I feel sorry for Dallas

[cornerofmadness]

They got like another seven inches of rain last night. I sort of knew I was doomed when at midnight another lightning storm moved into San Antonio. Mom calls me at 7 AM to tell me my flight into Dallas was canceled and I had been rerouted into O'Hare in the afternoon.

That gave me another whole morning to go exploring so I went down to the Riverwalk (good place to be since nothing is open but a few breakfast places and NO ONE walking around) and cruised down it to surface to go to that Cathedral after all. Unsurprisingly the San Fernando Cathedral is exquisitely Spanish Catholic. Like the Italians, Mary features prominently. But the Spanish might be even more gaudy. The altar was a lot of gold leaf. I did snag a few pictures of it but it was hard since it IS a cathedral with a lot of people milling about. Some taking pictures. Some praying. I also saw a Lady of Guadalupa painting (with gold leaf) and one who is new to me, the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron saint of the Canary Islands (i feel I need to read up on these islands after this trip) and she's depicted as an African Madonna. There is a version of the pieta in color but so many people have stroked Jesus's knees and feet the color is worn through. In the doorway is a box of the comingled remains of Bowie, Crockett and other Alamo defenders....I guess. It said they were exhumed and displayed but most of the tour guides said Santa Anna had burned the bodies. Hmmmm.

The flight out annoyed me because they wouldn't let me keep my carry on. This is becoming an increasing problem. If it's not a flat floppy bag that can go under a seat they don't want you to have it. This was a smaller plane and even me pleading that it has medical supplies in it I was forced to check it because those wouldn't fit in the computer bag. Mostly I was worried about the two breakable things in it. I was really pissed because I had the emergency row seat (my favorite) and there was MORE than enough room for me to have put it under the seat.

I got into O'Hare and we were SUPPOSED to board early. Somehow they couldn't find the damn flight crew who should have been there at 5:25 to get it started. They showed up at 6:25 to a crowd of pissed off people. Once again I had to fight them on the carry on but someone took his out of the bin and shoved it under a seat so I wouldn't have to do go all the way back to the desk and check it (and why wasn't it checked before I got on. Surely they knew how much room was on this thing). Luckily the breakables weren't broken because I know how to pack if nothing else.

O'Hare is four for four. The last three times I've flown out of there they're ruined my luggage. Got mine back tonight with a long rip up the back. They say they'll fix it. I say it's old and I probably will just go buy something new but not right now. I have to recover from over 1000$ in hotel fees alone. Texas, like Florida, has no state tax so they tax the living hell out of the tourist industry.


I'm home with the parents. Kanda is unimpressed by my return. I'm exhausted but I wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to leni_ba hope it was a good one.

Comments

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

Glad you made it back safe and sound. I hate dealing with canceled flights.

That church sounds pretty neat.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Miserable flying experience. I fly small planes a lot and have a backpack that usually fits under the seat, but last time I flew, they had a super-small plane and I couldn't begin to get my bag underneath--fortunately was able to find room in the rack, but very inconvenient. My wrath is usually not so much towards particular airports as it is for certain airlines. American deserves its own circle of hell.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Ugh. And I agree. American sucks. I never fly them but Southwest priced itself right out

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks. Me too

The church is. I'll start putting up pictures soon

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you got in more sightseeing, that had to almost make up for the flight change? Except O'Hare. Brrrrrr. It's as terrible as Atlanta. They could run for something together. Cthulhu's own child. Something.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Yes getting to see that cathedral was nice.

O'Hare blows. Cthulu would run screaming from it

[0-mother-0.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you made it back safe and sound (did you get a "I survived texas" T?)

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I'm sure. I like seeing churches, if they tolerate me.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

this one was a bit weird

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I should have!

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I gathered from the descriptions.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

strange energy

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

That's probably not surprising.