California - Here we come - Day 7

[Guest]

Day 7

It’s a couple of hours drive down to San Diego. It’s pleasant enough journey except when it’s pouring down with rain but along the way we enjoy the scenery and the coastline. Outside it’s 42F.



If you have never visited this part of California then we would thoroughly recommend it. We are soon to realise that one day and one night are just nowhere near enough to see this city.

A brief history on the area:
Anthropologists believe that humans first settled in the San Diego area as early as 20,000 years ago along the coast and 12,000 years ago in the desert. The earliest cultural group, dated at about 7500 B.C., is referred to as the San Dieguito Paleo-Indian. La Jollan people assimilate the original San Dieguito people (or evolve from them). Today's La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club is neighbor to a major archeological site from this period. Yuman-speaking peoples intrude and assimilate La Jollan cultural group. Diegueños, the Indians nearest the San Diego Mission and most of the central San Diego area, are of Yuman stock, as are the Kamia and Yuma tribes to the east. Indians gather acorns and grind them into flour, from which they make a healthy mush. In 1542 Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sails his flagship, the San Salvador, from Navidad (Mexico) into San Diego Bay on September 28, under the flag of Spain. He comes ashore and the Spanish connection is made.

Marine Barracks are established as a model Marine camp on the Exposition grounds in Balboa Park by Col. Joseph Pendleton while the status of a permanent base is debated by the federal government. The Marine 4th Regiment, stationed on North Island, had been sent to San Diego in 1910 due to the Mexican Revolution. Marines move from Balboa Park to the new Dutch Flats installation in 1921. And thus, San Diego’s connection to the Navy is born. OK – history lesson over but there will be be a test next lesson!

We are staying at the Hotel del Coronado on the peninsular of Coronado itself. To reach this ”island” you have to take the magnificent two mile bridge which links the mainland to this amazing community.



Known locally as “the Del” this magnificent hotel was built over 120 years go. As a National Historic Landmark, the Hotel del Coronado has a rich and colourful heritage that sets it apart from neighbouring hotels. From Marilyn Monroe to Charles Lindbergh are connected with this building- from state dinners to the ghost of Kate Morgan. She checked into the resort on November 24, 1892, and never checked out. Reports of ghostly happenings, all thought to be connected to the death of this beautiful young woman, have been circulating at The Del ever since.



The minute you see this resort you can see where Disney got the inspiration for their Grand Floridian resort in Florida, The red and white turret is it’s trade mark. In 1959 this glorious “Victorian” froth of a hotel had hit hard times. People didn’t want grand hotels by the sea anymore. The Del was down on her luck. A film producer called Billy Wilder would produce a famous film here. The location was ideal and because the hotel was in such dire straits the production costs were kept to a minimum. With a cast starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon “Some like it hot” became an iconic film.



The hotel also has another connection…………….
It was here that King Edward VIII was to meet Wallis-Simpson who would become his mistress and then later, his wife after he had abdicated the throne. Her former (2nd) husband was involved with the US Navy based in San Diego. To this day the expanse of grass that runs between the hotel and the beach is known as the Windsor lawn.

We unpack and get ready to go out for the day. The weather is mixed. One minute there are showers and winds, the next it’s briefly sunny. We set out on the Old Town Trolley Bus tour. This ride is a hop on – hop off style so if there is a particular place you want to see you get off and then later catch another trolley. The stop for us is a short walk from the hotel and so around 11:30 we climb aboard. The spiel from the driver is very entertaining and you learn a lot about the area. We particularly like Bilboa Park with his past exposition buildings and its magnificent Museum of Man with a glorious Hispanic style tower. It’s here that the famous San Diego zoo is located and also the Spreckles organ which still gives Sunday concerts to this day come rain or shine. (Spreckles was the Tate & Lyle of America back then). We get chance to visit the Gaslamp district of the city. Once renowned for its bawdy bars and strip joints it has been turned into a delightful shopping and eating area. The architecture is reminiscent of San Francisco:



Not far away is Horton Plaza - a shopping complex where we buy a few things in the Presidents’ Day sales which are still going on from last Monday. We want a quick and light lunch and manage to find a place to eat lunch. No big shakes so I won’t bother you with what we had. We get back to our room around 3:45 p.m.

Here’s a shot of the present day waterfront of the city:



At 5p.m. we are meeting a very important person. Amy (Aims on the board here) and her husband Larry are joining us for dinner. This is to be taken at the Boathouse just down the road from the Del. We had arranged to meet in the Babcock & Story bar (original owners’ names) but because of a convention at the resort the place is packed out. Instead we head to the Boathouse,(you can see where Narcoosee’s at WDW was born) where we can sit around a table enjoying JD & Sprite, Pinot Noir and gin and tonic whilst we exchange gifts. We get various Williams Sonoma items. Somebody on this forum has been talking! They have also bought us some S D mugs and a delightful San Diego ornament for our souvenir Christmas tree. Again, many thanks Amy & Larry for your kindness. We, in turn, got them a collage painting of Big Ben and Tower Bridge, an afternoon tea compilation and a pile of Cadbury chocolate. We also gave her a Mickey St George dressed in armour and sporting the flag of England. We explained what it was all about – knights, dragons, patron saints etc.

So – here is the famous Amy (Aims):



And her lovely husband Larry:



Meal wise we had:
Me – Coconut shrimp with mash and a plum dip:



Darrin – Lobster tails with melted cheese and a melted butter dip (held the potato/rice)



Amy – Prawns (look at the size of them) in a jus:



Larry – Prime rib steak:



To follow we share raspberry crème brulee and a “Volcano” chocolate dessert:





All washed down with a Cakebread Cellars un -oaked Chardonnay.

Whilst we eat and chat the rain pours down outside mixed with hail. They are even forecasting snow above 3,000 feet as you’ll see tomorrow!

All too soon our evening comes to an end. I want to publically thank Amy for all the advice and input she gave us prior to our trip. It certainly helped us plan a great day and we realise San Diego needs far more time to explore. Also, many, many thanks to Larry, who put up with my witterings about Disney. Larry is very familiar with UK – his job takes him there often. He and Amy will be visiting on holiday later in the year so we hope to meet up with them again.

A shot of the Boathouse:



For the first time this entire week we get a full night’s sleep!

Index

[Eeyore rocks]

Great photos.

How lovely to meet up with Amy and her DH.

[Aims]

Oh, so I'm a "VIP" now, am I? I'll be showing this to Larry when he returns from New Hampshire.

Geoff, I just want to say again what a lovely, fun evening we had with you and Darrin in San Diego. Larry and I really enjoyed ourselves and it was over too quickly. You are both the greatest guys! We will definitely be seeing you in London later this year- count on it. Thank you again for all the wonderful gifts, I love them. Mickey St. George is sitting on top of my computer right now with the Big Ben painting on the wall just above. Every time I am on the computer, I will be able to look at them and think of you and Darrin.

So glad you enjoyed your quick visit to San Diego! Very glad I was able to help with your planning. Come back here SOON for a longer visit and I'll take you on a local's tour of some of my fav spots.

[Guest]

Ah, that brings back memories. San Diego is a lovely place (apart from all the homeless people that just about broke my heart)

[Guest]

Love the buildings and architecture style.
Another great day!

[pepsicube]

Another great report

[cloud]

Thanks again for the great trippie, its getting me in the mood for my forthcoming trip to sunny california! How lovely that you got to meet with Aims too, she is very helpful on here with all things West coast!

[Guest]

Wow the architecture is great Glad you had another great day.

[Helen0705]

Another great day .

[Aims]

Originally Posted by cloud

How lovely that you got to meet with Aims too, she is very helpful on here with all things West coast!

See more...

Thanks, cloud. Maybe someday I will get a chance to meet you too!