San Diego

We left the oppulance of Palm Springs and headed south to San Diego.   Palm Springs lies close to the line of the San Andreas Fault, which passes along the middle of the Coachella Valley. We traveled southwest through the San Gorgonio Pass.  The road was a ribbon through the mountains.  North of the pass we could see the snow topped San Bernardino Mountains.

 San Diego is immediately adjacent to the Mexican boarder. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round climate, its natural deep-water harbor, and its long association with the US Navy.
There is lots of Spanish influence down here.  Tile rooftops and mission style buildings are everywhere.



Spanish style fountain

Mexican restaurants everywhere.  We have decided we're done with Mexican food for awhile. 

In San Diego we parked the van and took a trolley tour.  The weather was sunny but cool so Sid was fine waiting in the van.  The trolley tour took two hours and it was a great way to see the major sites. 



Trolley Ride through San Diego



We spent time in Old Town.  This is the first place to be inhabited as a town in San Diego.  It is set up as a historic site, with the centre of the town a large square, around which are shops that existed back in the day.  There was a blacksmith, a tobaccoist, general store, things like that.  There were also the regular touristy type shops-one of which sold Mephisto shoes.  Yup.  They sold us a pair-great deal.  $85.



Covered wagon in Old Town



San Diego Bay

For dinner (see the aformentioned aversion to Mexican) we decided that San Diego, having a seacoast location, must have any number of good seafood restaurants.  We found one and enjoyed our shrimp overlooking San Diego Bay.  After dinner we drove further south to Chula Vista.  We spent the night in the furthest south west corner of the United States-just north (about one mile)  of the border into Tijuana, Mexico.  This was a very busy, very sketchy area and it wasn't a restful night's sleep.