But wait ... there's more!!

And there was more ; so much more.

One day we ride the Trolley east to the end of the line at Santee and have lunch, returning to the city on the Orange Line.  The Orange Line stops quite close to a dry cleaners where we have left the bedspread and pillow cases to be drycleaned. A much shorter walk.
A couple of days later Terry shows us a supermarket - Vons - which is even closer! and with a Starbucks in store!! How did we miss that! I have finally become the owner of a Starbucks card.

We take the Blue Line Trolley to San Ysidro on the US side of the Mexican border one day. Tijuana is just across the border but we don't cross. Thousands of Americans have traditionally visited Tijuana every year for the inexpensive shopping and nightlife. Twenty five years ago Terry took us to Tijuana; I remember we had a great time. It seems that it is now not safe; that fact and the increase in border controls have seen visitor numbers decline drastically.

We have an enjoyable day though.  From the Trolley station we walk to Las Americas, an upmarket Outlet Mall. It is enormous; all the well known shops and retail stores are here. Trevor finds a pair of Crocs thongs which he has been looking for for some time; I buy new Asics at a greatly reduced price. Everyone loves a bargain!
And we maintain the intake of calories with a bag of churros from a kiosk.

Border crossing - cars waiting to cross into US

The ever present border fence is here but it seems less harsh looking than it did in El Paso.

With discussions about borders it is probably a good time to share with anyone who may be reading this blog, that we have applied for and been granted a 3 month extension to our 12 month visas.
So we will be here until 20 October when we fly home to Perth.

Todd our youngest son - now 41! - is coming over in July/August for the Louis Vuitton yacht racing in San Francisco leading up to the America's Cup.  With Kim, Mace and Finlay arriving on 5 April for 3 weeks we are delighted to be able to share our travels with them all; more importantly, that they want to be part of it all as well.

We spend several days exploring downtown San Diego including:

Old Town - the oldest settled area in San Diego and the site of the first European settlement in present day    California. Old Town San Diego Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. We wander around the preserved buildings; there is a lot of history here.

The Gaslamp Quarter - the historic heart of San Diego. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. When development in this area began in the 1860's the area was known as New Town (in contrast to Old Town, the original Spanish colonial settlement). New Town grew as the centre of San Diego due to its proximity to shipping. The name refers to the gas lamps which were common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Gaslamp Quarter covers more than 16 blocks and is an energetic business and entertainment district, the home of many restaurants, cafes, bars, nightclubs, shops and galleries.

We go into the Gaslamp Quarter on a Sunday. It is a beautiful day and there are a lot of people in town; a half marathon has just finished. We have lunch at an Irish pub.

Little Italy - interestingly, India Street runs through its centre. We explore Little Italy on a Saturday; it is a great day to walk this hilly district. Originally a predominantly Italian fishing neighbourhood now a scenic district composed mostly of Italian restaurants, Italian retail shops, art galleries, home design stores and residential units.
The area is very attractive; it has frequent festivals and events including a weekly Farmers Market - on Saturdays! So we wander the Market and then have lunch. A glass of champagne seems just right!

We stop to listen to a Mariachi band,  Semana del Mariachi - San Diego-Tijuana.
They are making wonderful music, performing outside the Opera House where the first Mexican Opera is about to open. The crowd is made up of those waiting to take their seats in the Opera House for the opening. It is very festive; everyone is looking elegant in their finery.















The San Diego International Airport is very close to downtown - only 3 miles away. The aircraft look very close as they take off and land. They appear to be flying through the buildings!  Trevor is intrigued. He spends a long time trying to capture a plane passing the buildings as it comes in to land.
And he finally got one!

The San Diego International Airport is the busiest single runway commercial airport in the US.




We also visit the Navy Pier along Harbor Drive. Terry takes us there one early evening. It is a beautiful time of day to be in such a place. The USS Midway lies anchored at the pier. In 2004 it became a naval aviation museum. It is very impressive.
Located next to the USS Midway are 2 statues. One is a major sculptural artwork titled  'A National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military' - a tribute to Bob Hope and the thousands of servicemen and women he entertained over many years;
16 larger than life bronze figures representing a typical Bob Hope Roadshow. A stereo plays audio from some of his shows entertaining troops.

Unconditional Surrender.

The second statue is 'Unconditional Surrender', a 25 foot tall statue of the famous image of a sailor kissing a nurse at the conclusion of World War II.
We saw the sister statue in Sarasota, Florida. It is quite something and suits the setting here among the military presence, past and present.

We go back to Balboa Park one warm, sunny afternoon. It is a great spot to be. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Homesick??

That bridge again!