San Diego

Sunday July 11

The morning started with a visit to the local Starbucks and a chat with the locals in the parking lot.



One our way to La Jolla we got side tracked. We found a Swap Meet in Chula Vista - Mexican style market. Wonderful music, Spanish speaking, sunny, just a great time. A little taste of Mexico. I regrettably got some sunburn on my arms.

We left the Swap Meet hungry continuing on to Whole Foods.





We also needed to purchase some provisions for our trip. By this time it is way after two.

Visions Quilt Art Gallery is our next stop with the exhibit 3 Voices - Valerie S. Goodwill and Katherine K. Allen being the highlights for me. There was a binder showing Allen's process which is a silk screen over taped on grasses and leaves. Goodwill sew little ribbons, etc. on to get her small square shapes. She also sews pieces of fabric together for backing. She makes mini pieces on small acrylic art boards ($40.00) and makes bigger pieces sandwiched between pieces of mat boards ($90.00). The Fantasy Flower exhibit was very impressive, I wish I would got my pieces into the show.

Ken and I had some miscommunication over which Starbucks to meet in when I was done with the show. I sat by our parked van then found Ken in a different Starbucks. We went to the Goodwill on Rosencrans.

Saturday July 10

We decided to begin our first San Diego day with a big cup of Starbucks continuing on to garage sales. We only went to a few as we got going kid of late. I picked up a couple of Art Bins and a brush holder and pencil case for about $2.00. Great buy!

Ken spent hours at the Apple Store because our IPhone 3G will no long pick up the internet, very annoying. We were at Fashion Valley (a huge mall), likely the biggest, most expensive mall I have been to. The stores do not have an enclosed hallway system, it is open air. I walked around to see fashions and prices. I would never pay the prices that were on those labels, it was unreal. One store was going out of business and everything was at least 50% off. Still too crazy with the prices.

In the evening we has picnic in Balboa park - seafood salad, California Rolls, edema beans - um! Watched the jets land at SD airport just nearby.

We walk many steps passed several parties. One was raising money for the park. People were bidding on show tickets, services or dinners, etc. Someone bid and bought dinner for 25 people for about $3500. by some famous cook.

Friday July 9

It was expensive to stay in Santa Barbara and really no camping. We drove back to the rest area we had stayed in the night before only stayed across the highway, It was noisy to sleep here but worth every penny we spent (nothing). This is the day we drove from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

The highway between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles is near the ocean and also near the railway. It is a beautiful stretch of road that is very congested with traffic, especially the closer you get to LA.

We used the IPhone and the blue dot to help us navigate through LA which is a total traffic jungle.

From San Diego to Tucson

The iPhone picks up Google Maps. Then you "drop a pin" for your destination and a "blue dot" shows your current location. While you have the internet to pick up Google Maps, you search around on the map so that your IPhone has saved your route in cache memory. It is great, especially in a big city. That way if you get lost you know not only where you are but you have a map on how to return to the proper road.

We decided not to eat until we were through LA and could easily drive to a Wholefoods to eat. That Wholefoods was in Tustin. It was the biggest Wholefoods with the most diverse food service we had seen. It was overwhelming to pick out lunch, but we had really put off eating and were very hungry. It was near the airship hanger.

We drove into San Diego and as usual I was excited. It is one of my favourite American cities.



We drove down to San Diego's waterfront park and walked along the water. With the city on one side and the ocean on the other side it is a beautiful. We had a bowl of seafood chowder in a bread pot for supper at the Seaport Village.