My work at the University has kept me busy, and I have been slow in getting things posted…
We lived in San Diego for eleven years, from 1973 to 1984. Susan and I both went to graduate school there, and we still have lots of friends there.
We decided on a Road Trip to San Diego. It was January, and there was snow in Salt Lake City and we wanted warmer climes. While we did not get the really warm sun we hoped for, it was much warmer than SLC. Why not fly, instead? We enjoy a road trip because you get to see the countryside, and we enjoy listening to audiobooks while we drive. In this
We spent our first night in Henderson, south of Las Vegas. We got in early and wanted to see something (other than casinos). I saw Lake Las Vegas on the map on my phone. We talked to the desk clerk, and he described it as a man-made lake with expensive developments. His description made it sound interesting, and we were glad we went.
On to California!
Zzyzz is a real town, according to Wikipedia.
We first stayed with Donna, an old friend that Susan describes as her cooking mentor. Notice the cat aprons! With two serious cooks we ate very well!
We visited local farmer’s market to buy provisions, and walked along the beach.
Notice the local wildlife.
You may have noticed the threatening weather, and we did get one real rain storm. This is Donna’s house with a double rainbow.
Donna is a musician, and she has been a volunteer docent at the local Museum of Musical Instruments. We spent a rainy afternoon there, and it was really neat.
Did you know that Susan was a die-hard Beatlemaniac as a teenager?
It was fun to play tourist in a city that we lived in for many years. We went to Balboa Park, a gorgeous large park in the middle of the city, full of gardens museums, and the famous San Diego Zoo.
This is the Botanical Building in Balboa Park. It was built in 1915 for the Panama–California Exposition. We always loved looking at the plants (and insects) inside.
We also went to the historic Old Town section of San Diego. The Old Town Mexican Café was still there, and it still had fresh handmade tortillas and wonderful carnitas. The place looked the same, and we remembered a large group goodbye dinner there in 1984, just before we moved to England. The carnitas are still great.
We visited our old neighborhood Normal Heights. It has been 33 years since we left, and the houses are much more expensive. There are many more apartment buildings, the population density is much higher, and it looks like it is very difficult to park around there. We did find a really good fish taco restaurant, though.
We also stayed with Ellen and Frank, who now live in a beautiful house in the Point Loma section of San Diego. The house has a wonderful view of the ocean from their deck. And a rainbow!
A group selfie with Ellen and Frank.
Ellen and Frank have been active in creating the nearby Sunset Cliffs Natural Park along the ocean. Ellen designed the logo for the park sign.
Someone decided to feed the local wildlife….
On this trip we went to the San Diego Safari Park, and on our way home we stopped at Joshua Tree National Park.
Leave it to Las Vegas to have a “Lake Las Vegas” in the middle of the desert with a Ponte Vecchio knockoff! I can’t believe that you lived in SD for 11 years.