SEPTEMBER 02

While being in the Fredericksburg area in 2007 I had an assignment to write an article for a travel book. Here is what we experienced.

Back to Texas
It might be called a highlight of Fredericksburg,TX or maybe even THE Highlight - a visit to CASA LEON at the Enchanted Rock State Park, right in the Hill Country.

Driveway onto property

We were paying a visit to this truly outstanding creation of what might be called a mix of the Mediterranean Europe and a Mayan Village. 

Part of Driveway

Old entry doors as part of an
architectural idea

Entrance to Reception Hall

And here is how it all came into being:
When Charles Trois met with Rebecca Ross the first time at Johnson City, TX, it became the fulfillment of two peoples dreams. Charles, an accomplished artist, musician, architect and builder, as well as Rebecca had this dream of creating an artisan village in the style of Old Mexico.

They started looking for the right piece of land to create the place of their dreams. After searching through the entire South West the property of their dreams was found only a few miles from where they met in the first place – about 17 miles north of the town of Fredericksburg at the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. What started out as building a home evolved into the most fascinating project a man and a woman can dream about.On a hill within their 57 acres of beautiful land a village was created in an adobe-like style, reminding the visitor of an ancient Mayan culture, the buildings close together, leaving only a limited width for the curving roadway uphill. Everyone of the buildings entrances is graced with old, old doors which were brought in from all over the world. This, and Charles incredible artistic talent for architecture will make every visitor feel like being in a time machine, transporting him back hundreds of years.

Casa Leon's own library

Guest Suite

When the building of their 20.000 sqft. Home was completed, Charles continued adding building to building, thus turning the property into the most exciting Bed and Breakfast facility you can ever experience. The Casa de Leon suites are all deluxe accommodations, with three of the suites having their own fireplaces, and everyone spacious sitting areas, breakfast areas, full baths and large, comfortable beds with soft lovely linens. The honeymoon suite has a huge double Jacuzzi-styled tub with a view of the fireplace. 

Not only are single private couples welcome, but also the capacity has long grown into a fairy-tale land for arranging weddings in Casa Leon's Wedding Chapel, with groups of up to 250 persons for banquet in the huge 5000 square-foot reception hall. What really makes this hall so remarkable is the largest collection of toy cap guns in the world.

Casa Leon's  5-Star Italian "Ristorante"

Though it is hard to rank the various buildings on the Trois Estate you might find out that you have fallen in love with the Trois’s beautiful Italian-style Ristorante and the artistic cooking. Rebecca’s dreams have long revolved around food and nurturing. She started cooking at the young age of 8 with an ever-increasing interest in the fine art of dining. So, at Troisi’s Italian Ristorante the chef spoiles everyone with any combination of Rebecca’s very own wonderful recipes with his own five-star cooking. WE enjoyed a truly outstanding meal there.

And if you are still looking for more, why don’t you go for a swim in an under-ground grotto swimming pool? It might turn into YOUR favorite place on the Trois Estate.

Grotto Swimmingpool

July 24

It was on February 19 2007 that we arrived in town.
Fredericksburg, located centrally in the "Hill Country", turned out to be an amazing town with it's German Heritage visible at every corner. And spring was about to arrive as well. So the Sunday we drove through Main Street or "Hauptstrasse" as the sign also says, the town was crowded with weekend tourists from the nearby cities of San Antonio and Austin. Cafe's and restaurants were open and people were relaxing outside enjoying a coffee or a meal. 

The many storefronts of Fredericksburg have their merchandise on display and with German pastries, German beer and Bavarian "umpta" music, visitors will find  everything and anything they might desire, 
but it better be German. We settle in at the Fredericksburg RV-Park, where we meet the very nice owners, and their likewise nice camp guests.

Bea has discovered the line dance group
in the club house

 

This RV-Park, convienently located close to Main Street, offers a variety of activities which take place daily in the two Club Houses. My favorite is the sunday icecream night, where everybody gets a bowl of his choice of icecream for 50cts. The social side of being together with people mostly sharing a common interest is a nice side effect.
 Fredericksburg became our "Base Camp" for 2 weeks. From here we did a couple of nice trips into the Hill Country.

One of these trips gets us to the "Enchanted Rock" just north east of town. This ancient place was named so by the Indians, which heard strange "groans" from the mountain under changing weather conditions. We take the drive and from a hilltop we get the first view of the Rocky round shaped mountain. 

  

At the foot of it Texas has established a State Park. If you want to climb the mountain, you have to pay the entrance fee. But just the drive through this hilly landscape with its many live oaks, farms off to the side of the narrow Road makes you feel like being somewhere in the French Provence. Here and there a winding creek splashes its clear waters down the hill, creating small lakes and ponds. It's a beautiful country out here.