San Diego

We have visited San Diego a few times in our travels. We visited the Zoo, Wild Animal Park and attended a Padres game on those visits. So this visit we skipped seeing them and did a few other things. We celebrated Mother's Day on the Monday after with a dinner cruise on San Diego Bay. It was a great evening with champagne and of course Josie had to have the shrimp cocktail. The city skyline changed as the sun went down and I had to get a shot of the Fly Navy sign on North Island. 

One day we drove up to the Point Loma Light House and Cabrillo National Monument and took in the view of San Diego and the Bay. We then made a pass through the National Cemetery also located on Point Loma. Our friends Pat and Bob told us to try the Bali Hai Restaurant on Signal Island as it was one of their favorites when they were stationed in San Diego in the Navy.  It was a great tip and we enjoyed the Lobster Wonton Tacos and boat drinks.

A couple of observations: When we went to the bank one day we had to enter one at a time. So Josie went in and then I had to wait till she went through both entry doors before I was allowed to enter. This is done to discourage robberies we were told. San Diego has thousands of rental bikes that can be found just about everywhere. There are so many bikes that the locals are calling it Bike Litter. The county campground we stayed in was over run with rabbits, so it was great to see a coyote march through once in awhile. 

While in the area I was able to catch up Caitlin Videll, a past student of mine who is now serving in the Navy here in San Diego. I taught with her father and step mother Mike and Wendy and knew her grandfather Herb through Audubon. She is into taking bird pictures so we were able to get out two days and do some birding. She even helped me find a Ridgway's Rail, a Life Bird for me. One evening Josie and I met her for dinner at the Kansas City BBQ restaurant, where the bar scene from Top Gun was filmed. It was great catching up with her and seeing what a fine person she has become.  

I was stationed on two Aircraft Carriers while in the Navy so after almost 50 years it was very nostalgic to be able to visit the USS Midway on the waterfront in San Diego Harbor. Josie was able to sit in the Captains seat on the bridge and I tried to capture a before and after picture on the flight deck. Even though I am a tad larger now, I was still able to fit into one of the bunks I remember so well. After the tour we walked down the waterfront and before lunch visited the statue of the sailor kissing the nurse. Just last year we visited the same statue in Sarasota, Florida while visiting with our friends Lee and Carol. There was also a nice statue of Bob Hope nearby that commemorated his many USO visits to the troops. The USS Teddy Roosevelt had just pulled in the day before and was docked at the same dock I left and returned from on the USS Kitty Hawk in 1968. 

I played a round of golf at the Torrey Pines South Course where they play the Farmers Insurance Open each year and where the US Open will be held in 2021. It was a great golfing experience. While driving to meet Caitlin for a birding trip I passed a drive in movie theater in South Bay. So Josie and I went to the movies two nights during our stay. 

​Tomorrow we head to LA LA Land.