San Diego

Friday, August 17

It was a full day of driving. I sometimes can not fathom the fact that we can basically drive from morning until suppertime or beyond. Especially Ken doing the actually driving for that length of time is a mystery for me.  I drive for about an hour and a half then I become sleepy.

I sat an did work on the blog. Ken drove - he drove passed many cactus and sagebrush, he drove passed areas of hugh rocks piled up likely from some glacial action in the distant past.

We used Google Maps to refresh our memories on how to get to Sweetwater campground (Google Maps was incorrect, I had to compensate).

Sweetwater campground

We got to the camp, it had changed, bigger, much bigger with a water park. The site we were in had no trees but did have clean, newer bathrooms.

New bathrooms are great

View from the new campsites

I was thrilled to eat at TJ Oyster Bar which expanded to a huge restaurant actually close to the old, still open and smaller location.

Saturday, August 18

Ken got too much sun likely before 9:00am and was "off" all day - grump and could not think straight. My cold, if that is what it is, continues.'

We left the campsite early to go garage sailing. The only purchase was new artist paint brushes for me. The brushes originally came from an art store close out - love those brushes. We visited a few lame thrift stores - nothing, that is why I say lame thrift store. We were in the Pacific Beach area and knew of a great curry house in the area. They gave us huge sized naan bread. After eating wonderful Mexican food for weeks, Thai curry was such a treat.

Ken bought an iPad case, I got a Starbucks. We kind of roamed around a bit aimlessly, but somehow beat the heat.  It is extra hot is this area, the hottest week or two of the entire year. Ken went to Wholefoods to talk to the person in charge of "wine". He wanted to educate himself before buying in the Napa Valley.

We went to the Seaport Village, not to shop, but to walk. We walked to about parallel with the big convention centre then went to the Gaslight District, had drinks than supper and walked back to the van.

San Diego harbour area

Yes, that is Leo a pomeranian driving a BMW on the sidewalk in the Gaslamp District

Sunday, August 19

Balboa Park wandering around.

dude was playing a ceramic wok like instrument

Monday, August 20

Ken decided to back up the photos to the new iMac. Some guy actually walks up to the camp site and tells us that mountain lion was sited at the campground. Ken was installing Snow Leopard lol.

We checked a few thrift stores in Chula Vista and yelped a fabulous taco truck , the best fish tacos to date.

Tuesday, August 21

Opted for a not granola breakfast and went out for a wonderful breakfast at a Canadian Chinese restaurant. Ken received the seniors breakfast, his first.

Ken enjoying his first seniors breakfast

Much of the day was spent at the Otay Lakes Mall. We both bought a pair of Keen shoes at an REI. The store was having an end of summer sale. I must say that in San Diego it did not really feel like the end of summer.

I wandered around the mall.  The mall is really what we would think of just one toe after the other. In Canada we think of malls as generally stores connected by a common interior space. The stores were quite expensive generally but it is always fun to look. Ken hung out in an Apple store. At three or four o'clock the Farmer's Market started. Mostly there where marquis tents set up selling specialty food and only two true farmers.

For supper we picked up sushi and wet to the Balboa Park to eat. We listened and watched as the jets drove passed us, as close to ground level as you want a big jet to be. The airport is close to downtown in San Diego.

Wednesday, August 22

We know we were on our way out of San Diego and off to Burbank. It is always hard to leave San Diego as we really like this city. We thought of places we did not get to go to, places we missed out on but next time maybe we will have more time.

We left in plenty of time in case we got lost or needed to stop, etc. on our way to Burbank. Yes, we did get lost but with the map and my great navigating abilities got back on track quickly.  I say that because Ken always say he thinks I am not a good navigator but I am.

We met Kel and Val at a restaurant in Burbank. Kel is a friend of Ken's from back in high school days in Saskatoon.  They hitch hiked out to the coast from Saskatoon on summer during high school. Back to the present, the restaurant was in Kel and Val's neighborhood in Burbank. It was great seeing them again. We had a pleasant, very enjoyable lunch.

We shopped for awhile in that area after our late lunch - a bit too hot to do much else, even drive. It is especially hot on an LA freeway - a nine lane freeway. We drove all the way to San Luis Obispo where we camped for the night. We could drive in the dark in the USA.

The iPad, now connected to 3G, worked excellently

Mazatlan and North to the Border

Tuesday, August 14

We drove passed the park in Tepic which is an area we are familiar with.  Last holiday we walked in that park. Once out of the city Ken commented several times about how gorgeous and lush the area was - "are we on the same road as usual?". There were mountains, hills, valleys, rivers - beautiful.

We drove into Mazatlan the usual way, a bit of a slummy looking area, people selling camaroons. 

It was great to finally see the Pacific Ocean again. I was anxious to go to the beach.  We had stayed at the Azteca Inn before but this time we really appreciated its location, clench and budget price.  

We went through to the beach via Pancho's Restaurant, stopping for a power punching margarita. Now, Poncho's appears to give more tequila than lime juice so it really does pack a punch. We bought our dear brother-in-law, Mike, a gift from a vendor or artist walking the beach. Our eventual beach walk was memorable and exhilarating.

We returned to Poncho's for supper - nachos, marlin inside peppers, a shared seafood platter, Kaluah and cream, oh yes, and another margarita each. Wow, what a delicious supper!

Supper at Pancho's has become a regular event for us.

We went to Mega after supper. We returned to the hotel in an open air taxi. It was kind like a golf cart but really fun because we were in Mazatlan.

Wednesday, August 15

We found strawberry liqueur in a big garage/liqueur store/restaurant type place outside of Mazatlan. Great place to do a fill up before heading off on the long days drive.

You spend quite a bit in tolls driving north towards the USA on the "cuota" highway but it is totally worth it in ease of driving. There are still some small villages where you have to slow down and a few cities (some you drive through, others you can by-pass). We "mall walk" in this area. It is far too hot and humid for us spoiled BC west coasters to handle.The Walmarts and other big box stores are nicely air conditioned. Sometimes the parking lots even have covered parking.

Once in Navojoa, our destination, it is cool enough to walk the small city. We also go to a Leys and find tequila liqueur - phew - we thought we were not going to find it anywhere. Our hotel room needed cooling down, hence the long walk.  The room was like walking into a convection oven, truly.  Once we returned it was nice and cool. This hotel is likely made of cement or adobe covered in plaster.  It is unique in that it has a desert scene in relief on the walls.  The lawn chairs are shaped like the leaves of the nopal cactus.

Thursday, August 16

We got going really early because we were about to do a really long drive today.

To amuse ourselves we decided to do something useful and type up a few lists. One list was for Raul, our real estate agent in Ajijic or any other real estate agent we meet in another area in Mexico. It was a list of needs and wants relating to a house for retirement. Looking at the few homes e looked at gave us a glimpse into our retirement plan (dream). We felt we also needed to firm up our ideas before we get back to the daily routine. We also drew up a criteria list of a "place" or town that would be a suitable area to retire to. We did different scenarios list for financial planning. Our banker needs to do the real work here.

It was a long drive mostly through the desert, which appeared much more lush than other years that we have driven through here.

We ate a late supper in Tuscan but mostly just drove on through this desert city to a Casa Grande hotel.