We've been pretty busy since the last entry... and our dogs are barking BIG time. Still haven't rented a car, and it shows on our heels.
Our official first day we started off leisurely in Sea Port Village, which to the untrained eye could seem like little more than a tourist trap, but as it turns out, it's a breeding ground for good karma and immediate rewards.
Our good karma investment happened when we stumbled upon a local artists and his wares, a collection of Plasticine figures that were put in a kiln. Cartoony in nature, quite colourful and struck a chord with my sensibilities. I complimented this starving artist and built him up while I bought some of his figures and essentially overpaid. Short while later, we had lunch and happened to share a table with a war veteran and his wife. He'd lived in San Diego for many years and now lives in Vegas but always comes back every year. We had a pleasant chat and he recommended we check out the U.S.S. Midway which he actually served on. So we did. We casually strolled around a bit toward the giant vessel and as luck would have it, we bumped into him again. He then presented us with a couple of free passes to the tour and saved us about $34. (Thank you, Jun... and Karma)
For those who haven't been on an aircraft carrier... it's unbelievable. This floating city has been turned into a first rate naval museum and it's very interactive and really quite amazing. After this tour, all I can say is, "I GET IT NOW!" The flag-waving, the unbridled patriotism... all of it... it makes sense to me now. And while I'm on the topic of American pride, let me say there's a lot that this city has to be proud of, not the least of which is its inhabitants. (Body art and warm gestures/climate are in bountiful supply.) Everywhere we've been, we've only encountered the nicest people and I can safely say that Canadians do NOT have the corner market on politeness, as so many of us had been led to believe. (I also tried out a flight simulator and it's a lot harder to land a plane on an aircraft carrier that it looks.. and it looks really hard.)
On our second day, we took one of those Trolley tours that allow you to jump off and on at different stops and for the most part it was decent value. Although certain things at Balboa Park were ranking fairly high on the lame-o-meter (such as the International Cottages) over all it was a decent day. We spent some time on the beach near the Hotel Del Coronodo (sp?) and dined on some tasty burritos in Old Town by day's end.
And as for a true highlight for the trip, the San Diego Zoo is world famous for a reason. We literally spent the entire day there and it was terrific. Great value for the dollar and a really well run operation... Toronto Zoo could learn a LOT from these people. AND as an added bonus, we got a moment to feel good about Toronto as we ran into a Peurto Rican named Manuel thought Toronto was the greatest city on Earth. (It's only fair to mention that part of his affinity for Toronto was due to our same-sex marriage laws and overall tolerance... but he went on about all the other things he loved about T.O.) Anyway, it's a nice feeling to know our city is well regarded.
So, as you might be able to tell, things are going pretty well and tomorrow we're renting a car and headed to Ensenada (probably, but Tijuana is DEFINITELY out) and beach time (most likely) and a concert (The Duke Spirit) in the evening. At this pace, the week will be over before we know it, so can't say when I'll be able to write again... but it's always a pleasure and thanks to those who weighed in on the Tijuana debate or dropped a line. It's always a treat to check the email and have stuff to read, but obviously when people are waiting to use the terminal I can't reply to everyone individually... but know that it's appreciated.
Until next time…
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