in town here somewhere don't you think?