Relaxing in San Diego

Having spent significant time in both the second and third most expensive cities in the country (San Francisco and Los Angeles), it was time to complete our California experience with a stop at number seven, San Diego.

We headed south from LA.
More traffic...what a surprise!

I was able to enjoy the "Slowing Ahead" sign for 20 minutes.
Thank goodness I saw it in time!

No pelican traffic jams.

Possible, but not today.
The driver of the red car wanted his engine to get a good view of the sign.

Finally past the traffic jam, we saw that the slowdown was due to a fire on the hillside...
put out by the time we got there.

These are the wild hills on the California coast.

I found out later that the only reason they are wild is that the government owns them.  Camp Pendleton is a huge Marine base that is the only wild stretch between LA and San Diego.  Perhaps we could wipe out the Federal debt if we sold the property to developers.

We took in the Salk Institute.
Here is a poorly merged composite shot 
that really doesn't give the feel of the place.
The water emerging from the font in the foreground 
runs the length of the courtyard,
directing your gaze to the distant Pacific horizon.

We had a jolly time in La Jolla.  That's "Lah Hoya."  As in bushy bushy blonde hairdos.  

All the place names in California are of Spanish origin.  Like Colinas de Beverly, and Madera de Holly.

Seal of approval for La Jolla.  Very nice place.

A little bit of a cave down below.

We ate lunch at a restaurant with this view.
It was good that the wind was not blowing at us 
across the seal lounge.

Lunch at the Hotel Del Coronado.
This lovely place is a prime reason San Diego is #7.

Trainers sent their birds high above the grounds.
Great to watch while eating egg salad.

Impressive!

Another bird landing at Coronado.
Half of the island is a huge Navy base.

Looking across the mouth of the bay from Coronado beach.  

AT THE ZOO

The rest of the family wanted to go to San Diego's famous zoo.  I didn't care to go, but went along anyway since I was the only one who could get a senior discount.  Of course, this close to the Mexican border, it is a señor discount. 

I probably enjoyed the zoo more than anyone else.  

This cute little devil is from Tasmania.

Koalas sleep all the time.

"Excuse me...were you talking to ME?"

All the time.  Cute and asleep.

"I dreamed humans were watching me the whole time I slept."

Cell mates.

The San Diego Zoo is a great zoo, but it is still a zoo.  Animals are captive.  Numerous ones were endangered or rescue animals that would perish in the wild, so I guess that is at least some justification. And while this may be the most humane captivity possible, it is still an artificial environment, at least partially because no one is going to pay to see animals that are invisible because they are in completely natural environments.

"Is that so?"

"I rather enjoy showing off..."

No, not dead.  This is the way the 'roos sleep.

"I recommend the upper branches."

"Two humans walk into a zoo..."

Impressive young grizzly.

A red panda.

This yak won't talk back.

This giant panda cub has a degree in cute.

Mama upstaging the little guy.

It's a tough job being adored all day.

Closeup of a California Psychedelic Horse.

Beautiful animal.

Bears were well represented at the zoo.

This guy's performance was such that you either liked it or hated it.
Very polarizing.

About this time, I got tired of reading the signs to know what I was looking at.
I thought I'd let you look them up for me.

This is part of the San Diego Zoo's program to help protect endangered species.

They let me out of the zoo, probably so they didn't have to feed me.  We went on to enjoy a relaxing time around town, checking out Little Italy, the Gaslamp district and more.

The city appeared very new.  Everywhere we went, there were new buildings.  They must export the old buildings to New York.

The marina behind Shelter Island.

San Diego across the bay.

Sailing between the palms.

The view of San Diego Bay from Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma, 
with Coronado and the city beyond.
I'm guessing that the first European sailor to see the harbor 
just about fell out the crows nest.  
The sailor, not Captain Cabrillo.

The Hotel Del Coronado again on the right.  
The big bridge makes Coronado a suburb of San Diego.
From what I've been told, it is where the Admirals retire.

Looking down on Shelter Island

We rode up into the hills to visit my oldest friend.  I suppose that isn't really true.  I have friends who are much older.  Maybe I should say that he is the friend I've known the longest.  

It had been years, so it was very good to see Mike and his family.  And his extensive horticultural efforts.  I had never heard of a loquat before.  Now I have eaten one.  

The bay also makes a fine reflecting pool.

We flew out the next morning.  Adios, San Diego.