San Diego Day 2

Today, we ate pancakes for breakfast with several other hostelers. I had my tomatoes too- my breakfast favorite provided by the grocery store near by. I really like hostels - and I am glad we choose this one as we like the low key beach neighborhood, instead of staying downtown like happens when I priceline.

We met with Alex and his wife Ping at the Old Town History State Park - the original downtown San Diego - that has mostly been kept original. It has a school house which I really liked and several other buildings as well as lots of chintzy stores. Alex took us to La Jolla in Spanish it means "The Jewel" it had tide pools where I slipped and fell but was beautifully worth it. Then we walked along the coastal walk to the "children's" pool.

Funny story. Krista-kinda story. So the ritzy town residents decide they need a "tide free" and a "wave free" zone for their children on the beach. They invest millions to make this happen then the seals decide they want the spot...and who wouldn't? It's a tide and wave free zone for days like today when the ocean was very choppy. So now there are constant legal battles to decide if the pool belongs to the seas or the children.

Alex told us that there wasn't a San Diego food - like Chicago foods. The closest was fish tacos. So we went to a place for lunch that was a great places for fish tacos. Jim and I both liked our fish burritos.

Alex and Ping then took us to a war memorial that has a huge and ugly cross on it that is also a part of legal battles because of the cross. Alex knows me well enough to know I love a good struggle for justice! However, the key to this place is its view - you have almost a 360 view of San Diego from way high up - I believe I read 900 ft.

We then went and toured Alex's campus - from the Geisel Library (as in Dr. Seuss) which I have seen in art books for its design to the student center to the way cool book store to the stone teddy bear to the top of a building that had a great view.

We left Alex and Ping and went back to the hostel for a mid day nap. That didn't work so we went to the Gaslight district - a 16 block historical site of buildings - that has been turned into a bunch of shops and places to hang out. We did that and then found our way to Anthony's Fish Goutto - a place right on the bay.

We are now trying to stay up to a decent hour here so we might not wake up at 5 am tomorrow.

I didn't write yesterday; so I want to add that I enjoyed traveling with Jim. The things he notices and sometimes gets excited about are things that I take for granted or don't even notice at all. I also really liked that I didn't have to luggage in the bathroom with me.

Until tomorrow...