>> Welcome to Joseph Rosendo's "Travelscope," where you join us as we accept the World's invitation to visit.

>> Today on "Travelscope," I head to Texas to celebrate a San Antonio Christmas complete with holiday lights, river caroling, traditional foods, and the spirit of the season.

>> "Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope" is made possible by... >> San Antonio, Texas, where you'll find art, culture, romance, authentic Tex-Mex, 50-plus golf courses, and hundreds of attractions.

San Antonio, deep in the heart.

And No-Jet-Lag, jet lag prevention.

>> Merry Christmas, y'all!

San Antonio is my favorite Texas town.

People are always ready to celebrate.

Christmas is a special time of year throughout the whole world, yet no place is it more special and nowhere is it more fun than here in San Antonio.

So join me and my new friends... >> Whoo!

>> on my San Antonio Christmastime adventure.

[Music playing] Deep in the heart of Texas, San Antonio is a festival town.

And much of the celebrating takes place on its world famous River Walk alongside the San Antonio River.

During Christmas, it's party central.

The festivities begin the Friday after Thanksgiving with the lighting of the oaks and sycamores, and the Ford Holiday River Parade.

The merrymaking is contagious.

During December, school, church, business, and neighborhood groups charter a river barge and fill the downtown with holiday cheer.

There are so many fun things that happen down here on the river and on the River Walk in San Antonio during Christmas.

And one of the highlights--for certainly you and your girls--is the holiday caroling.

What's gonna happen here?

>> We're gonna get on a barge, and we're gonna float down the river and sing Christmas carols.

>> Is there one song that you really do very well?

What is it?

>> "Deck the Halls."

>> OK. Let's practice.

A-1, 2, 3!

>> ♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly fa la la la la, la la la la 'tis the season to be jolly fa la la la la, la la la la Don we now our gay apparel fa la la, la la la, la la la Troll the ancient yuletide carol fa la la la la, la la la la ♪ >> Let's go get 'em!

[All cheer] ["Deck the Halls" playing on soundtrack] >> Yay!

>> Let's do "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

>> What's your name?

>> Ashley.

>> Ashley.

Ashley, do you like singing Christmas carols?

>> I do.

>> It's beautiful out here tonight.

How about you?

What's your name?

>> Kinsey.

>> Kinsey.

And?

>> Meredith.

>> OK, you guys, now, you're in different grades?

>> We're in the same grade.

>> OK. You're Girl Scouts, and they're Brownies.

Do you like Christmas in San Antonio?

>> It's really fun.

>> It is fun.

Thank you, guys, for allowing me to sing with you.

>> You're welcome.

>> Thank you.

[Carolers singing] >> During Christmas, 6,000 luminarias glow along the San Antonio River Walk.

They're a paper bag with an inch or so of sand and a candle placed in it.

They line the walkways and symbolically light the way for the holy family on their search for lodging on that Christmas Eve night long, long ago.

Las luminarias also light the way to the countless restaurants on the River Walk, where a weary caroler can wet his whistle.

At Christmas or in any season in San Antonio, it's always a pleasure to get a table alongside the river, a prickly pear margarita, and watch the boats go by.

Christmastime is a very busy time in San Antonio.

And with all the people down on the river, it can get pretty wild and woolly sometimes.

Yet the River Walk is also a public park approximately 5 miles long, where you can find the authentic beauty and peaceful serenity that's also part of the San Antonio River.

Just a short walk from downtown but a world apart from the River Walk's party atmosphere is the King William historic district, one of San Antonio's most colorful neighborhoods.

Just after Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836, there was an influx of German immigrants.

Many of them settled here along the south bank of the San Antonio River in an area which became known as Sauerkraut Bend.

Anchored by Carl Guenther's home and flour mill, the 25-block neighborhood evolved into the fashionable King William district, and prospered during the 19th century.

After a period of decline, the neighborhood's rehabilitation began in 1945.

And today, it is a designated historic district that really dresses up for the holidays.

The Steves homestead is open to the public.

Adjacent to the King William district is the Blue Star industrial historic district.

With the establishment of the railroad in 1877, San Antonio became a collection and distribution center for South Texas.

Produce, lumber, grain, cattle were sent to towns all throughout Texas and Mexico.

Constructed between 1917 and 1934, the old warehouses have been converted into lofts, galleries, artist's studios as well as a brewery and restaurant.

It's just one more piece of San Antonio's artistic and entertainment mosaic.

Bridget, merry Christmas.

>> You, too.

>> San Antonio began in 1718 in La Villita, its first neighborhood.

Originally a rustic settlement for Spanish soldiers, today the historic buildings of La Villita have become shops, studios, galleries, and a monument to San Antonio's rich past.

Patty, how long has your business been here?

>> My family established this business 42 years ago.

>> That must have been when La Villita began as an artist's center.

>> Almost.

Not quite.

1939 it was established as an artisan's community.

And each shop here in the village has working artists and handcrafts by the working artists.

>> And is it all just Mexican art?

>> Everything in my shop is handmade in Mexico, and it's done by someone I know.

>> These gentlemen, where do they come from?

>> These gentlemen?

From Oaxaca, Mexico.

And we met them 20 years ago.

Arturo came to my shop with a box of merchandise.

We fell in love with his work, and they've been coming back ever since.

These are called alebrijes.

And they're handcrafted of wood.

It's called copal wood.

It's the same thing as they use for incense.

And then the little dots are put on with the tip of a cactus needle.

And they use the tip of it to put the little, tiny dots on the animals.

[Conversation in Spanish] >> The wood basically tells him what it's going to look like.

Ah, beautiful nativity scene.

Gracias.

And muchas gracias, señores...

The country's seventh most populous city, there's more to San Antonio than the River Walk.

Just a few miles away at the corner of Brazos and Guadalupe is the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, which promotes and preserves the traditions of the Hispanic community that surrounds it.

Yvonne, what's going on today?

>> Today is Hecho a Mano.

It's a 3-day festival that brings together anywhere from 40 to 60 artists that presents San Antonio with quality handcraft works of art.

>> Are most of them or all of them San Antonians?

>> Many are from San Antonio.

However, we have one artist from New Mexico.

We have another artist from Sheboygan, Wisconsin... >> Ha ha!

>> and a third artist from Oaxaca, Mexico.

>> Now, is all the art Mexican-themed or Hispanic-themed?

>> Much of the art does capture the spirit of Mexican folk art.

However, the sky is the limit.

It really is based on the uniqueness, the quality of the handcraft object.

>> I think it's interesting and heartwarming that you're on Brazos Street.

And in English, brazos means arms.

How does the Cultural Arts Center reach out into the local community?

>> Well, the programs and the services that we offer fall into 3 different categories-- artistic, community, and education.

Hecho a Mano falls within that artistic area along with two other festivals, the Tejano Conjunto festival and CineFestival en San Antonio.

>> This center is obviously a very important part of the arts scene, the music scene, and the cultural scene here in San Antonio.

It's wonderful.

So feliz navidad y próspero año nuevo.

>> Igualmente.

Gracias.

>> Close to 60% of San Antonians are of Hispanic heritage, yet during Christmas, everyone goes a little loco over tamales.

Besides at traditional family tamaladas, the delectable delicacy is served up at Tamales at Pearl, a holiday event held at the former brewery, now a dining and entertainment complex.

Yet tamales are not just a seasonal thing, they're popular all year round because they're so, well, delicious.

>> Everybody's got to have tamales.

Christmastime is tamale time for everybody.

>> So how many of these tamales do you do in a year?

>> Last year we sold approximately 397,000 dozens.

>> That's about 5 million tamales.

>> You know what?

I'm gonna show you how we cook them.

>> Let's go.

>> Come with me.

>> Wait a minute, now.

Wait a minute, now.

This is a big deal.

I've never been at a tamale unveiling.

How many are in here?

>> In here we have 420 dozen.

>> And what kind of tamales?

>> These are all the regular pork, the traditional tamales.

>> OK.

They sound good.

Let's go.

The big moment.

Go!

Oh!

Look at that.

Well, Valerie, the proof of the tamales are in the tastings.

>> Well, we're just gonna have to get one for you.

>> All right.

>> They're a little hot.

>> Ooh, ooh.

They're nice and hot.

Can't get them any fresher than that.

Look at that.

That's beautiful.

Mmm.

They're delicious.

>> They stand up to their name.

>> Well, muchas gracias and feliz navidad.

>> Y para usted también.

>> Before Texas was part of the United States, San Antonians were shopping at Market Square.

Today, the 200-year-old market encompasses the produce and farmer's markets as well as el mercado, the largest Mexican market outside of Mexico.

During the holidays, the shelves are filled with Christmas trinkets.

And you better watch out.

You could bump into Pancho Claus.

>> I'm known as the goodwill ambassador from Mexico.

I come to spread good cheer and goodwill to all the people here in San Antonio.

>> What kind of presents might I get because I came to San Antonio?

Anything special?

>> What about a big piñata?

>> A big piñata with all sorts of presents inside.

>> All kinds of Christmas candy.

>> Well, Pancho Claus, feliz navidad.

>> Feliz navidad a usted.

Prospero año nuevo.

>> Y prospero año nuevo.

>> Gracias.

>> During the 19th century, the chili queens were the reigning royalty of Market Square, preparing and serving their famous chili.

It is in their tradition that Rachel Rodriguez hawks her Mexican gorditas.

[Bell rings] >> Come, get your gorditas right here!

>> Merry Christmas!

>> Oh, the same to you.

How are you?

>> You must be Rachel.

>> Yes, sir, I am.

>> Tell me about Christmas in San Antonio.

>> We always celebrate here in San Antonio anything.

Christmas is very special for us.

>> Now, what is a gordita?

>> A gordita is like a pita pocket.

It's like masa.

And then we cook it.

And then we deep fry it.

And we stuff it with either chicken or ground beef or beans and cheese.

>> Oh, I see it's tomatoes and lettuce and guacamole.

>> Yes, sir.

>> Mmm!

Que bueno.

During Christmas in San Antonio, the annual blessing of the animals takes place here in Market Square.

Is that a rattler?

>> No.

It's a ball python.

>> OK.

It will just squeeze you a little bit.

>> Yeah.

Just a little.

>> It's very loving.

This is the 26th blessing of the animals--blessing dogs and cats and who knows what will be here.

My kitties are going to be here with their picture on my phone.

And all of this is in honor of the animals that were present at the very first nativity.

>> Blessed are you, Lord, for the sake of our comfort, gave us domestic animals as companions.

And they're wonderful pets.

And they're wonderful companions.

And they're a source of life for many of us.

>> I'm with Deacon Tony Rivera.

You come down here every year to do this?

>> No.

This is my first time in doing this.

>> What do you think?

>> I think it's a wonderful event.

It's a time to give thanks to God for all the blessings he gave us throughout the year.

And one of the things we mustn't forget is the animals.

>> Yes.

Of course.

>> They are our pets.

But they also help us in our labors.

And I've seen how pets, particularly the smaller ones that can go into hospitals and homes for the aging, bring life into people.

To me, that's a wonderful gift from God.

>> Thank you very much.

>> God bless you.

>> On this day, not only animals are blessed in Market Square.

In 1941, Pete and Cruz Cortez started a little cafe that served los campesinos-- the farmers and workers--at the San Antonio farmer's market.

71 years later, Mi Tierra Café y Panadería is still serving up good Tex-Mex cuisine every day, 24 hours a day, in an atmosphere where it's Christmas all year long.

Michael, nice to see you again.

>> Welcome again.

We're in our famous mural room.

And it's because of this 80-foot mural behind us.

>> Where are you?

>> Well, I'm actually over there by the kitchen.

>> By the kitchen, where you need to be.

>> Where I need to be.

Exactly.

>> Can you show me where you create all this magic?

>> Well, let me show you.

But before we do that, I'm gonna give you your powers to work in that kitchen there.

>> Whoa.

I hope you don't make me wash dishes.

>> Oh, well, that's part of it, as well.

>> Aah.

>> Joseph, this is where all the food is made.

Everything gets assembled here and then gets served out to them.

>> This is like a fiesta going on back here.

Michael, I know Mi Tierra is called a café y panadería, which means that it's a café and a bakery.

>> Right.

>> But also dulces--candies.

>> The dulce is actually made here in the back of the kitchen.

This right here is the pecan praline.

>> These are wonderful.

>> Very popular, very delicious, sugar-free, of course.

No.

I'm just kidding.

>> Ha ha!

And low calorie.

>> Low calorie.

That's right.

>> What's that green?

>> We call that bandería.

>> The flag.

>> Verde, blanco, y colorado, la bandera del soldado.

Once this coconut bar is cut, you can see where the verde, blanco, y colorado is exposed.

And this is a coconut bar.

>> Mmm!

Michael, what are all these vats?

>> We have everything from menudo to salsa ranchera, frijoles a la charra.

But then here, this is our hot chocolate, chocolate popular.

The company is a hundred years old out of Monterrey, Mexico.

>> This is like tasting the wine out of the barrel in the caves of France.

>> And we'll have a little hot chocolate.

>> Salud.

>> Salud.

>> Feliz navidad.

>> Feliz navidad.

>> Oh, that's wonderful hot chocolate.

Michael, this is great.

Thanks for showing me where everything comes out.

But, you know, one thing that's really missing is, Where can I get a real homemade, handmade Christmas tamale and buñuelo?

>> Every year, my grandmother-- we get together, and we have a little tamalada, where we make tamales, buñuelos, hot chocolate.

The kids hit a piñata.

And guess what.

You're invited.

>> [Singing in Spanish] >> Does anybody have a penny?

>> Penny?

Anybody have a penny?

>> I mean, anybody?

A penny?

>> Fortunately, I have a penny.

Now, what are we gonna do?

Are gonna buy something?

>> No.

Actually, with this penny, what we're gonna do is put it in the oil in this old traditional Mexican belief.

>> So now we've got the oil heating up for the buñuelo.

>> For the buñuelos.

And later we're going to be doing tamales.

>> We're doing tamales tonight.

We're doing a tamalada.

It's really more about getting together as a family and talking about, you know, the people that aren't here.

>> Ha ha!

>> That's really what it's all about.

>> That sounds like my family.

That's the way my family works.

>> Yeah!

Exactly.

>> We're rolling out buñuelos.

>> Buñuelos.

This is a flour-based sweet tortilla that we're gonna be rolling out.

>> So just one big roll.

One big roll.

>> And one out.

There you go.

>> Not a bunch of little ones.

¿Cómo está?

¿Está bien?

You know, I was told, now, back in the old days, the women would stretch the buñuelos out on their knees.

See?

See?

See?

She knows.

Oh, they must have been much tastier back then, huh?

[Laughter] OK, Michael, so I've got this one all stretched out.

>> Yes.

>> So I'll pass it on to your brother Anthony.

Anthony's gonna show me how to perfectly put it into the oil.

Ah, just lightly put it on top.

>> Slide it on top.

>> The heat has to be probably perfect.

>> Perfect.

>> And you get them kind of a golden brown, right?

>> We're gonna dip it into the cinnamon and sugar.

>> OK, let me come over there and help you do that.

>> It's going in there.

We're gonna toss it in.

>> Look at this.

And then you just pour the cinnamon and sugar... >> Flip it around.

>> Why don't you and I make sure?

We don't want anybody to get a bad buñuelo.

Yeah.

>> Exactly.

Mmm.

It's perfect.

>> And what goes best with buñuelos?

Hot chocolate.

And, believe it or not, this is part of the process.

>> Try it.

Give it a couple of whacks.

We got to break it down.

If you've had a hard day-- >> See, you can really get upset at the fact that chocolate has so many calories by just hitting it and beating it.

This makes me feel better and thinner already.

>> This is a molinillo.

>> Molinillo.

>> This is used to make hot chocolate broth up very well.

>> Let me help you a little bit here.

>> Yeah.

Just try that.

Roll it.

There you go.

I found a job for you at the restaurant, Joseph.

>> Fabulous.

Well, I already have the apron, so I'm halfway there.

Thanks, Michael.

>> That's right.

And, don't forget, this apron gives you super powers.

>> I've been having super powers all day.

>> This is Joseph, everybody.

>> Buenas noches.

>> Hola.

>> OK.

I'm gonna learn to do tamales.

OK. >> These are the corn husks.

>> Yeah?

>> And this is the masa.

This is corn masa.

>> This is masa made out of corn.

>> Made out of corn.

>> So I take about this much.

>> Yeah.

About a spoonful.

And what we're gonna do is you're gonna spread the bottom half of our corn husk.

And right in front of us is, we have beans.

>> So we're gonna do a bean one?

>> Yeah, let's do a bean one.

>> OK. >> And what we do is we grab some frijoles.

>> Frijoles, refried beans.

>> There you go.

Refried beans.

>> OK. And the same things?

>> You can spread them.

I like just to put a little dab.

>> OK. >> And we can add cheese.

This is queso fresco.

>> Queso fresco?

>> Right.

>> OK. >> Put that down the middle.

And here you go.

You can even make it spicy... >> OK. >> or non-spicy.

>> Oh.

We got to have it spicy.

>> Of course.

>> Poquito caliente, I think.

>> Poquito caliente.

So here are some jalapeños for you.

>> This is nice and spicy.

>> My grandmother says that's too much.

OK.

Hold on.

>> ¿Es mucho?

Nah, that's OK. Mucho macho!

>> Ha ha!

There you go.

>> OK. What do we do here?

>> Now what we do is you're gonna roll it.

So you close that up.

>> Right.

>> Roll it over.

>> Oh, my gosh.

Roll it over?

>> And then the end there you're gonna fold in.

>> OK. That's good.

So let's try another one.

>> We keep doing more tamales.

>> OK. Quickly.

Come back in 45 minutes, and we'll be doing the most important part of a tamalada, which is...?

>> Eating them.

>> Eating.

Right.

Exactly.

Let's see what we got here.

It's kind of like a surprise, you know?

Like a little present.

Ooh, OK. Oh, hot, hot.

Mmm.

Mmm.

And very spicy... >> They're great.

>> and very nice.

I made this one, I think.

>> Yeah.

That's the one with extra jalapeños.

>> Thank you for letting me join your family here tonight.

>> Feliz navidad.

>> Igualmente.

[Music playing] >> Hey!

[Cheering and applause] >> San Antonio is a multicultural, multireligious town.

And even though the Latin population is in the majority, there are people of every nationality and of every religious faith.

Last night here at the Arneson, there was a Christmas Christian celebration.

And it's Chanukah today.

And in honor of Chanukah, I've even taken off my Santa's cap.

>> [Singing in foreign language] >> While holiday cultural celebrations abound, in San Antonio, the true meaning of Christmas is never far away.

Except for the Alamo, San Antonio's 18th-century missions still serve the spiritual needs of its people.

At Mission San Jose's weekly mariachi mass, I share in the communal celebration.

In Mission Espada's historic chapel, I take the time to reconnect with the real spirit of Christmas.

In the heart of San Antonio, the San Fernando Cathedral is the center of religious life for the Catholic Mexican population.

On a December morning in 1531, Juan Diego, a Nahuatl Native American, saw a vision of the Virgin Mary on a hilltop near his village.

The Virgin instructed him to have the local bishop build a shrine in her honor at the site.

And as a sign, she told Juan to gather in his cloak the roses that were unseasonably blooming nearby.

Juan went to the mission.

And when he opened his cloak, the bishop discovered not only the roses but the image of the Virgin Mary emblazoned on the cloth.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is Mexico's most revered religious and cultural symbol.

And here at the San Fernando Cathedral, la serenata, "the serenade," a celebration held on the eve of her feast day, has become a part of San Antonio's Christmas festivities.

[Cheering] Thank you for joining me on my San Antonio Christmas adventure.

San Antonio is a festival town.

And Christmas is a most festive time of year.

During the season, visitors and locals come to San Antonio's famous River Walk to celebrate surrounded by songs, decorations, and plenty of holiday cheer, yet San Antonio is more than the River Walk and Christmas in San Antonio is more than twinkling lights.

It's families gathering together to honor their heritage and practice their traditions.

It's where faith is still alive and "Feliz navidad" is heard more than "Merry Christmas."

Because in English, navidad means "birth."

And the Christmas story is about the birth of hope and the promise of redemption.

It's the story of us all.

Till next time, this is Joseph Rosendo reminding you of the words of Mark Twain-- Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.

Merry Christmas.

Feliz navidad.

And God bless us, every one.

>> "Joseph Rosendo's TravelScope" is made possible by... >> San Antonio, Texas, where you'll find art, culture, romance, authentic Tex-Mex, 50-plus golf courses, and hundreds of attractions.

San Antonio, deep in the heart.

And No-Jet-Lag, jet lag prevention.

For a DVD of today's show or any of Joseph's Travelscope adventures, call 888-876-3399 or order online at Travelscope.net.

You can also e-mail us at TV@Travelscope.net or write us at the address on your screen.

>> Now that we've celebrated a San Antonio Christmas, learn more at Travelscope.net, where you can follow my worldwide adventures through my e-magazine, blog, podcast, and on Facebook.

Stay in touch--888-876-3399 or TV@Travelscope.net.

>> Pretty nice, huh?

>> [Chanting in foreign language] >> Three dozen tamales.

>> Gracias, señora.

Feliz navidad.

>> Prospero año.