Monday, June 29, 2009

"Oooooohhh, aaaahhhh"

Just back from San Antonio where Richard and I enjoyed the first vacation we've taken alone since a short stint in Chicago five years ago.  Feeling refreshed.  

Today we'll celebrate excellence.

We'll celebrate Luis, the guide who drove our tour boat through San Antonio's canals.  

Luis understands the fact that when a tourist purchases a ticket for the River Boat Tour it's about so much more than learning of historic markers.  Face it, if all we really hoped for was to learn the history of the Alamo; the story behind Hugman, the man who envisioned the walk in the early 1920s; or architectural insights into the 20+ bridges along the canal then we could have Googled it while sitting under the shade of a restaurant umbrella, sipping margaritas.  

No.  Taking a River Boat Tour is as much about having an experience and making a memory as it it is learning facts about a place we may or may not revisit.

Luis got that.  Within the first 30 seconds of us boarding the boat, he immediately broke the ice by having us sit knee to knee with a perfect stranger and then sharing our home towns.  By three minutes into the tour, Luis dutifully described the unique architecture of a hospital along the river and then implored us to make him look good to those on the sidewalk by waiting for his cue then exclaiming, "ooohhhh, aaahhhhh." 

It worked.   Not only did all 50 of us turn a lot of heads by exclaiming, in unison, "ooohhh" and "aaahhhh," but almost instantaneously and inexplicably his request turned strangers into warm acquaintances.  Five minutes into the tour and we felt like old friends at a reunion.  The burst of positivity that came from feeling part of something warm - something bigger - made the $8.25 per ticket seem more than worth it.

The rest of Luis's tour followed suit.  He masterfully continued with his perfect combination of facts and interactive fun.  I appreciated learning more about Texas history, but what I'll really remember is laughing with our new friends from Cleveland and, for thirty-five minutes, the unexpected gift of feeling completely and totally in community.

It got me thinking.  I want to make sure we're doing the same for you.  

Step right up and get your ticket to our Highlowaha Boat Tour.  You might think you're on board for fun facts you might learn along the way, but if Heather, Katie, Cheryl, and I are as good as Luis, then your blog ride will be more about sitting knee to knee and joyfully exclaiming "ooohhhh" and "aaaahhhh" then it will be about learning to write a message in code or to pipe and flood a cookie.

Join me.  Let's gauge.  I'll give a cue and then all of you chime in.  Your cue won't be a word or a series of words.  It'll be a time.  At precisely 1:00 p.m. CST, meet me in the comment section to post "ooooohhhh" and "aaaahhhhh."  We'll see if we can't also turn a few heads.


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Signing off until tomorrow...

30 comments:

heather said...

1pm CST...noted and will return.

So how did you guys pack your bags? Folded? Rolled? some other way?

Glad you had fun!

Chaotic Kristi said...

I'll set an alarm! LOL... also, looks as if I will; not be making Grapevine... I will be hosting some ppl in town for as there is a memorial service July 18th for a dear friend who has passed.

Ray Wattson said...

Great. See you again at 1:00.

Heather... I folded. He rolled.

heather said...

I had a feeling Richard was a roller.

Chaotic...that is a bummer. I wish you were making it!

eknoxuk said...

Oh I love San Antonio and the riverwalk. I hope you made it to El Mercado! I just hope to make it back there one day when I can have a margarita on the riverwalk! I'm always pregnant and it just aches for a margarita! So, how did his clothes look after being rolled?

Kat said...

Oooooooohhh... I am intrigued. I'll be back at 1!

Claudia said...

Welcome back, Kat. So far I know I will be meeting up with Heather, Kat, and Chaotic. Who else will meet us at 1:00 to say, in unison, "ooohhhh and aaahhhh."

Rolling clothes works better for t-shirts, underwear, and pajamas than it does for things like dresses, skirts, and shorts.

Who knew packing tips was such a hot topic? Leave it to Katie.

Katie said...

Hello, Monday! What a great weekend. So glad you and Richard had fun! (Happy Birthday, Richard if you're reading this!)

I'll be back at 1:00 CST.

And yes, packing tips are a hot topic because everyone is always looking for the perfect solution. How to make it all fit? That is the question.

Cheryl Houston said...

Good morning all.

I'll be back at one.

Happy Birthday Richard! Your mermaid cookies were delicious!

heather said...

Happy Birthday Richard!!!!!!!

How could I forget?!?

Robin Weiss said...

It's almost one!

"ooooohhhh" and "aaaahhhhh"

heather said...

Wait for it...just one more minute!

Unknown said...

Ooooooohhhhhhh Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!

heather said...

oooooohhhhhhh aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

Claudia said...

Oooohhhhh, Aaahhhhh

Katie said...

OOOOOHHHHHHH, AAAAHHHHHH!

Unknown said...

Ooooooohhhhhhh Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!

Unknown said...

oooooooooooooooooohhh, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh.

robin Weiss said...

"ooooohhhh" and "aaaahhhhh."

Cheryl Houston said...

I'm LATE!!!

Oooohhhhhh..... Aaaahhhh....

chaotic said...

ooohhhh, aaahhhhh

I am so upset...google would not let me sign in!

chaotic

Anonymous said...

ooh ahh

-Mike

Cheryl Houston said...

Look at Heather, Claudia and Katie!!! All 1:00 on the DOT!!!

Ha!

heather said...

I think we overloaded the server...chaotic couldn't sign in and neither could Mike...

Peggy said...

um? I don't get it? wow the power of enabling!!! :0) oh & ah

Katie said...

I feel guilty and must admit that I cheated. I was a minute early, so I deleted my first comment and re-posted it so it would show up at 1:00.

Just admit me to HAA (Highlowaha Addicts Anonymous).

eknoxuk said...

oooh, aah, a little late

lindsaymarie said...

i thought the time difference was 2 hours, oops.

OOOOH AHHHH! anyway!!

Ray said...

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH!
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

Kat said...

Ack! I forgot to join in at one!
Oh well...
Oooooohhh, aaaahhh anyway!