Day 2 (February 16, 2019): From splashy Coronado to Trump's Wall...
On Friday night, I fell into bed with such exhaustion, chills and fever that Pam started looking into a hospital emerg where she could take me and was examining our health insurance coverage. What a difference a night can make: I woke up Saturday morning with a new lease on life and was rarin' to go.
We had a great breakfast at a sports grill next to our hotel in National City, then checked out and drove a bit south to our hotel for the next three nights, at Imperial Beach, which is itself south of the famous Coronado Island. Our hotel is a small Marriott property, directly on the beach and next to Imperial Beach Pier, the southernmost pier on the US West Coast. Imperial Beach is a quaint little community with a definite surfing culture.
We started our day with a walk around Imperial Beach, including the Pier, and then headed up to Coronado Island, which is renowned for its iconic Hotel del Coronado. The Hotel Del was built in 1888 and has hosted celebrities (most notably, Marilyn Monroe), royalty, U.S. Presidents and beach-loving guests for generations. Coronado's beach is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 in the USA. We enjoyed walking through the village, down the beach and, of course, all around the ritzy hotel shops and lobby!
From there, we took the Coronado Bridge to downtown San Diego's historic Gaslamp Quarter. The district is a lively neighborhood, known for its nightlife and theaters, and is filled with both Victorian and Art Deco styles, not to mention historic gaslamp street lighting. We stumbled across the annual San Diego Chinese New Year Fair, filled with cultural performances, food stalls, and the like.
From the Chinese New Year, we turned our focus south towards Mexico. We have visited the border city of Tijuana, Mexico before, and the experience was, well, a bit of an attack on the senses. From the pristine, manicured 'everything' of San Diego, Tijuana is a stark contrast of noise, dirt and chaos. Border cities are rarely pleasant places to visit, for whatever reason. But given the nonstop media hype about "The Wall" and the recent Latin American migrant caravan which saw 7000 people arrive at the Tijuana border crossing last November, we decided to at least go to San Ysidro, the American town on the border, to see what we could observe.
Getting to San Ysidro is easy, via the San Diego Trolley, which literally stops within a hundred meters or so of the border. We didn't stay long: a US Customs and Border Protection Officer told us the line-up to get back into the US was very long, so any desire we had to cross over was quickly quelled.
We took the San Diego Trolley back to Imperial Beach, and enjoyed the manager's daily reception in the hotel lobby. By this time, any steam I had felt this morning had long since fizzled, and I was down for the count. Pam went up the street to a Thai restaurant and returned with a couple bowls of the most amazing Tom Kha Kai soup and chicken skewers that I've ever tasted. Just what a sick guy with a man-flu needed!
All in all, a wonderful first full day in San Diego. Lights out at 8:30PM!!
Imperial Beach, where we will spend the next three nights.
Pier South Resort, part of the Marriott's Autograph Collection, in Imperial Beach.
We had a great breakfast at a sports grill next to our hotel in National City, then checked out and drove a bit south to our hotel for the next three nights, at Imperial Beach, which is itself south of the famous Coronado Island. Our hotel is a small Marriott property, directly on the beach and next to Imperial Beach Pier, the southernmost pier on the US West Coast. Imperial Beach is a quaint little community with a definite surfing culture.
We started our day with a walk around Imperial Beach, including the Pier, and then headed up to Coronado Island, which is renowned for its iconic Hotel del Coronado. The Hotel Del was built in 1888 and has hosted celebrities (most notably, Marilyn Monroe), royalty, U.S. Presidents and beach-loving guests for generations. Coronado's beach is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 in the USA. We enjoyed walking through the village, down the beach and, of course, all around the ritzy hotel shops and lobby!
From there, we took the Coronado Bridge to downtown San Diego's historic Gaslamp Quarter. The district is a lively neighborhood, known for its nightlife and theaters, and is filled with both Victorian and Art Deco styles, not to mention historic gaslamp street lighting. We stumbled across the annual San Diego Chinese New Year Fair, filled with cultural performances, food stalls, and the like.
From the Chinese New Year, we turned our focus south towards Mexico. We have visited the border city of Tijuana, Mexico before, and the experience was, well, a bit of an attack on the senses. From the pristine, manicured 'everything' of San Diego, Tijuana is a stark contrast of noise, dirt and chaos. Border cities are rarely pleasant places to visit, for whatever reason. But given the nonstop media hype about "The Wall" and the recent Latin American migrant caravan which saw 7000 people arrive at the Tijuana border crossing last November, we decided to at least go to San Ysidro, the American town on the border, to see what we could observe.
Getting to San Ysidro is easy, via the San Diego Trolley, which literally stops within a hundred meters or so of the border. We didn't stay long: a US Customs and Border Protection Officer told us the line-up to get back into the US was very long, so any desire we had to cross over was quickly quelled.
We took the San Diego Trolley back to Imperial Beach, and enjoyed the manager's daily reception in the hotel lobby. By this time, any steam I had felt this morning had long since fizzled, and I was down for the count. Pam went up the street to a Thai restaurant and returned with a couple bowls of the most amazing Tom Kha Kai soup and chicken skewers that I've ever tasted. Just what a sick guy with a man-flu needed!
All in all, a wonderful first full day in San Diego. Lights out at 8:30PM!!
Imperial Beach, where we will spend the next three nights.
Pier South Resort, part of the Marriott's Autograph Collection, in Imperial Beach.
From the top floor deck of the resort, looking down on the pool, and up the beach.
The Imperial Beach Pier is one of many famous piers that dot the US West Coast. This is one is the southernmost pier in the USA.
We were able to get up close and personal with this pelican. and we saw first-hand just how handy that sack under its bill is: a fisherman on the pier gave the bird a huge fish head, which the bird swallowed quickly (as seagulls were trying to steal it) and stored in the sack for safe-keeping!
The view from the Imperial Beach Pier, south to Tijuana.
Surfing dude statue in Imperial Beach: testament to the strong surfing culture in the town.
The famous Hotel del Coronado from 1888.
At Coronado Beach.
The dunes of Coronado Beach.
Green grass, flowers -- anything with colour -- these summer-starved Canadians will take it!
View of the San Diego Naval Base from the Coronado Bridge. The base is the second largest Surface Ship base of the United States Navy and is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet, consisting of over 50 ships. (It makes the Halifax base of the East-coast Navy seem miniscule!)
Entrance to the historic Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego.
Kids preparing for their cultural 'fan demonstration' at the Chinese New Year Fair.
The throngs attending the Chinese New Year Fair.
Even dinosaurs were gallivanting around downtown San Diego, seeking who they could devour!
The interesting architectural design of the San Diego Convention Center.
The San Diego Trolley to the border town of San Ysidro.
Anyone bound for Mexico?
The last time we walked over the border, we were met by a sea of yellow taxis, and drivers shouting, "Tree dollar downtown, meester!"
At 1.6 million people Tijuana, with its famous Arch, is a stark contrast to the polish of San Diego. It is the largest city in Baja, California.
We were able to get a glimpse of the new vehicular border facility soon to open in San Ysidro. All part of Trump's emphasis on border security.
From San Ysidro, we saw three examples of border wall that already exist, including the above fencing that literally slices the urban sprawl of San Ysidro and Tijuana...
...to this fencing running through the dessert hills in the area.
On the way back to Imperial Beach, we saw evidence that California — like Canada — is now a legalized cannabis jurisdiction.
Back in the quiet of the Imperial Beach village, these dolphins seemed to say, "Dave, well done today -- you have man-flu so now you can just chill out!"
Surfing dude statue in Imperial Beach: testament to the strong surfing culture in the town.
The famous Hotel del Coronado from 1888.
At Coronado Beach.
The dunes of Coronado Beach.
Green grass, flowers -- anything with colour -- these summer-starved Canadians will take it!
View of the San Diego Naval Base from the Coronado Bridge. The base is the second largest Surface Ship base of the United States Navy and is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet, consisting of over 50 ships. (It makes the Halifax base of the East-coast Navy seem miniscule!)
Entrance to the historic Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego.
Kids preparing for their cultural 'fan demonstration' at the Chinese New Year Fair.
The throngs attending the Chinese New Year Fair.
Even dinosaurs were gallivanting around downtown San Diego, seeking who they could devour!
The interesting architectural design of the San Diego Convention Center.
The San Diego Trolley to the border town of San Ysidro.
Anyone bound for Mexico?
The last time we walked over the border, we were met by a sea of yellow taxis, and drivers shouting, "Tree dollar downtown, meester!"
At 1.6 million people Tijuana, with its famous Arch, is a stark contrast to the polish of San Diego. It is the largest city in Baja, California.
We were able to get a glimpse of the new vehicular border facility soon to open in San Ysidro. All part of Trump's emphasis on border security.
From San Ysidro, we saw three examples of border wall that already exist, including the above fencing that literally slices the urban sprawl of San Ysidro and Tijuana...
...to this fencing running through the dessert hills in the area.
On the way back to Imperial Beach, we saw evidence that California — like Canada — is now a legalized cannabis jurisdiction.
Back in the quiet of the Imperial Beach village, these dolphins seemed to say, "Dave, well done today -- you have man-flu so now you can just chill out!"
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