Blog Entry VII San Diego

Julian! Was it just a Hollywood set?

The backdrop to San Diego are the very beautiful Sierra Nevadas. Tucked away, high up in those mountains, is the small town of Julian, a place that has captured the imagination of most San Diegans.

What inspires? Is it Julian's history which dates back to the great California Gold Rush? Perhaps it's the town's altitude of 4235 feet with its clean air, blue skies and four distinct seasons. Or could it be that its special cachet is just great marketing.  Whatever the reason, desert-tethered S.D.'ers are most definitely smitten. 

As a result, Julian's weather gets lots of air time on the Weather Channel... Linda's favourite. And thankfully so!  Who knew that there'd be snow storms up there?  

The town sits just over a kilometer high on the windward side of the Sierras. Snow is always a distinct possibility. In fact, the pictures of a recent storm, although beautiful had us canceling our first foray up into the mountains. Linda did choose a sunny clear day for our trip up.

Indeed, our patience paid off and two hours out, we hit Julian, a town so small that lil' ol' ladies still call ya honey and the guys hang out at the barber shop.  


Julian, once a gold-digger's paradise, now counts on its small-town charm and apple pie to survive.  Personally, I came for the pie.  Rumour had it that Julian's apple pies were the best in the state.   I had to see!  Let the games begin!

Did you know?  Linda is somewhat of a pie connoisseur.  Unbeknownst to most, she has been secretly searching for the world's best apple pie. To date her blue ribbon goes to Frankfurt, Germany but the hype about Julian's apple pie had her especially keen on our visit there.

Hey, this works!

After the requisite walk-about to stir both our curiosity and our appetite, a few small queries amongst the locals led us to "the best apple pie in town".  Where else could it be but “Mom's Cafe”.

Sorry baby, but it's one-strike baseball!

Maybe everyone at Mom's was just having a bad day. Maybe our expectations were just too high. Maybe it was the tired piece of pie they served on the cutesy wedge-shaped paper plate. Or maybe , just the flimsy plastic cutlery.  Whatever the case, I'm sure it wasn't the warm black sludge passing as coffee that they served in the thin white plastic beakers.  No, not that, because after all, “you can heat it up in the microwave, deary.”   Please someone, pinch me!

What a nightmare!

Was it all just a terrible choice of cafés or were we perhaps caught up in some dreadful remake of “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”.  I even caught myself looking over at the swinging doors for a surprise walk-on role by Clint himself.

The verdict?

Clearly, the search continues but the current standings are as follows:

The world's best blueberry pie – Leona Pedersen (Linda's mother), Amherst NS

The world's best apple pie – Zeil Fussgängerzone (Frankfurt)

Anza Borrego State Park – “Midday at the oasis.”

Taking one last look before we head down to the desert floor.
The view ain't bad either.

Back on the road, we followed the hawks as they ascended the mountain on its thermals. Our hearts were now set on seeing the desert in bloom. Over the top of the Sierras we drove and on down through the many hairpin turns to the desert floor.

Linda holds up a bullet shell we found at this stop.
Recently, a cougar had been killed by a poacher.

Webster's picture definition for:  indominable spirit 

At the park, the ranger smiled and said:

“Perfect timing....if it was 2011. This season, we've had so little rain that any flowering would be patchy at best. “

The best example of desert bloom that we could find in the park.

“Oh dear! So you mean that everything will just look like...well, like a desert?”

“Yep mostly. Except for our bush flowers, it's pretty monotone. That is, unless you're interested in walking to Palm Tree Oasis . If you were to go there, chances are you'd see mountain goats or even a cougar.”

Linda: There's an oasis in here?

“An oasis with palm trees....even without the cougar, it should be on everyone's bucket list. Just point us in the right direction!”

From time to time, radiant light emanates from a rebellious desert interloper.

Despite the heat, the hike was remarkable and the desert, bone dry. We had to be careful.  Every mile covered looked just like the previous one. Getting lost was a very real possibility and following the numbered sign posts, simply essential.  On we trudged.

An hour in, the dust was still rising off our boots when we turned into Palm Tree Canyon, Despite the sameness of the horizon, I could sense a titillating sensation of excitement. I checked; it wasn't Linda sweet touch, so what was happening? 

There, all around us on the desert floor, were huge ancient palm tree trunks, carcasses of times past. Some crossing our trail, some piled like a pyre, still others smothered by huge rock falls. 


 Now I understood. Years of flash floods in the desert canyon brought these trunks here to rest...for now. And on we walked.

Suddenly, as if punching colour into a bleak landscape, our green oasis popped into view. Soon, we were within earshot of rushing water. I could sense our step quickening. Instinctively, we followed the brook to its source and in short order we were plodding about in a wonderfully cool, bolder-filled, swampy oasis. 


And what of the cougars and mountain goats?

Palm trees, singing birds, and croaking frogs were everywhere. Sadly no mountain goats or cougars were to be seen. Truth be told, we were anxious to see some mountain goats but it's always best to let sleeping cougars lie.


A wonderful experience was had in California's largest park.


A huge word of thanks to all those who are following our blog.

Korea, here we come!

Until next time.

Blog Entry VI San Diego

Do good fences make good neighbors?

A week later, a marine fog was covering the county. The fence was calling. We set out early to see.

Alone in 2005, this single San Diego – Tijuana border-crossing saw 41. 5 million people enter the U.S. 







But there's more. The area is not only home to the busiest border-crossing in the world but also to the “fence”. Some prefer to call it a very expensive boondoggle.  We wanted to learn more.  


Friendship Park, situated where the border runs into the Pacific, seemed like the natural place to go. 

Until 2009, only a single chain-link fence marked the international border here. People on opposite sides used to come to visit and chat through the fence.

See the dolphins just behind the low flying pelicans.

Today, a new 20 foot tall steel wall cuts off communication between the two sides very effectively. 


Its purpose seriously compromised, Friendship Park now sits on an obscure empty beach which, only thanks to the Internet, we were able to find.

The irony: Collectively, five million people live within reach of the Friendship Park... yet only the dolphins, the pelicans, ...and of course, Joe, the friendly guard, showed up to keep us company.

Indeed, the patrols were mostly stand-off-ish but yet friendly.

Not only at the park fence, but everywhere along the wall, surprised border patrols were extremely accommodating. 

In Joe's case, I'm sure that loneliness was the elixir. 


Tasked with monitoring all the comings and goings around that new fence reaching out into the ocean, Joe's most memorable quote was that the fence was “awash” in controversy, despite its impact on illegal immigration.

What does a boondoggle look like?

The new fence, incomplete as it is, is actually 3 barriers in one. The first, 10 feet high, is made of welded metal panels. The second, 15 feet high, consists of steel mesh, and the top is angled inward to make it harder to climb over. 

Note the patrol SUV in "No Man's Land"

Finally, in high-traffic areas, there's a smaller chain-link fence. 

Out by the gate, Linda smiled 
and waved at the camera. 

Between the two main fences is a 150 foot "no man's land," which the Border Patrol sweeps with flood lights and trucks. There are even surveillance cameras. 

Helicopters were a constant
feature along the border.

Still, along this 3,169 km border with Mexico, vast stretches of some of the most inhospitable terrain in the world still rely almost exclusively on helicopters and border patrols. 

Will we have our own “Canadian” fence, Joe?

“What about it, Joe?”

“Not too sure! This baby down here is wearing us out. Whether we'll have the legs for a second one, I can't really say. Maybe Canada could help out!?”

“Sure thing, Joe... you poor misguided San Diegan.”

Until next time.

Blog Entry V San Diego

From water to wine

Nothing biblical meant here!  Simply put, our plan for the day was focused on tasting some of that famous California wine. Our inspiration could have been Psalms 104.15: “...wine...maketh glad the heart of man,” ….maybe, but it wasn't.

The day started as it often did, on the beach....and this  time it was to Black's Beach for a quick walk to the "rocks" before the tide came in.  


Then, a little lunch and onto the hills behind S.D. to scout out a local wine-lovers favorite, the Bernardo Winery.

Southern California's oldest continuously operating winery did not disappoint. A tour of the centuries-old buildings and shops in the village just whet our appetite for what was to come.


When we found the tasting room, our friendly hostess, Juanita, gave us a choice of any 5 wines in their selection.


It was great fun. By the time, I finished my fifth glass, I came to the realization that wine improves with age. The older I get, the better the wine gets.

Most enjoyable though, was Juanita, for whom we were just a captive audience for her jokes. “And what was the joke of the tasting?”, you ask.

Mother Superior calls all the nuns together to make a serious announcement:

“I must tell you something.... We have a case of gonorrhea in the convent.”

“Thank God!”, says an elderly nun in the back. “I”m so tired of Chardonnay.”

A five-dollar, a five-dollar 300-foot long Sub!

Recognize the theme song?  Another cloudy day drew us back to San Diego's fascinating harbour front. There docked near the Maritime Museum was a huge Russian-built submarine. 

Once used to track U.S. warships around the world’s oceans, this once-proud piece of the Soviet navy provided for many of the Cold War’s most tenuous moments. Today her new home is S.D., where she is berthed lifelessly amidst her former enemies. No longer able to dive or hunt, she sits, barely afloat, a monument to a bygone era and of precious little value to anyone.

Tijuana and “Don't fence me in”

• Knock, knock, Charles
• Whose there, Linda.
• Tijuana.

• Tijuana who, Linda?
• Tijuana head down to the border to go to the Los Americas factory outlets? 

Shop till you drop!!

For the shopping neophyte, like me, it was an amazing sight to behold.

Presidents' Day holiday week-end at the outlet mall is a big party; everywhere, 40% reductions had been added to things already discounted by 30%. Really, it was just incredible!

Regrets? Only a few: I didn't get a “tatt” nor did I really get to see that infamous border fence separating the U.S. From Mexico. I guess we'll just have to come back.

Until next time.

Blog Entry IV San Diego

What we learned at the coffee shop today: The History of Valentine's Day

It seems that Valentine was a priest who served Emperor Claudius II around 300 A.D. when Claudius decreed marriage to be illegal. Single men, thought Claudius, made better soldiers. Valentine then defied his emperor and secretly continued to perform marriages for young lovers... that is until Claudius got word. So, today we celebrate the anniversary of Valentine's demise. Oops.  Happy belated Valentine's Day anyway.

Linda's favorite part of San Diego: the beaches

By the way, Linda and I did have to remember that we're in a Navy town where the motto "loose lips sink ships" still holds.  All I can report is on this Valentine's Day is that our lips were sealed.

O.K. Our Valentine's Day was spent on the beach

and at Birch's Aquarium.

The price of wine? Someone zinned around here!

Last year in N.Z., we were consistently spoiled by wonderful Sauvignon blancs at amazing prices. This year in California, the land of wines, our favorite “best buy” is a brave little Zinfandel from Australia. Who goofed?

Starting to feel at home:

As we cruise the highways, I can tell that Linda's feeling more comfortable. With each passing day, she's less helpful while I'm at the wheel.

A trip to "spa town"

On Sunday, we drove North to some coastal towns. One in particular, Carlsbad, claims to have therapeutic waters. Well, I tried the waters and I'm still bald. My eyesight hasn't improved either. Linda drank wine and she felt spunky. 

 Next time, I'll be trying the wine.

The house in Top Gun

It really was a beautiful drive. Once in Oceanside, we found quite by chance a dilapidated cottage next to the beach. For the officianados, it's was a Queen-Anne Victorian cottage. But for the movie buff, it was Kelly McGillis' house in "Top Gun ". Unfortunately, plans to restore it have been on hold for years now.

Sign twirlers:Better than trained seals!

Sign twirlers or human directionals, as they prefer to be called, are everywhere. They're supposed to incite impulse buying.

We have noticed though that not all twirlers are created equal. In fact, the rule of thumb seems to be the more expensive the advertised product, the more professional the twirler.

Today's prize went to to a very animated young man advertising an open house in Del Mar. He was an artist. I'm sure a sale was made today.

Life in a desert city:

On Tuesday, we used our windshield wipers for the first time to get the wash fluid off. On Wednesday, our first winter storm came through and got an inch of rain. 
That made the headlines before, during, and afterward. 

Rush Hour: Fluid

At 5 o'clock on Route 5, San Diego's Queensway, we cruised along at 60 m.p.h. despite the heavy traffic.  One reason is that there are 5 major highways here. Another reason is that flow onto the highways is partially controlled by on-ramp traffic lights.

Surprises never cease.

Yesterday, we stepped back in time in the beautiful Historic Old Town San Diego, California's first European settlement and birthplace. 


At first, we thought our little junket might take us about an hour. After all, the beach was waiting.

We didn't leave until after dark. Everything, especially the Mexican food and dancing, was amazing.

Homelessness in San Diego

With the downsizing and the repeated missions to Iraq and Afghanistan, it's turned out that many military vets are adapting poorly to civilian life.  Many become "the homeless" that wonder the streets and highway on-ramps of San Diego, a huge naval town. 


In fact, nearly half of America's homeless are found in California, Texas, New York, and Florida.  

The Gaslamp Quarter does occasionally
have some beautiful architecture.

The Gaslamp


Eventually, around 1820, the Gaslamp Quarter, situated next to the harbor, supplanted "Old Town" as the place to live. Today, it's a tourist trap and home to many homeless. But, while we were there, the extensive soliciting made us feel like mobile ATM's.

Was Zorro here?
Linda has since fallen in love with Spanish colonial architecture, especially the missions.  Mission San Luis Rey, California's largest mission, was like a place taken from a scene from my all-time favourite hero, Zorro.  A foppish dandy by day, this masked swordsman fought for justice by night, leaving a trail of slashed "Z"s behind him. 

Here a few pics of her favourite to date:

Mission San Diego de Alcala - the first of the 21 missions in southern California

And so, while Linda played the tourist, I was the snoop searching the mission's buildings high and low;  alas I found no “Z's”.  Linda did remind me that I might get lucky should we work through her list of the 20 other missions in California.

Oh, oh!

See the cross at the end?

Jimmy Stewart on the Mount

Yesterday, we drove to the top of Mount Soledad. Situated here in La Jolla, this popular tourist destination has two major attractions: a 360 degree view of California's south-west and the very famous Veterans' Memorial.

Around a 42' cross, six concentric walls hold granite plaques to commemorate both the common soldier and notables such as George S. Patton, Bob Hope, Harry S. Truman, and the very interesting James Stewart.

After having been drafted into the U.S. Army, James Stewart, the movie star, was rejected for having failed to meet the weight requirements....too skinny. Determined, he worked with a trainer until he was eventually allowed to enlist. Stewart become the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in WWII. And he wasn't just another pretty face. Over 20 times, he flew as command pilot in the lead bomber deep into Nazi-occupied Europe.

So successful was he that before the war ended, he was promoted to colonel, making him one of the few soldiers to rise from private to colonel in four years. Neat eh?

One last note: No corn in the Cob

A couple of years ago in Washington, I was introduced to Cob Salad. The highlight was the corn. It was like a condiment. Here in California, yellow's out and green is in. Avocados rule.

Linda's favorite church:
The Mormon Church right in our neighborhood.

Until next time.

Blog Entry III San Diego Part I

S.D. – A Big city?

San Diego is California’s second largest city but visually it can come across as a small and friendly. Why is that? 


For sure the hundreds of Mesas (hills) and canyons that cover the city play a big role in the illusion. And then there's the ever-present ocean. The eye has so much to play with.

Balboa Park


This week we spent two days at Balboa Park, a 1,200-acre urban cultural park that like New York's Central Park, holds a very special place in the city's heart, both geographically and emotionally.

But who was this Balboa?

An engraving in the New York Public Library shows Vasco Núñez de Balboa setting his dogs upon Indian practitioners of homosexuality. In true conquistador fashion, the Spaniard also managed to amass great personal wealth, mostly by attacking and plundering native villages.

His mark on history? He gave Spain her dominance in Central America. What a guy!

And then they named a park after him.

In 1915-1916, San Diego hosted the Panama-California Expo. To celebrate California's Hispanic roots, breathtakingly ornate Spanish-style buildings were erected everywhere. One of them, now the Museum of Man, was modeled after a Spanish colonial church. The architecture is striking.

But there's more. Balboa Park is also home to a world-class zoo, 14 museums, incredible botanical gardens, a huge pipe organ pavilion, a Tony award winning theater, and the list goes on. 

Particularly interesting was poets' corner where we were entertained by a delightful Limerick starting with “There once was a man from Nantucket”..... Dang, I can't remember how the rest.

Our visit

Day I was one of discovery. Of interest was seeing the navy use the park for their fitness programs. The sailors were so interesting to talk to. Interesting too was one very outspoken anti-military on-looker who was finally put in his place when one astute young sailor commented calmly to his buddy next to him: “That guy is depriving some village of an idiot.” Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

The San Diego Zoo

We spent Day 2 at the San Diego Zoo, one of the most progressive zoos in the world, with its 4,000 animals, even a giant panda.

Someone once said “it all happens at the zoo”. I'm here to concur. We saw nosy elephants and spitting camels.  


There were flatulent gorillas with no care for social mores....  and cagey monkeys, too curious for their own good.  


There was  an ass named Donkey-Hoti with airy ideas, and of course, a “tower” of giraffes, that were just a big pain in the neck.

As deserving as the giraffes may have been, the “Oscar” for best actors in a romantic role was awarded to two large black rhinos...

.... who in 2 seconds flat transitioned from sleepin' to stylin' and attracting lots of attention.


It all started... literally with a bang in their cage where...
a whole lot of head butting and snorting quickly transformed into serious grunting and unconventional amorous pursuits.

Off to the side, but equally as intriguing, were red-faced parents frantically trying to explain the events of the day to their young and very curious  children.

Another great day at Balboa park!

Coronado Island

An amazing bridge takes you from S.D. over to Coronado Island, so high that all Navy ships pass under with plenty of clearance, all the while offering great views of the American naval base here. 

Afraid of heights, Linda was quite worried when we reached the middle span, but her curiosity got the best of her when she started snapping pictures of the bridge and the base right from the car.

We could live here!

Once back on Terra firma, a feeling of calm and serenity replaced any urban-rush mindset we had.  It was so kid-and family-friendly, we felt right at home.

A little adventure: 


Strolling along the beach, we crossed into an unmarked stretch of beach used by the U.S. Navy Amphibian Unit. Our focus was a cat basking in the sun at the edge of the beach. Needless to say, we were intercepted.

No great mischief and a great day of fun.

Until next time.