Along the San Antonio River Walk this April, one writer took a journey – and a camera – to preserve a historic moment.
Story and photographs by Dawn Robinette
There’s a reason the River Walk is the top tourist destination in Texas. Its beauty – and hotels, bars and restaurants – lure people in year-round. We’re not the city that never sleeps, but it’s hard to find a time when everyone is napping.
Until now.
As the city sheltered in place, the hotels, bars and restaurants all shuttered. Downtown traffic disappeared and the River Walk stood silent.
In that quiet, the gentle peace of the river shines. The ripples of the water, the sunlight dancing in tiny waves as the gentle breeze whispers through the canopy of trees that stretch above, the ever-present ducks that glide through the water? All of that is amplified when you take away the people.
Stories have detailed how clear the canals in Venice have become as Italy has battled COVID-19. Without people and boats, the San Antonio River is also crystal clear, sharing peeks of the rocks below. Looking into the water, it’s easy to forget that you’re in the heart of the seventh largest city in the country. With the quiet, everything feels worlds away and you’re transported far from the hustle and bustle we’ve come to know.
The swirl of news and busy-ness we grapple with daily easily spins us, but nature is an anchor that outlasts that storm. The River Walk’s true beauty – the wonder that exists whether we’re there or not – is a reminder of all that thrives in spite of us, nay, because we’re all staying home.
The city was founded on the banks of the river because the water source sustained life and allowed crops to grow. May its gentle flow and beauty keep us thriving for years to come.
An award-winning writer, communications expert and military spouse who enjoys unearthing new discoveries and revisiting old favorites in her adopted hometown of San Antonio, Dawn Robinette loves to tell stories. You can follow communications work at Tale to Tell Communications and read more of her musings at Alamo City Moms, Rio Magazine, and Texas Lifestyle Magazine.
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Just two months ago I walked the entire riverwalk with my dog. It wasn’t empty, but I did capture a few shots which look like they should contain people. The riverwalk is something which requires multiple visits through various seasons. There’s just too much to see, learn and do around it. We like to say “see this”, or “see that”, but the riverwalk is something fun to adventure at your own pace. I don’t know if anyone else has every walked the whole 15-mile stretch, but I probably have the first dog to do it! We definitely have the best riverwalk in the nation. I understand why some people would want to run out and take a few surreal shots of the riverwalk while it’s empty. I didn’t take the opportunity, although the downtown stretch would be a breeze right now.