we'll be leaving this morning going to San Diego to visit some of the wifes relatives. Flying out of Dulles nonstop to SAN...be gone about week so I'll catch up when I get back.

Planning on the zoo and some snorkeling as well as trip up to LA to visit Petersens Auto museum (and maybe the famed Mulholland drive)

The Bat-Signal is gettin a break...Later guys

I just got back from Acworth, GA on Sunday. Tagged along with my sister on a trip to visit my dad for a few days. We hit the aquarium and a few of the museums... plus a bunch of stores we don't have around here. Have a good time!


Herc, I would have met up with you, but I didn't have my GP nor did our plans allow for me to wonder around outside the scheduled stops. I'm sure we sailed by you many times on the romp between Acworth and Atlanta.

T-Bat... You're 2 days late to see Tiger win the U.S. Open. haha

You probably did. Hope you had fun.

Now back to your regular shceduled program.

TBat stay safe and have fun.

Have fun!

Becareful Tbat. I was over in San Diego this time last year, and the Zoo was freaking hot as hell! I had to push my grandmother in her wheel chair up and down those huge hills of walking paths they liked to put in. Wow what a time at the ZOO!
We actually went to the animal park near the zoo. I forget the city, but it is about 20 miles away from the zoo. The cliffs near the water are pretty sweet over by that area.

Tim, have a safe trip!!

Don

I think I would have found a way to rent granny a golf cart or rascal for the day. But it is hilarious picturing you strolling granny everywhere out of breath while she pleasantly points at the wildlife.

Good luck with the trip.

If you go to the San Diego Zoo, stay away from that Siberian Tiger if anybody remember what happen there a couple of years ago.

Good luck, have a safe trip!

Finally back home and jet lagged beyond belief. I'm glad I dont have to go back to work for couple more days.

This was an informative trip to say the least. San Diego was wonderful as it has to be the cleanest, nicest downtown area of any city I have ever visited. My wifes brother lives in a building overlooking PetCo Park and the Gaslamp district was filled with great restaurants and shops.
I also dont think I've ever been in a city where there were so many 4-way stop intersections without traffic lights. This would be recipe for disaster here in VA but there people politely take turns and wave you on...they even stop for pedestrians which is starkly different from New York where jaywalking can be a deadly affair. Even on the nights of baseball games the backed up traffic was totally devoid of honking horns and shouted obscenities. Once again two things which are commonplace in New York as many there seem to think that the lowly auto horn is capable of parting the Red Sea.

The Zoo was amazing, much like the National Zoo in DC but on steroids. While the DC Zoo may be hilly the San Diego Zoo provides hills and walks that would allow you to plunge to your death if you were to trip and fall. Screw the wheelchair here, put granny on the tour bus.
I also must give props to this city for the stunning beauty of Balboa Park. While not quite as large as Central Park in Manhattan, it all the things Central Park is not. Filled with museums and architecture that must be seen to be believed as well as a wide array of native plants and some variety of trees that are positively mind blowing.

We also took one day to drive to LA and visit the Petersen Auto museum as well as some other sights. Petersens was a huge letdown since their website says nothing of how often they change exhibits. The museum itself is not very large so I suppose this is a neccessity, however I was totally bummed that the TV series Batmobile was not on display and hasnt been for quite some time as I was told. I was also under the impression that CadZilla was there as well but it is also long gone. So after this disappointment we moved on to Hollywood and Beverly Hills. The Hills proved to be like sightseeing from the base of the Great Wall of China as most of the homes are contained inside walls like medievial castles...but we did see alot of concrete and growing vines. Hollywood Boulevard was an equally interesting experience since its a good thing that the camera can make such areas look lush and glamourous on TV. In reality the Hollywood Walk of Fame is like waking up to a hooker in the morning. She looks much more run down and rough in the daylight than she did bathed in neon glow. In short Hollywood is truly about the magic of film since its reality is just this side of a slum.
The drive down Mulholland gives you a magnificent view of the city of LA as well as the famed "hollywood sign" on the mountain above. This is absolutely the best way to see LA, from far above and much distance in between.

We decided to take the Pacific Coast Highway back to San Diego and this is another of Californias great myths. There are very few portions of the Pac Hiway that actually come close to the water. The entire LA county area segment is simply crowded, stop light filled retail bustle...when it isnt warehouse and industrial gloom. It wasnt until we reached the Orange County line that we actually pulled alongside the ocean. Many of the famed beach communities along the way such as Malibu, Laguna, Newport and DelMar would be great places to spend a day or weekend on their own but passing thru them yield much Oceanfront. All of those places are built over with gated communites so the rich dont have to mingle with us lower life forms I suppose. However to Californias credit there were several very nice state park beaches along the way and the beaches at the feet of rocky cliffs were amazingly beautiful.
We tried some snorkeling at LaJolla Cove but the water was a little cloudy that day and we didnt see much. We checked out the beaches on Coronado Island and the Silver Strand which were both simply gorgeous. The Hotel Del Corronado is a sight all to itself but way out of my budget to be sure.
My final stop was aboard the USS Midway floating museum which was completely overbearing in its size and scale. The flight deck was loaded with vintage aircraft and was expansive to say the least. The below decks were the complete opposite as I toured the bridge, sick bay, the brig and the engine room, cramped and claustrophobic were the order of the day. Yet I am still awestruck that such a behemoth could be propelled through the water at over 30 knots. A true testement to the kind of power her steam turbine engines and four eighteen foot diameter propellers are capable of.
Historic Old Town San Diego was also quite interesting even though it has been transformed into a shopping dining destination, the hacienda at its center is a step backwards in time. Before statehood, back to the days of the Mexican Caballeros, it was like walking onto the set of an old Zorro movie. Considering the city the now surrounded it, the exhibits made it hard to believe that we have progressed so rapidly in a few hundred years.

All in all a wonderful trip but its good to be home again and back to driving my own cars.

...So you have experienced waking up to a hooker at one time in your life. LOL j/p T-Bat

But seriously Hollywood is filled with goofs and wierd ass people, lol. It's kinda depressing but there is a lot of history there.

I'm shocked you didn't take a trip up to the Griffith Observatory. Awesome museum and view of the city!

Personally, I love California, too bad it cost so much to live there. My grandmother lives there in Orange County (Costa Mesa). Newport and Hunington Beach is like a 5 minute ride from her house. Usually when I go out to visit, my grandfater and I go to the beach on way of bike. We'll go and have breakfast on the boardwalk every couple days. I believe it's Corona Del Mar is a beautiful beach/town. Balboa Island is also nice... and taking the ferry over while seals jump and swim through the bay. I have lots of stories and memories of being out there, maybe one day I can pack up and move out that way.

Well i'm glad you had fun and had a safe trip!!!

Some pics (since we're all pic whores) of my last visit:

More:

Glad to hear you had fun. The portion of PCH that thrills me the most is Santa Barbara to Monteray. That is "THE" drive. I use to live on PCH just south of Oxnard. Pt. Mugu. I know exactly what you mean about Hollywood Blvd. It's quite the let down as well as Man's Chinease theater. San Diego I love it down there. I haven't spent much time in the city it's self but the beaches and Coronado are something else. I've stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado (they do have military rates ) and at a couple others there by it.