Texas Tour - February 19

This morning we toured the manufacturing plant of San Antonio Shoes, SAS. 99% of the workers are women because the boss feels that they do neater, more precise work. Starting from whole cowhides, they used metal patterns to cut out the pieces of shoes or purses, getting as much out of each hide as possible. The remaining scraps are kept and evaluated so those doing the best job can be rewarded. Sewers are paid by the number of pieces they complete, and some of those women were moving so fast they were like machines themselves. Step after step we watched the shoe finally take shape. Our final stop was in the General Store where we could purchase shoes or purses with minute flaws for less than full price. Quite a few new pairs of shoes are going home with us!

Our last San Antonio sightseeing was the Tower of the Americas, where the observation deck on the 750 foot tower gave us a bird's eye view of the city.

Because it was 68 degrees and sunny today, our free afternoon was really enjoyed. Some sat along the Riverwalk at outdoor restaurants. Friendly pigeons would swoop low and even land on the tables. Others from the group walked to the RiverCenter Mall where there was an IMAX movie theater and shopping. Still others just strolled along the Riverwalk, enjoying
the pansies, petunias and other flowers in bloom, the ducks swimming, and of course the colorful riverboats. The weather is supposed to change to drizzle tomorrow, so we felt so blessed to be able to enjoy these days to the fullest. - Laurel Johnson - Tour Director