San Diego Day 2

We woke up on our second day and decided to seek something unusual for breakfast. I took the precaution of phoning this place to check if their wi-fi was good or just adequate. I was assured that it was great. Yeah, have you ever had a merchant lie to you? It was to be kind sub-par!

To be fair the food was also skimpy and expensive so there you go.

In frustration we moved to somewhere we knew the wi-fi was adequate. Nope not here. This is a riparian trail on the left bank of the San Diego River. I didn't see anyone using it, but it looks as though it would be fun to coast a bicycle down, assuming one used the MTS to get back to your departure point.....hahaha.

The trail was located adjacent to the Mission Valley MTS stop. There is a shopping center here. Wi-fi?
you ask? Just be patient one more picture and all will be revealed.

As you can see, when all else fails, go with what you know. Since we had already filled our coffee cups with French Pressed goodness, we merely camped on their signal long enough to take care of business, and then we moved on with our day.

By now you know of my adoration of freeway ramps. I still don't know why that is, but loooooook at this set, I mean just loooooooooook! 

We carried on to our next destination Balboa Park. Balboa Park has 1200 acres of parkity goodness and is easy to find. We parked and began exploring. This is the entry from the east side. Impressive no?

This is the entry to the San Diego Art Museum. They had some nice pieces on display but we have been  spoiled by the smorgasbord of ridiculously fabulous art in the museums we visited in Europe. In spit of this being a well regarded gallery, we found it scantily endowed and insipid.

This statue is entitled "Youth Taming The Wild". It was well executed in Bronze.

This is a fountain in the entry to the art museum. It had a Moorish feel to it.

This is a grated window in the same museum. It has a certain grandeur to it, even if it's grandeur is designed to keep the Picasso's and Matisse's from taking a walk.

This is a large marble staircase. I thought an angular shot could best capture it's detail.

This is the collonaded walk outside leading to the next museum. It was cool and imposing at the same time. My guess is it's designed to keep park goers from heatstroke in high summer.

This was the coffered ceiling  in the museum. I admire such woodwork, as I am incapable of such.

This is a shot of a column in the corner of the lobby. They are underlit, so I shot from near floor level looking up to the necking and ecchinus. This is an unusual but satisfying view.

This is a door that has a pleasant Renaissance feel to it. I like blue, regardless of where it is used.

Here is a courtyard fountain. i love the sound of running water. This has three sources of issue, and the gentlemen spout very appealingly.

Here is a view of the carillon tower. The chimes sounded while we were there and they sounded heavenly, and also reminded us that time was passing and our opportunities for museum going were as well.

This is a window into one of the museums. It is inscribed Eureka, whether in reference to the city or Archimedes I don't know.

This is a piece of Mexican folk art. The artist fell ill and saw this Scorpion demon in a hallucinogenic vision. Not sure I'd want to see him in real life.

This is a Juliet balcony in the museum. The architectural detail is of a style that can best be described as trompe l'oeil. Wow!!

These are Stelae from the Mayan period in Mexico. I wonder if the Mayans would launch a court action to get them back if there were any left to do so. Very impressive.

Another Stela. If you are of the same age as me, you can hear Brando from "Streetcar" in the back of your head screaming Stellllllllaaaa!

This picture is a bit of a mishmash. we have a case full of kachina dolls from the desert southwest tribes and a picture of Mayan civilization above. Perhaps the museum curators were trying to illustrate what was occurring in each culture during the same time period.

This is the entrance to this museum with carillon tower in background. This one was the museum of man.

Inside we see these busts of folk who were discovered in Europe and England. Interesting looking guy number one is doing some kind of carving.

Guy #2 is doing something with a knife. Yeah, just keep the shiv to yourself  Jim!

#3 dude is also engaged in something artistic. All of them looked like they could use a hot tub and a bar
 of soap. Every time I think of life "back in the day" I think, yeah no deodorant, toothpaste or toilet
 paper.....thanks but no thanks.

                                   

This is an oxcart decorated with folk art. it was purchased by a collector in the 1960's and donated to the museum upon their passing.

This is a representation of a species called Gigantopithecus, and was constructed using bones discovered in China. Anyone from the north west would see it and say "That's a Sasquatch, some know it as Bigfoot".

Another view of the exterior as the shadows lengthen in the late afternoon.

In this part of the museum, dedicated to ancient Egypt, we find Scooterchick looking down a crocodiles esophagus. "How long has your throat been sore? Just say aaaaaahhh!"

A view down the avenue. Very pleasant view towards the West.

Here is Scooterchick exiting the Ancient Egypt exhibit. Ancient Egypt is one of her interests.

Once we left the museum we strolled in the late afternoon through some classical gardenage.

Here is a hibiscus tree. It is at the end of it's bloom cycle, although in San Diego it probably blooms twice a year.

This is a banana tree. It is not faring as well as the Hibiscus, and due to the lack of others in the area, I don't think it bears fruit.

Here is a pergola, executed in corinthian columns and what looks like limestone block. A pleasant place to spend a relaxing rest.

Another view of the carillon tower. I suppose the Italians would call it the campanile.

Here is a fountain in the garden. again it looks like a design from the Muslim occupation of Spain.

This is a gate into the garden. The tree is a variety of Eucalyptus, and can be seen to be quite large in contrast to the gate.

Here is the gate close up. It looks like high renaissance design.

This is a Joshua tree. It looks like it has been thriving in this locale.

Here is a stairway, which is probably an emergency exit from one of the museums, but looks like a stairway of mystery leading to who knows what?

This is the fountain in the center of the parking court. It is about 40 feet around.

This is the House of Hospitality which was erected temporarily for the Panama California exhibition of 1915-16. It is now a restaurant and well known facility for weddings and important occasions.

This is the Balboa Park Club. It is built in the Mission style of architecture. We are not members so we didn't go in.

Ripley's believe it or not has a mock SR-71 "Blackbird" spy plane which the CIA had circling the globe gathering intel at 75,000 feet. According to popular legend, It could photograph a golf ball anywhere in the world from this altitude, although they couldn't say with any certainty whether you were driving a Top-Flite or a Titleist.

This is a picture looking towards downtown with the sun setting in the background. Time for dinner methinks.

This is the Veterans Museum. We didn't have time to visit this one, because the growling of stomachs and tiredness of feet dictated otherwise.

This is a view across the San Diego River looking eastward.

These trees look like something. You decide!

This is looking westward, with the sun setting over the Blue Pacific.

This is Ocean Beach, just south of the river. We stopped to find some chow.

After a dinner of sushi, we headed back towards our hotel. This is a picture of the Presidio, which is on a hill above Old Town. We took a leisurely drive through the Gaslamp Quarter downtown and then stopped to get a picture here.

These are the lights of the city. I am tired now. I will chat with you anon.