Journey 3: Taj and Tigers ...

Round-trip distance -- 58 miles

Cap'n Baldy here!

    Maybe, we'll forget about the Taj...

    A bit of explanation might be in order here. Goldilocks has long pleaded to revive our
attendance at live theater events. Being the awesomely considerate husband that I am, I purchased two tickets to last night's performance of "Guards at the Taj" at the La Jolla Playhouse on the UCSD campus. The campus holds years of history for us since I sang with the La Jolla Symphony Chorus here and our son and daughter-in-law are both UCSD graduates.
   Breathing in the artsy-intelligentsia atmosphere prior to show time was lovely. The coffee was good and free (since the house manager had given us a $20 gift certificate to use at the theater concessions). The ushers and attendants were relaxed and gracious. The Potiker Theater is an inviting edgy-modern venue and we were both jauntily dressed up like seasoned theater folk... oh, and our seats were first-rate ...Sweet so far...
   Until...
   The show ... which apparently was  meant to educate us as to the necessity of immense suffering in creation of works of stupendous beauty...in this case the creation of the Taj Mahal in 17th century India... Twenty thousand workers had their hands cut off upon its completion ... the second scene was devoted to mopping up blood and disposing of severed hands ...are all y'all uplifted in spirit so far?

   How can we put our assessment delicately and sensitively? We cannot. I might say the play sucked but Goldilocks has repeatedly told me I may NOT use that admittedly coarse expression! Besides, the term is not descriptive. The acting, writing and staging left us a bit dissatisfied, I regret to say. In theater as in any adventure, sometimes we win and sometimes we lose! Good theater, however, can be sublime!

    Goldilocks and I sprung for a year-long membership to the San Diego Zoo which also gives us unlimited access to the San Diego Zoofari Park outside of Escondido. Previously known as the San Diego Wild Animal Park, the place has seen some serious upgrades since our last visit several years ago...

 

   The park is an 1800-acre spread that resembles the topography of East Africa. I couldn't resist showing the yellow balloon ... should knowledge seekers wish to view the park from "on high", all they have to do is climb aboard the balloon's basket and rise to the heights. The balloon is connected to the ground by a steel cable on a winch ...

 

 

   This is Conrad. During our visit, he was making loud noises that were somewhere between a moan and a roar...maybe he was just horny ... it all remains a mystery...

 

   

This is Teddy, father of a cute 5-month old cub named Suka ... he made the same sounds as Conrad ...

 



 A new-born giraffe weighs 300 pounds and stands 6 feet tall!

 

 

     This is the oldest African rhino in existence ... 46 years old. There are many good animal views on the 30-minute tram ride around the park...each of these animals is cherished ... yes, the park is a commercial venture, but the protection of endangered species is a  profession and passion here ...

 

   

    Panoramic park view from the tram ...

 

   We will be back here in a few weeks...the word is out that Mama Tiger will be bringing her new 3-cub litter out to play! We will definitely be here to watch!

 

   In closing, I could not resist inserting a bit of our personal history. Of course, we'd all have to go back 50 years, come April 16th, for the event shown below ...

 

 

  Until our next journey, beloveds ... stay connected and stay well!

 

   Affectionately,

   Baldy

 

 



 

 

 

 



Journey 2: Liberty Station ...

Round Trip Distance -- 43 miles

Cap'n Baldy here!

      As many of us know, San Diego was, and continues to be, a U.S. Navy town! The sprawling Naval Training Center on Point Loma was active from 1923 until its closure in 1997. The Navy has since passed the property to the City of San Diego, which has a long-term plan for developing this area into a center for commerce, history and the arts. The emerging design is called Liberty Station. As much as possible, Bertham Goodhue’s original Spanish Colonial architecture has been retained and the place is morphing into an edgy agreeable collection of shops, cool restaurants and artist studios.

      Barbara is taking a modern dance class here … at the new Dance Place in Liberty Station! I am overjoyed by this development, which revives Barbara’s past passion for dance and choreography. We had both thought this chapter of her life to be closed due to the effects of age and an aggregation of insults and injuries to her neck, shoulders, brain, heart and knee! Not so! She is reconnecting with members of her former dance group to create a dance in celebration of their teacher's 50th wedding anniversary!

Barbara and her dance group decades ago ...

...........................

 

We now proceed with our journey at Liberty Station ...

    One of our favorite country songs is Alan Jackson's "A Work in Progress". That definitely summarizes the current state of Liberty Station! Remodeling and creation of new work spaces are everywhere! Y'all want craft beer? Check out Stone Brewery Bistro's tank array!



    Old military barracks are being morphed into new creations. ... artist studios, museums, a candle-making shop, an exotic tea shop! It looks to us that Mr. Goodhue's architectural genius continues to be put to good use!

     Do y'all remember the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" children's song? It seems that downspouts are a favorite location for geocaches here in Liberty Station!
Ace Hardware looks to be a world for future exploration!

    Overwhelm! Based in the cavernous former recruit mess hall, the Stone Brewery Bistro is currently the largest restaurant in San Diego! Awesome food here with lots of jalapeno chiles ... this place is a KEEPER!

    Believe it or not, this is a Von's Supermarket! We think of it as absolutely the coolest supermarket in San Diego!

     One thing to remember about Liberty Station is that all y'all are directly under the flight path of commercial jets coming out of Lindbergh Field! One learns to make allowances for this unavoidable fact!

     I said I wouldn't use any more Southernisms. I lied.

 

     Here sits a commissioned naval vessel that never sailed on water! We learned 50,000 recruits were trained aboard this vessel each year!

    The old central Parade Ground!

 

    Walking around this place will surely wear a person out!  Should that be the case, seriously good oatmeal raisin cookies are to be found in Liberty Station! I thought y'all would like to know that fact! Just don't tell Goldilocks I told y'all!

 

    Signing off now ... until our next journey, stay happy and stay well!

    Thanks for sticking with us!

 

Affectionately,

Baldy

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

Journey 1: Miramar College

Round Trip Distance -- 2.5 miles

Cap'n Baldy here!

     Goldilocks and I just rediscovered the fact that not all memorable journeys require the use  of a motor vehicle. Two days ago on Friday morning, we hiked across the street from our  neighborhood onto the vigorously expanding campus of Miramar College. The northwest corner of the campus has recently been transformed from a trash-strewn field into an expansive wildlife preserve devoted to the preservation of local insects, plants and birds. A two-mile walk yielded a pleasing interpretive hike around the preserve and a stroll around the growing campus. During our 48 years in San Diego, this junior college has expanded from a few bungalows to a vibrant institution educating 10,000-plus students in fields ranging from art to clean-air technology!
     We learned a bit of interesting history about the area as well. During World War II, this place was used by the Army and Navy to train dive bomber pilots! Three 1,800-foot intersecting runways were placed here in the form of an hourglass. For several years, we have known that the adjacent sports facility is called Hourglass Field. Our granddaughters played soccer tournaments here on many occasions! Now we know the Reason for the Name! Learning something new is a lovely thing!
    At the Student Lounge, we stretched out in a quiet corner and watched purpose-filled students and faculty members stride past. On most days, Starbuck's Coffee is served here ... but not on Fridays, sad to say! Oh well, we'll be back and become students again ... without having to take any examinations!

Glad you're with us! Stay well!

Affectionately,

Baldy

                                                    On the Preserve Trail ...

 

Campus View from Student Center ...

 

History of Hourglass Field ...

 

Water Life in Preserve's Vernal (Seasonal) Pools.

Gettin' Ready ...

Cap'n Baldy here!

     I'm berserk ... I have totally lost it! I always get that way when fanatically planning a trip ... actually, a succession of trips to honor me an' Goldilocks bein' married fer 50 years! April 16th is the day ... we were married in San Francisco on April 16, 1966. To honor that happy occasion, we are now planning a succession of journeys throughout the year ... some are short, some are long... some involve family or friends and some are by ourselves. We hope all y'all will join with us on these journeys. That is the last Southernism you will hear from me  (maybe) ... after all, I was raised in a perfectly lovely section of New York State and lived in California since 1961.
    For the last week, I've been setting up a 7-day New York City adventure for late April. We are envisioning a morning stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge, visiting art museums and spending several hours at the National 9-11 Memorial. I just ordered Theater District  show tickets for good seats!
    Mike, my next-door neighbor, is a retired New York firefighter and our trusted consultant on Big Apple matters. This morning, he told me  that we MUST make a reservation at Carmine's in the Theater District for dinner before our show time!
     Enjoy the ride with us, beloveds! I've sternly ordered Goldilocks to refrain from falling ... no broken limbs allowed. Her broken arm in Buenos Aires last year is still fresh in our memories!

Later, All Y'all (Oops)

Affectionately,
Baldy

                                                   New Year's Square Dance 2016