We found a little bakery / coffee shop just down the street from our hotel. It stayed open until 7:00 pm. You never knew what cookie designs would show up in their window.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Girard Gourmet in La Jolla
Wednesday September 30, 2009
We found a little bakery / coffee shop just down the street from our hotel. It stayed open until 7:00 pm. You never knew what cookie designs would show up in their window.
We found a little bakery / coffee shop just down the street from our hotel. It stayed open until 7:00 pm. You never knew what cookie designs would show up in their window.
Balboa Park
Wednesday September 30, 2009
We spent the remainer of the afternoon walking around this section of the park. I loved beautiful Balboa Park and would return to San Diego for it alone.
A little background from the net:
The largest cultural complex west of the Mississippi, San Diego's Balboa Park is sometimes called the "Smithsonian of the West" for the concentration of cultural institutions within its boundaries. Originally built for temporary use during the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego, the buildings here are beautiful enough to be considered attractions in themselves, but the real draw is the culture, history, science and arts held within their walls. Among its attractions are eight gardens, 15 museums, a Tony Award-winning theatre and the San Diego Zoo.
It would take days to properly cover the Air & Space Museum, automotive museum and other museums. The youth ballet and symphony are here, plus an organ pavilion, a carousel and botanical building. Among other things, I would have liked to have seen the Ansel Adams photographs.
My favourite building, although I'm not sure if the design is used in more than one building.
We spent the remainer of the afternoon walking around this section of the park. I loved beautiful Balboa Park and would return to San Diego for it alone.A little background from the net:
The largest cultural complex west of the Mississippi, San Diego's Balboa Park is sometimes called the "Smithsonian of the West" for the concentration of cultural institutions within its boundaries. Originally built for temporary use during the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego, the buildings here are beautiful enough to be considered attractions in themselves, but the real draw is the culture, history, science and arts held within their walls. Among its attractions are eight gardens, 15 museums, a Tony Award-winning theatre and the San Diego Zoo.
It would take days to properly cover the Air & Space Museum, automotive museum and other museums. The youth ballet and symphony are here, plus an organ pavilion, a carousel and botanical building. Among other things, I would have liked to have seen the Ansel Adams photographs.
My favourite building, although I'm not sure if the design is used in more than one building.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
Wednesday September 30, 2009
After lunch, we rushed over to the Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park. When we went to pay the $5 or $6 fee, the man at the ticket booth said, "I'm sorry but I can only charge you a dollar. We close in half an hour." Down a steep flight of stairs we went to the museum, past a full scale authentic signal stand.
It would take hours to enjoy the hundreds of feet of scenery throughout the many rooms.
There are awesome trestles...
a detailed train station...
a crowded train store...
and antique train models.
We were astounded to come across remnants of one of the world's most famous model railroad layouts, the "Gorre and Daphetid Railroad," which was lost in a fire just a week or so after the builder, John Allen, passed away.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - not exactly Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
After lunch, we rushed over to the Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park. When we went to pay the $5 or $6 fee, the man at the ticket booth said, "I'm sorry but I can only charge you a dollar. We close in half an hour." Down a steep flight of stairs we went to the museum, past a full scale authentic signal stand.
It would take hours to enjoy the hundreds of feet of scenery throughout the many rooms.
There are awesome trestles...
a detailed train station...
a crowded train store...
and antique train models.
We were astounded to come across remnants of one of the world's most famous model railroad layouts, the "Gorre and Daphetid Railroad," which was lost in a fire just a week or so after the builder, John Allen, passed away.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - not exactly Paul Newman and Robert Redford.The Prado at Balboa Park
Wednesday September 30, 2009
Mid afternoon and we were hungry. When we took the trolley to this park the day before, it looked like the restaurant and surrounding buildings would be easy to find, but after leaving the zoo on foot we got lost in fields and parking lots. We came to an area called the Spanish Village Art Center where a glass show and sale was going on, and eventually stumbled upon The Prado restaurant. This restaurant seems quite popular so I wanted to try it.
We could have eaten inside...
...but we chose to eat outside, California style.
It was hot so we had a big glass of lemonade and shared this cashew chicken dish "stir fried with red bell peppers, yellow onion & toasted cashew nuts on steamed jasmine rice". It was good but we were too rushed to really enjoy it. We had to race off to the model train museum before it closed. In our haste I forgot about the Tres Leches cake "traditional 'three milk' soaked sponge cake, baked meringue filled with caramel bananas, vanilla bean ice cream" which someone had recommended.
Mid afternoon and we were hungry. When we took the trolley to this park the day before, it looked like the restaurant and surrounding buildings would be easy to find, but after leaving the zoo on foot we got lost in fields and parking lots. We came to an area called the Spanish Village Art Center where a glass show and sale was going on, and eventually stumbled upon The Prado restaurant. This restaurant seems quite popular so I wanted to try it.
We could have eaten inside...
...but we chose to eat outside, California style.
It was hot so we had a big glass of lemonade and shared this cashew chicken dish "stir fried with red bell peppers, yellow onion & toasted cashew nuts on steamed jasmine rice". It was good but we were too rushed to really enjoy it. We had to race off to the model train museum before it closed. In our haste I forgot about the Tres Leches cake "traditional 'three milk' soaked sponge cake, baked meringue filled with caramel bananas, vanilla bean ice cream" which someone had recommended.Friday, October 23, 2009
San Diego Zoo - A to L
Wednesday September 30, 2009
I'm not a big fan of zoos and it would be fine with me if there were none, but I have to admit that we did enjoy our day at the zoo. As a kid I had wanted to see the world famous San Diego Zoo, and here we were. $63 for the two of us included use of Skyfari aerial tram, guided bus tour and express bus.
I failed to take a picture of the entrance
so this will have to do.
A IS FOR:
Anteater
Giant Anteater
This is kind of a mishmash of anteaters but I couldn't get a better shot. Trivia: Giant anteaters can fend off or even kill their main predators, big cats such as jaguars and pumas. Their sense of smell is 40 times more powerful than ours.
Antelope
Various antelopes - Top two: Cavendish's Dik Dik (and/or Red-flanked Duiker - not sure); bottom left: Speke's Gazelle maybe; bottom right: Southern Gerenuk.
Antelopes are one of my favourite animal groups. I read that the name antelope comes from a Greek word meaning 'brightness of the eye'.
Nubian Soemmerring's Gazelle
A pretty antelope that I've never heard of.
* * * * *
Condor sounds better than vulture. :-)
* * * * *D IS FOR:
Drink
$4.50
I'm not sure it's an egret but that's my best guess.
Elephant
The zoo seems quite excited about the 7½ acre Elephant Odyssey. No wonder - it cost $45 million and took four years to create.
Glenn wanted to see elephants most of all because he'd never seen one in real life. I was amazed at how much dirt they could pick up with their trunks. If any African elephants were around, we didn't find them.
The elephant care center covers half an acre. I understand elephants get check-ups, feet cleanings and such done here. We saw elephants in these cages later when we went by later on a bus, but didn't have to time to stop and watch.
* * * * *
There were lots of a flamingos, a few spoonbills and other birds in this pond.
But I like this picture because it takes me back to how warm and peaceful it was at this spot.
* * * * *
Masai Giraffe
Our first view as we saw them from the express bus which we hopped on after wandering around on foot for a few hours.
We got off the bus for a closer look.
The tallest one figured something was up by a building and went to check it out. Two others followed him as he peered over to the other side.
They don't miss a trick. Moments later a guy showed up with food and soon six giraffes were following him. Note the pacing kind of gait.
The tall one was considerably larger than the rest. Imagine the system involved in getting blood to the head and down the legs, and look at how that neck can bend. I wonder if they get neck aches. Their hearts are two feet long.
This smaller one looked like a juvenile. What a beaut.
* * * * *
As wild hogs go, this is a rather attractive one, I think.
* * * * *
I was surprised how small they were - about the size of a baby. They were all dozing. Koalas only eat eucalyptus leaves but like the leaves of about three dozen varieties out of more than 600 different kinds of eucalyptus trees. They also eat a little dirt now and then to help with digestion.
* * * * *
Lesser Kudu
* * * * *
An interesting looking bird.
Lioness
To me, lions never look right in zoos.
Llama
On the express bus the driver stopped to chat to a couple of workers who came along with llamas. There seems to be great camaraderie among staff at this zoo.
I'm not a big fan of zoos and it would be fine with me if there were none, but I have to admit that we did enjoy our day at the zoo. As a kid I had wanted to see the world famous San Diego Zoo, and here we were. $63 for the two of us included use of Skyfari aerial tram, guided bus tour and express bus.
I failed to take a picture of the entranceso this will have to do.
A IS FOR:
Anteater
Giant AnteaterThis is kind of a mishmash of anteaters but I couldn't get a better shot. Trivia: Giant anteaters can fend off or even kill their main predators, big cats such as jaguars and pumas. Their sense of smell is 40 times more powerful than ours.
Antelope
Various antelopes - Top two: Cavendish's Dik Dik (and/or Red-flanked Duiker - not sure); bottom left: Speke's Gazelle maybe; bottom right: Southern Gerenuk.Antelopes are one of my favourite animal groups. I read that the name antelope comes from a Greek word meaning 'brightness of the eye'.
Nubian Soemmerring's Gazelle* * * * *
C IS FOR:
Condor (California Condor)
Condor sounds better than vulture. :-)* * * * *
Drink
$4.50* * * * *
E IS FOR:
Egret
I'm not sure it's an egret but that's my best guess.Elephant
The zoo seems quite excited about the 7½ acre Elephant Odyssey. No wonder - it cost $45 million and took four years to create.
Glenn wanted to see elephants most of all because he'd never seen one in real life. I was amazed at how much dirt they could pick up with their trunks. If any African elephants were around, we didn't find them.
The elephant care center covers half an acre. I understand elephants get check-ups, feet cleanings and such done here. We saw elephants in these cages later when we went by later on a bus, but didn't have to time to stop and watch. * * * * *
F IS FOR:
Flamingo
There were lots of a flamingos, a few spoonbills and other birds in this pond.
But I like this picture because it takes me back to how warm and peaceful it was at this spot. * * * * *
G IS FOR:
Giraffe
Masai GiraffeOur first view as we saw them from the express bus which we hopped on after wandering around on foot for a few hours.
We got off the bus for a closer look.
The tallest one figured something was up by a building and went to check it out. Two others followed him as he peered over to the other side.
They don't miss a trick. Moments later a guy showed up with food and soon six giraffes were following him. Note the pacing kind of gait.
The tall one was considerably larger than the rest. Imagine the system involved in getting blood to the head and down the legs, and look at how that neck can bend. I wonder if they get neck aches. Their hearts are two feet long.
This smaller one looked like a juvenile. What a beaut.* * * * *
H IS FOR:
Hog
As wild hogs go, this is a rather attractive one, I think.* * * * *
K IS FOR:
Koala
I was surprised how small they were - about the size of a baby. They were all dozing. Koalas only eat eucalyptus leaves but like the leaves of about three dozen varieties out of more than 600 different kinds of eucalyptus trees. They also eat a little dirt now and then to help with digestion. * * * * *
Kudu
Lesser KuduI was looking forward to seeing Kudus since I never saw any in Tanzania, although I think the Greater Kudus are much grander looking than these lesser types which are still lovely.
* * * * *
L IS FOR:
Lapwing
An interesting looking bird. Lioness
To me, lions never look right in zoos.Llama
On the express bus the driver stopped to chat to a couple of workers who came along with llamas. There seems to be great camaraderie among staff at this zoo.
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