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At this historic Spanish mission in San Antonio, a display shows a timeline of important events in Texan history. I spent a moment puzzling over the Texans’ pride in their victory securing independence from Mexico in 1836, but their indifference at donating their country to the United States ten years later. As a reference point, the timeline helpfully includes the patenting of barbed wire (1874 by Joseph F. Glidden). Now it all makes sense!

Another highlight in San Antonio is the Riverwalk, a paved riverside walkway with bars and restaurants, set a level below the rest of the city. It looks a bit like the rapids at Center Parcs.

A local friend very kindly drove me to a BBQ Diner. It turns out that what we think of as a barbecue is really just a grill; BBQ food just needs to have BBQ sauce on it to qualify as BBQ. A bit too much emphasis on the condiments there, I thought (and told them). You don’t go to a Ketchup Diner to eat a burger, do you?

As documented in detail to the true proponents of this particular London fashion, wearing my collar up has caused some confusion amongst the locals. No small number have offered to “fix my collar”, and a hotel owner asked if I was in the military. One passer-by wondered if I was raised in a ditch (the proverbial barn of course being pretty much standard here, anyway).