Yuma and San Diego

We just returned from a trip to visit Jennefer's sister, whose husband died just before Thanksgiving. Jennefer really wanted to give her sister some emotional support, so we scheduled the trip soon after we heard.

We flew into San Diego, rented a car, and drove to Yuma. We went for walks, visited with Jennefer's sister and her chickens, dogs, and cat, and her backyard feral cats. We helped her complete an automotive themed jigsaw puzzle, in honor of her late husband. We drove down to the border, and hunted together for some Mexican Pokemon, and generally tried to give her sister some sympathetic company. 

We drove back to San Diego a few days before our flight back. We wanted a little extra time there, to relax by ourselves, and let me show Jennefer a few fun things in my old home town. We drove by my old house, went up to enjoy the view from Mt Soledad and chatted with a volunteer veteran there, then headed across town to grab a crab cake sandwich at Point Loma Seafoods, and go for a walk along the America's Cup Harbor, then drove to Pacific Beach, and checked into a delightful beachfront hotel right on the boardwalk.

We walked to breakfast at Kono's Cafe, walked out onto the Crystal Pier, which had a cute Christmas tree out at the end, walked down the boardwalk to Mission Beach, walked back along Mission Bay, through The Catamaran Hotel. We went back to Point Loma Seafoods for another Crab cake sandwich, visited the Ocean Beach Target store, enjoy watching the ocean view and surfers from Saratoga Park, watched the sunset over the Ocean Beach pier, and stopped at Sea World on the way home to take a picture of their Christmas lights.

We walked to breakfast at Breakfast Republic, drove to Kearny Mesa to check out my old work neighborhood, then booked a tee time, and headed down to the Morley Field Disc Golf course. It's still an awesome course, even with tee times, green fees, and major road construction closures. We realized we were starving after 19 holes of disc golf, and went on an adventure to find dinner at The Prado restaurant in Balboa Park. Driving back to the hotel at rush hour was a little crowded and slow, but it kept moving, and I didn't think it was as bad as people like to say.

 

Holiday decorations in Denver airport.

 

Walking over the bridge to Concourse A, I couldn't resist snapping a photo of aircraft tails and the Rocky Mountains.

 

Quirky Christmas decoration in Denver airport.

 

Crossing the Rocky Mountains.

 

Arriving in San Diego. This is the Interstate 5 S-curve through downtown.

 

There are a lot more boat moorings adjacent to Harbor Drive than there were back in the day.

We drove to Yuma after landing in San Diego and getting a rental car. This is Jennefer's sister at her home near Somerton, with her two dogs.

We worked an automotive-themed jigsaw puzzle with Jennefer's sister, for a few hours each morning, for most of the week we were there. We finished it just before we left.

After driving back to San Diego from Yuma, we drove past my old house in Pacific Beach, then drove up to the top of Mt Soledad. We ran into this nice volunteer veteran, and chatted with him for awhile.

I don't remember there being a veteran's memorial on Mt Soledad, but there are now several walls with inscriptions on them.

 

Stopping for a crab cake sandwich at Point Loma Seafoods. Still the best around!

 

Walking around the America's Cup Harbor, and enjoying the quirky Christmas decorations and other interesting sights.

Beautiful Aloe plant outside a restaurant at America's Cup Harbor

 

Sun setting over a dock in America's Cup Harbor

Fresh caught lobsters

 

Bird of Paradise plant, seems appropriate for San Diego.

 

Our room in Pacific Beach had a wonderful view.

 

We checked in, just in time to enjoy a gorgeous sunset.

 

The sunset just kept getting better

 

Lots of surfers out in the afternoon.

 

The next morning, we walked to breakfast at Kono's Cafe on the boardwalk in Pacific Beach. This full-size nutcracker was by the door of our hotel, on our way out, adding a holiday touch to our visit.

 

Surfboard, Christmas wreath, and Poinsettias at Kono's Cafe.

 

Looking back toward Pacific Beach from the end of Crystal Pier.

 

Looking south at Mission Beach from the end of Crystal Pier.

 

Christmas tree at the end of Crystal Pier.

 

Octopus wall art in Pacific Beach.

 

Beach bar rooftop Christmas decorations.

 

Christmas tree on the beach.

 

We saw this huge tree growing around a house, and it was nice to see that they preserved it.

 

Pretty sunset at Ocean Beach.

 

Sunset behind Ocean Beach pier.

 

Surfers at Ocean Beach.

 

We stopped by Sea World to snap a photo of their Christmas tree.

 

Coming back to our hotel at night provided a welcoming view.

 

Christmas lights on Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach.

 

Cute mug and cream pitcher at Breakfast Republic.

 

Christmas tree by the door at Breakfast Republic.

 

Enjoying our walk on the Pacific Beach boardwalk.

 

Small raptor on a tree by the boardwalk. Maybe a Kestrel?

 

Looking back along Pacific Beach, after our walk to the south end of the boardwalk.

 

The pro shop at Morley Field Disc Golf Course.

 

Finishing up our disc golf adventure at hole 19 in the Morley Field disc golf course.

 

Giant root system on the big Moreton Bay Fig tree in Balboa Park.

 

Giant Moreton Bay Fig tree at Balboa Park.

 

Walking through the prado in Balboa Park, in search of The Prado restaurant for dinner.

 

The mirror pond in front of the San Diego Botanical Garden.

 

Airplane watching at The Prado restaurant.

 

Settled at our table at The Prado restaurant. They served us a delicious sea bass dish.

 

Pretty decorations at The Prado restaurant.

 

Pretty lights outside The Prado restaurant.

All too quickly the next morning, we had turned in our rental car, rode the shuttle to the airport, checked our bags, found a place to get breakfast, waited too long due to our early arrival, were masked up on the plane, and on our way back to Denver.