2018 San Diego Adventure Part 2 of 2 - The Tours, Family Day, & Safari Park Day

The rest of our adventure to San Diego included our son on Thursday then both our son and daughter-in-law the remaining time.  After breakfast at The Indigo Hotel together, we decided our plans should include minimal walking since Keith had foot issues and Jake is still recovering from a broken ankle from last springs motorcycle accident.  Although he is healed and strong again, it was a good option.  On my first trip in 2016 when I stayed two weeks, I enjoyed walking from where I stayed with Jake downtown to Seaport Village making a circle starting along Petco Park to the San Diego Bay waterfront then through the Gaslamp District and back which is about 3 miles or an hours' brisk walk.  Of course, I always stopped and enjoyed everything along the way!  This day together started with Jake's treat for a Seal Tour which he and Keith had never done before.  I had toured my first year in the San Diego Bay but this trip would take us to Mission Bay.  All tours begin at Seaport Village.

Jake checks out the huge blooming rosemary bushes and our favorite bird-of-paradise flowers at Seaport Village while we wait for the next tour.

Jake, Keith, & Beti onboard the Seal land/water vehicle

View of downtown San Diego from the land

Going under the Mission Bay Bridge

Nesting grounds for Least Terns (South Americans)

Sea World San Diego viewed from Mission Bay

Sea Lion and Cormorants on a bait barge

Our guides Hal & Cheri are from Columbia, Missouri!

After we got back to Seaport Village completing the Seal Tour, I suggested and offered to treat everyone to take the Trolley Tour which I had done before and included 10 stops where we could choose to get off and then get back on another Trolley Tour which comes around every 20 minutes.  It is a great way to see first hand all that San Diego has to offer.  I know we all wanted to stop for awhile at Coronado Beach to touch the Pacific Ocean and then eat authentic Mexican at Old Town.  And we did as well as Little Italy and all the local history!

Crossed the Coronado Bridge and walked a few blocks to the famous Hotel Del Coronado

Pants rolled up and on the beautiful beach!

Getting wet in the Pacific Ocean  with Mexico a few miles away in the background

Beti in the surf

Feet in the water with gold specks in the sand!

Several sand sculptures can always be found in this area which is off the main beach walk from the hotel.  Love the sound of the surf so a video was taken to enjoy over and over!

The final stop of the day is Old Town, California's first settlement created in 1769.  It's about as close as you can get to Mexico without a passport.  We've been here before but this day was about finding the most authentic Mexican food and who better to tell us than the trolley driver?  Definitely the right place just a block from the trolley stop is The Old Town Mexican Cafe - Home of the Original Handmade Tortillas of Old Town.  

The weather turned chilly at the end of this day so I found this incredibly soft sweater wrap moments before this photo and I kept it on until I went to bed that night...like wearing a bunch of kittens, it was so soft!

Best Mexican food ever!

At this point we were basically close to the end of the tour and a trolley would not be around again by the time we were done shopping and eating.  Jake called an Uber and we got left off at the front door of our hotel.  Another nap in our room and late night lava cake at the Level 9 Rooftop Bar of The Indigo Hotel.

Friday had no plans but to enjoy each other's company at Jake & Cora's new condo.  They both got off work and they continued to unpack and run errands.  Keith and I were available to help but they went at a pace that was comfortable for them and got stuff exactly where they wanted it to be.  Much was done while we streamed the second season of Ozark on Netflix; the first three episodes anyway.  Minimal photos this day but I did get a chance to include our fur-grandbabies, Cleo and Finn! 

How appropriate...walking Finn at Petco Park

Old Cleo loves her some sunshine!

Finn with Momma Cora

Cleo with Pappa Jake

After a restful but productive Friday, we walked about a block away for a late supper.  Best Thai food is at the corner of 9th and Market Streets - Lotus Thai.  Afterward we walked back a short way to our hotel's Level 9 Rooftop Bar.  It was a good day!

Saturday was our last full day together and it was a very full day!  Keith had been on a quest for the perfect sourdough bread and his research led him to the famous Boudin Bakery which was a few miles on our way to Safari Park.  

I believe Keith found what he was looking for...clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl!  I know he liked it because he bought the souvenir coffee cup to take home.

Looks like Carb Heaven to me!  And if this wasn't enough...there's a Panera Bread across the street but I get enough of that regularly back in Missouri!

So many photos were taken throughout the day at Safari Park so I put them in 3 separate music videos.  It's over 10 minutes so I hope you take the time to relax and enjoy!  Best viewed enlarged.

We stayed at Safari Park until closing time.  Not far from the park we found a winery and decided to stay awhile and enjoy.  The Orfila Vineyards was the perfect calming atmosphere after our wildlife day.  There was good live music and snacks to enjoy with a glass of wine.

No nap this evening before supper but a short break to freshen up and get ready for a 7:30 P.M. reservation Cora made at the Meze Greek Fusion in The Gaslamp District.  This was quite a treat of award-winning Greek Family Style foods served in 4-5 courses with a couple different wines.  

Cora & Jake and Keith & Beti

The main dish has 5 proteins I could count over flavored rice.  Appetizers included three different hummus with fresh peta and flaming cheese.  There may have been more but that's what I remembered I had and the grand finale was baklava with coffee.  The atmosphere was very festive on this lively Saturday night!  Thanks to Cora & Jake for this very special surprise treat!

Night blooms on cactus on our way back to the hotel

The late night walk back to The Indigo Hotel was enchanting!  The Gaslamp District had come alive with all that a city could offer with colorful bright lights along with varieties of music flowing out of the open door venues in the cool night air.  This is a young adult world full of youthful energies and excitement with all the essence of being truly alive that is ever present in the young and young at heart.  It was enough to spark some memories of my own youth and made me very happy to connect this energy with my family.  I'm still smiling!

2018 San Diego Adventure Part 1 of 2 - The Indigo Hotel, Liberty Public Market, and Balboa Park

For a couple of people that have lived together in the midwest for 40 years in the county's largest city of about 400, going to a large city like San Diego, California is quite an adventure!  This is my third trip to San Diego and my husband's second.  This is where our son and daughter-in-law live and work in as many years.  We had eight full days which covered several returns to favorite places and a few new experiences.  This year we flew out of the Springfield, Missouri airport instead of the Kansas City airport which shortened our driving time significantly and was worth the extra expense!

Sunday was our travel day which put us in San Diego early that evening to get settled in the beautiful Indigo Hotel after our son picked us up at the airport and showed us his new condo which he and our daughter-in-law had just moved into the day before.  Soon after we were all settled in for the night to be rested for the next day which was Labor Day.  Woke up to made some coffee and sit looking out the huge window in our room amazed at all the LABOR it took to make this view!

Hotel Indigo morning view looking west from our 11th floor room with a full wall window

New home for our son and daughter-in-law located cater-cornered from The Indigo Hotel.

Zoomed-in view from our hotel of the San Diego Bay a few blocks away.

On Labor Day we all slept in late and then got together for an afternoon at Liberty Public Market which has all the best that San Diego has to offer.  It was a good time to walk around especially after we all found our favorite foods and sweets!

Beti, Jake, & Keith standing in front of amazing succulent wall

Beti with favorite jacaranda tree which casts a "purple haze" all around especially when the blossoms fall 

Cora & Keith in the courtyard

Tuesday was the first of two days Keith and I had to ourselves as both Jake & Cora went to back to work.  We would meet again for late suppers.  We can always find things to do at Balboa Park.  Last year we easily mastered the trolley system which was just a couple blocks from where we stayed.  This year we were challenged somewhat as Keith used a knee-bike and walking cane due to foot issues.  It was back to taxi-time which was easy but cost more.  I had an easy time with taxis my first year when I traveled alone.  We also don't need a smart-phone as one would need apps for Uber and it's not that much cheaper anyway.  We were smart enough on our own!  

First order of business at Balboa Park was eating before we spent the rest of the day walking!

The Prado Restaurant  had the best meal of the whole trip!

Prado Paella
fresh fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari, chicken, chorizo, lobster saffron broth 

Beti in Casa Del Prado Courtyard Patio

Keith in The Casa Del Prado Courtyard Patio

The Casa Del Prado Courtyard Patio

The Casa Del Prado Courtyard Patio

The Casa Del Prado Courtyard Patio

Our favorite place in the whole park is The San Diego Museum of Art and we spent hours here including a tour where we learned a lot more than we would on our own.  Below are several of my favorites! 

Lovely walks through varandas make for a great choice in any weather!  Access to most venues can be done through continuous pathways.  Sometimes this is where musicians set up and play.

Always enjoy sitting at the Plaza de Panama which is in the center of everything and has awesome plants to enjoy!

Plaza de Panama Fountain 

Plaza de Panama view 

Plaza de Panama view of California Tower at the Museum of Man

After a long day at Balboa Park on our first day on our own, we got back to The Hotel Indigo and enjoyed more time by ourselves as Jake worked very late and Cora had to stay overnight on ship.  Lucky for us the hotel has an outdoor lounge on the 9th floor terrace wrapping around 9th Street and Island Avenue with a great view of Petco Park Stadium and all the lights around the East Village and Gaslamp District.  We ended everyday of our trip here enjoying the nightlife from above when we weren't below walking around.

Beti on the 9th floor Hotel Indigo outdoor lounge with Petco Park Stadium on the right (Home of the San Diego Padres Baseball Team).  The lighted dome on the left is the library.

Late night snacks included hummus & pita with veggies & olives and a small pizza.  A couple nights we had the best chocolate lava cake with salted caramel ice cream!

The next day started with a good breakfast at The Indigo Hotel.  Most mornings we sat at the corner table at 9th and Island so we could see Jake's building as sometimes he joined us after walking the dogs.  We had a variety of breakfast items during our stay which included Eggs Benedict, French Toast made with brioche, bacon & eggs with sourdough toast; all with fresh fruit and coffee.  The best crispy rosemary potatoes seemed to be a signature side dish in the area as we knew from previous stays.  Definitely included here as well!

So our second day at Balboa Park began with a morning walk around the Rose Garden.   I took so many wonderful photos so I put them in this music video which also includes other plants around Balboa Park and The Botanical Gardens.  Best viewed at full screen!

Lunch at The Prado was yummy Fish Tacos this day.  Then we walked a long ways afterwards to the Automotive Museum.  This was a new place for us both.  We had the best time looking at all the old motorcycles, cars, and strange vehicles!

1916 Harley

1926 Harley

1942 Harley

1969 Easy Rider "Captain America" Harley (good to see it didn't really crash & burn with Peter Fonda!)

Brings back memories of my chopper rides in the early 1970's (a minor crash and a little road burn!)

1977 Pontiac Firebird - all original interior

1977 Pontiac Firebird - all original exterior including paint

Evil Knieval's Stratocycle

1947 Indian

By now Keith's foot was getting pretty sore from the long walk which included hitting a pothole so he settled in around the Plaza de Panama while I climbed the California Tower which I had never done before.  Here's a few photos and a video I took from the top.

Beti at the top of the California Tower

The beautiful dome as viewed from the top of the California Tower

I called Keith from the top of the tower while he was below on the Plaza and we waved at each other!

After another full day at Balboa Park, we taxied back to The Indigo Hotel and took a nap.  After awhile we awoke and went down a couple floors to the outdoor lounge on the 9th floor and ended the evening with a lava cake and sea salt caramel ice cream enjoying the city lights.  The next day we were spending with our son who had the rest of the week off work.  Cora would have Friday off also and we could all be together.  Those days were pretty full so I will add another blog post which includes these Family Time days.

City at night as viewed from our picture window room on the 11th floor of The Indigo Hotel