DESTINATIONS TEXAS | THE US


CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Boudro’s; Noche


Del Vaquero; longhorn cattle; mutton bustin’ PICTURES: San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo/Scott M Foley


Marc Anderson


chief executive and president, Visit San Antonio


“San Antonio offers the international traveller so much from an experiential standpoint. People are looking for authentic


experiences, and if they’re going to travel 10 hours to the US, they want to


experience something new and rich that speaks to their soul. The people of San


Antonio love tourism and hospitality – and they’re


going to welcome visitors with open arms. Our rodeo is one of the largest in the country, and it’s such a phenomenal experience for


family travellers and couples who are looking for new experiences. Obviously, it’s steeped in cowboy culture, but the music concerts feature rap and


R&B stars alongside A-list country musicians – so it can be surprising. We are one of the more affordable destinations, especially for family travel. When you


compare a theme park visit in San Antonio with other places across the US,


you’re looking at a third or half of what you would spend elsewhere.”


BUSTIN’ A MOVE The more adventurous youngsters take part in one of the most bizarre competitions I’ve witnessed: Mutton Bustin’. Children as young as four lie on top of a sheep and cling on for dear life as the animal hurtles out of the gate, with the winner being the participant who holds on longest – which tends to be about eight seconds. One day these kids might grow into professionals, but for now they’ve got to put in the hard yards and fall flat on their faces in front of 17,000 fans at NBA team San Antonio Spurs’ stadium, before being helped to their feet and stumbling away bandy-legged. Yet sometimes even the fully fledged cowboys


fare little better in their own categories, which only adds to the joy of seeing a moment of triumph.


LEARNING THE ROPES I eventually get my own taste of victory during a day at a ‘dude ranch’ in Bandera, in the hill country northeast of San Antonio. Under the guidance of Larry Cortez, the 77-year-old owner of Rancho Cortez, I’m taught how to rope cattle and ride a horse. “Whoa, boy, slow down – you’re like a helicopter,”


says Cortez in response to my first roping attempt which, admittedly, comes close to decapitating the audience. But on my third shot, the loop in the 28-foot rope catches hold of the plastic calf’s neck and I’m lauding myself as a rising star of the ranching scene. To maintain such high levels of performance, eating


travelweekly.co.uk Children as young as four


lie on top of a sheep and cling on for dear life as the animal hurtles out of the gate


well is vital. Thankfully, San Antonio is a specialist in this department, as the culinary capital of Texas and a Unesco-designated Creative City of Gastronomy. The Mexican and Tex-Mex options supply a


bounty of flavours in hearty quantities, especially at vibrant restaurant Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia. It’s been owned by the Cortez family – separate from the ranch-owning Cortez – for 83 years. Having begun with just three tables, the premises can now host up to 2,000 guests at a time, serving high-quality dishes using local ingredients. “If it’s not good enough to feed my own mother, I don’t buy it,” says Eusebio Trujillo, a member of the Cortez clan, who has worked for the business


for 48 years. He leads us to a huge mural entitled The American Dream, which depicts members of the Cortez family alongside others with Mexican roots who have gone on to achieve success in the US. “See that gentleman there?” asks Trujillo, picking


out a character from the display. “That’s me as a younger man.”


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