Founded on July 16, 1769 by the Franciscan fathers, Fr. Junipero Serra, Juan Viscaino and Fernando Parron, this mother of California missions was first located in the Presidio Hill but was moved here in 1774.
Established in 1968, the Old Town San Diego Historic Park commemorates what San Diego was from 1820-1870. Still standing are some historic buildings including the first courthouse, hotel, cantinas, houses, and general store. This was the heart of San Diego until the 1860s when development was started close to where shipping took place so this place became an interesting neighbourhood but no longer the centre of the city. There are no cars and the pace inside the Old Town is probably much more relaxed than it was in the 19th century when the gold miners and fishers made their living by converting energy into dollars. It's now a place to sit, have a beer, squint your eyes just a bit and let the shadows and smells of a gone by era flood over you. It is a delight. Address: 4002 Wallace St, San Diego, CA 92110
The longest serving Navy aircraft carrier of the 20th century, the USS Midway now sits in the harbour of San Diego as a floating museum. As with most modern museums, it is design for engagement and interaction with the hundreds of thousands of visitors it hosts each year. All of those is supported by an absolute army of retired naval types who can hardly wait to share their experiences and knowledge of both the historic and the modern navy. Almost a thousand feet long and 250 feet wide, the Midway has deck after deck of aircraft and displays that get you involved in every aspect of naval air warfare from the First World War through the spectacular battle of Midway that changed the direction of war in the Pacific in the 1940s through to the expansion of fast jet-warfare in Vietnam and TOP GUN. The Midway is an apologetic presentation of American air supremacy at sea over the last hundred years and it is so well done even some of those who were at the sharp end of the process seemed to be happy visitors. This aircraft carrier rescued lives of many Vietnamese refugees from their distressed boats. There are lots of parking for your visit. Don't miss the tours and hear the interesting stories of the many volunteers. Allow at least 4 hours of your time to enjoy the visit. If you're lucky, you might see one or two nuke carriers being refurbished just across the bay.
The history of the United States is built upon the oceans. From the Vikings to today's cruise ships, the history of sailing has been fundamental to the nation's success. The floating museum in San Diego captures some of these. The star performer is the Star of India, a hardworking transporter of the 19th century but the rising star is the San Salvador, the 16th century vessel used by Cabrillo to first visit San Diego in a search for a faster way from Spain to the Orient. In the middle comes the submarines and swift boats, yachts and pilot boats that smell of the tar and the harbour that gave a window to the world. In the middle of it all is HMS Surprise, the frigate in the middle of one of the greatest sea adventures ever filmed, Master and Commander starring Russell Crowe. The Museum's Ships to Explore Star of India (November 14, 1863)
Berkeley
Medea
Replica of the 1848 Revenue Cutter which patrolled the California coast during the Gold Rush
Museum Cruises:
Pilot Boat Times (Subject to Change): 10:15 am 11:15 am 12:45 pm 1:45 pm 2:45 pm Swift Boat Tours (Saturday and Sunday only) 10:30 am 1:00 pm Two things every city needs: a convention centre and an adjacent honky tonk gaslight quarter to provide instant fun and escape for the convention goers. Conventions have 3 components: learning (10%), meeting your buddies (50T%) and going out to have fun with your buddies the last 40%. So without the fake Irish pubs and the fabricated 1870s facades on endless bars, craft shops, pizza pits and world's greatest sea food rip offs, you're just not gonna attract conventions. The sanctimonious puffery of folks making the case for the dependents of their industry on the next convention is as anyone who's fabricated the arguments, a complete and hideous lie. But, a Gaslamp quarter like San Diego's is a total truth and in the sleazy world of convention promotion, hits most of the really high spots. Gaslamp quarter combines the history of old San Diego from railway and tuna fishing greatness to the current hosting of the US Navy. The high ethical standards and divine morality of the silver miners, the tuna fishermen, the whalers and latterly, the American navy have ensured that gaslight quarter in San Diego maintains a church like sobriety that is the basis of all effective tourism. This is the Mayor of Wopo-Scamville in with Idaho or Arkansas (he wasn't clear) doing an informercial for either the navy, the convention bureau or the Republican pro-immigration show. Nestled in this typhoon of wackiness is a truly outstanding restaurant (no fooling), Cafe Sevilla. The best thing is you can eat al fresco and watch the district unfolds from a fairly protected venue.
Secondly, the food makes it all worthwhile. We had a sampling of a range of hot and cold tapas that would have us back for a second meal, it was of such quality. The wait staff are knowledgeable and helpful without being intrusive. The range of craft beers, good wine and solid sea food make this gem a stand out in a general backyard of formula convention dominated drinking spots. Has appeared in over 75 films
Owned by the non-profit Hollywood Sign Trust and licensed by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce La La Land's most enduring symbol and a universal metaphor for ambition, success and glamour Located on the southern side of Mt. Lee in Griffith Park Yes, inspire Dolly Parton to choose Dollywood as the name for her Pigeon Forge, Tenn. theme park Wired with high-tech monitoring devices and watched by City of Los Angeles security specialists 24 hours a day Originally designed by Thomas Fisk Goff (1890-1984) and studded with 4,000 light bulbs Officially dedicated on July 13, 1923 with these letters: HOLLYWOODLAND but was changed to just Hollywood in 1949 Declared a Historic Cultural Monument on February 7, 1973. Source: The Official Hollywood Walk of Fame Guide The Walk of Fame is a star studded sidewalk both literally and figuratively. Bright red star fill every paving stone and each star contains the name of a famous actor or director or producer or technical specialist that has made Hollywood what it is today. It's great to find the names you know and bring back the memories of the photo ops we all saw in the news in front of the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. As you walk the Walk of Fame, visit these historic places in Hollywood. It's Memory Lane for entertainment buffs.
1. The Fonda Theatre 2. Capitol Records 3. Pantages Theatre 4. Egyptian Theatre 5. Guinness World Records Museum 6. Hollywood Wax Museum 7. Ripley's Believe It or Not 8. Starring You 9. Dolby Theatre 10. El Capitan Theatre 11. Jimmy Kimmel Live 12. TCL Chinese Theatre 13. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel 14. Hollywood La Brea Gateway Monument This amazing folk art from small villages in Oaxaca, Mexico are made of Copal, trees that jump up in the mountains of Oaxaca. Called Alebrijes, they are traditionally painted by men and decorated by women. As you can see in the picture, they are mostly whimsical animal figures as well as religious and mythological ones. Several of the famous carvers like Zeny Fuentes, Jacobo Angeles, Eleazar Morales, Armando Jimenez and Agustin Cruz Prudencio, the carver we met this weekend at the exhibition in the Tucson National Parks Store are so creatively funny and fantastical that many now have come to love and collect their art. Here's one of St. George wielding his sword.
Husbands parked at odd angles in mall corridor armchairs. Partners propped in fashionable store corners stunned in boredom. The vintage partner required to drive the car, carry the bags, and play Odd Job but certainly not required in the cut and thrust of the aisles.
The tourist destination of Tubac has an answer. Park your Billy-Bob at Grumpy Gringo. Support him in one Cohiba. Allow him two decent but not extravagant beers and tear off with the girls for some serious poking and prodding at garments and clay pots and paintings and whatever. It works. Some airport lounges are enclaves of noise and bad manners and appallingly arrogant behaviour. Men and women bellowing into cell phones, screaming at computer speakers and boasting loudly to each other of business deals, golf scores or airline points.
There was a time when lounge behaviour was quite different from this when first and business class passengers were treated into the Library like silence of neutrally decorated mega-living rooms. Those days are past. the quietest place in Chicago for instance is in a waiting area not yet prepared tot ale aircraft passengers. In JFK, there’s no retreat anywhere. But let me tell you of the last bastion of civility in the world of flying. Japan Airlines Lounge forbids the use of cell phones in the public ares. There are private rooms in the Lounge where you can use your phones as much as you like without disturbing anyone else. These rooms are properly marked with cell phones. The Lounge is cool without being refrigerated and comfortably lit. The music insists that your relax and as with so much Japanese space, the design draws you gently away from troubled thoughts. There are other alliances that manage decent Lounges as well where a bonus is placed on respectfulness and civility. It seems to me that design is a key component of this atmosphere as well as an utter determination to let passengers live out their social media nightmares in the washrooms, the Burger Kings or the bars. If your time in the Lounge is 3 or 4 or even more hours between flights, given a choice, you’ll always take the airline that expects a little more from its clients. Bangkok will not be a place you would choose to rest. It is such a busy city welcoming millions of visitors each year. Besides, I don't think you would travel to the other half of the world to rest. This time, we just wanted to get away from the cold and snow and the easiest place to travel to is Bangkok. No visas required for us. So many choices in hotels. Many places to go to if you are restless and the choices are affordable. But for us, this time, it was rest. We just finished a contract which lasted for 3 years and from there traveled to Spain and Portugal. Then, went home to Canada and from there, traveled to Florida. After that, we just wanted to rest while waiting for the next contract and knowing that the next assignment will be Asia, we just moved closer to where we will be next. Bangkok did not disappoint us. 21 days of just taking it easy. It was rejuvenating. Think about this sometimes. Even in a busy city like Bangkok, you can easily find oasis of peace and quiet. It depends on your own goal. So, here are some of the more relaxing things to do in Bangkok: 1. Cruise the Chao Phraya. There are many pier areas you can explore at your leisure. You can enjoy your sightseeing of Bangkok without much traffic. You can spend some time in the temples along the river or try out Thai food in the many restaurants in the pier areas. Here's more on Cruising the Chao Phraya. 2. Pray in the shrines around the city. There are always people praying in these shrines which are often in the busiest intersections. Some pray from on top the BTS walkway if you want to avoid the crowd. 3. Have lunch in the Embassy Central. Then, stay awhile and enjoy the peace and quiet and almost empty space. You can easily reach it by BTS. 4. Enjoy a massage. Try foot massage first so you have an idea of what you're getting. When you travel, do you choose to stay in hotels or apartments? Why do you choose one rather than the other? Hotels provide service. Apartments provide space. A good hotel makes you feel like a pampered guest and tries to anticipate your needs. A good apartment gives you space, a range of appliances and a good chance to live your own life in a different city. Hotels are convenient. Apartments, often, are not. There's no reception desk. Arranging to get the key can be a pain if you don't have a cell phone that works locally. Finding apartments can be a challenge. But the joy of stretching out among the space choices inside the apartment, with a cup of soup and a sandwich made in your kitchen, can make up for all of these if that's the kind of person you are. Conversely, being pampered, supported, fed, woken up and sent out with a smile from the front desk gives people who enjoy these things a sense of having made it and revelling in their just rewards. In a very practical way, if you're on a longer vacation, an apartment gives you a chance to wash your clothes and air out your suitcase. As we move about, we prefer a mix of hotels and apartments: being pampered and then having our own space. What do you think?
“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine Unique travel destinations. Unique travel experiences. What more? You have been to Paris, London, Tokyo, Beijing and Hong Kong. Name a major destination and you had been there. Been there, done that, bought a t-shirt, et al. So where to next? Travel is fun but it is also learning. Push yourself a bit each time you travel. Do something you have not done before. Each time you do this, your confidence goes up. Travel has given us memories we will always treasure. Once, we were at a restaurant and because the place was bursting, people had to share tables. We got adopted by an Irish family and their friends, one of whom was a couple who at that time lived in Turkey on their sailboat. The Irish couple were in Cambodia visiting their daughter who was working with an international non-government organization. |
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