After an exciting week in New York celebrating grandson’s Bar mitzvah. Roger & I decided to extend our trip for a few days to San Diego we will then return to New York to celebrate our son James delayed 50th birthday. It was an early start, up at 4am, our driver picking us up at 5am, Our car speeding through the streets of a deserted Times Square it was quite eerie … A record time to JFK of 25 minutes! In peak times this can take 2 hours. Average time is 45 minutes. As this was a domestic flight no problem just the usual securities scanning & ID checks. Delta airlines unlike European airlines , they weigh your luggage in the airport & pay there and then. Left a few bits included Roger’s suit with James so two heavy cases which we were charged $60 . However breakfast is a different matter. Ordered from screens at the table in the CAFE at Costa a whopping $75 for two omelettes, orange juice and coffee. Soon on board I was pleased a girl changed seats with me so we could sit together. Pilot informs us there may be some turbulence on the second part of the trip – it was soon quite obvious the whole trip is going to be bumpy & cabin service was delayed so I am again I’m flying without any alcohol! I soon discover Wi-Fi on the plane so I connect to this and scan the barcode on the screen in front of me which brings up the menu for food and drink if you want to purchase some. Our flight today will be five hours 15 minutes with some 3000 miles across America. With cabin service delayed I am unable to request head set to enable me to watch a film! Eventually get my head set and choose to watch Grey’s Anatomy. Roger aptly watches ‘Alexander’. Eventually we are offered gin and tonic and some snacks. The plane is quite comfortable and we arrive early in five hours . As it’s a domestic flight we are straight through the very smart airport pick up luggage & into the taxi rank. We are driven to Delmar by a rather lively middle aged chap From Israel. His name is Roman. We have a fabulous chat about our bar mitzvah and about our visit to Tel Aviv many years ago. Along the road we see some of the lovely flowering trees in blossom I must find out what they are called. We arrive at our booked hotel. The room isn’t ready so we walk into the little village for a spot of lunch. Roger has a local beer & I have a Bloody Mary. Roger has minestrone soup followed by a Greek salad topped with chicken I opt for cob salad with shrimp. Roger said his soup was like eating liquid pizza! We walk back to the hotel, disappointed by the room given to us which is close to the road with no view or outside space. No other oops available and those that were were equally disappointing. As the area looks quiet we decide to check out and move downtown. We call Uber which arrives in 3 minutes !!! A lovely young driver from Syria excitedly tells us he is a new father, we chat and he offers to be our guide if we need one. We pull up at our chosen hotel The StayPineapple Z Hotel & I negotiated a price for our stay. The reception is small, stark, modern, with a row of green & yellow bicycles for residents use, a self serve mini bar and snack machine! I am sceptical but I can see by the reviews of the hotel it comes highly recommended. Wow it does not disappoint. A good size room. Fab bright modern bathroom, plenty of clothes storage. Coffee machine, loads of plugs, sockets and charging points, a tv not that we expect to use it, and a really lovely welcoming bed! We unpack and refresh a bit and walk a few blocks to a restaurant: bar called the Water Grill. It has a lot of outside tables as have most in the USA. We wander inside to take a look. A huge modern restaurant with an industrial feel, a horseshoe type bar with a fabulous copper top. We soon settle at the bar & Roger peruses the large beer selection. The USA is at last brewing some descent beer so Mr C is a happy boy. I settle for a sour Margarita! We just feel we can’t leave without trying the food. Two lovely guys we get chatting to at the bar insisted on paying for our drinks as they said they enjoyed our conversation about football & travelling !!! We notice crowds starting to pass by the windows in baseball supporters shirts, we discover the baseball stadium is a few minutes away and the Padres are playing the Milwaukee Brewers! By now the restaurant is buzzing and tables are filling fast so we are seated and giving huge menus! I opt for scallops with cob salad & Roger for soup ( again) and Alaskan Halibut. I pop to the ladies room only to return to find an anniversary card from Mr C and a bottle of Champagne bless him. Our meal was superb. We were pleased to find the bill much less expensive than New York prices!! Staff surprised us with a dessert with a candle in it and a call from Leslie James & Alexander wishing us a happy anniversary completes a fabulous day.
After 12 hours sleep and a wonderful shower this morning. The shampoo & shower jell all smelling of pineapple. Wandered over the road for breakfast at the Breakfast Company- the Concoctions that we had for breakfast very weird but the cheapest meal we had in the whole of the trip so far at $40.
We wandering along through the Gaslamp area round by Petco park – the ball game stadium home of the Padres until we decide to take the train to the Old Town. Pleased to see a cheap rate for oldies of $1.40 per ride. Here we pick up the trolly tour bus to go round the whole of San Diego for two hours which is brilliant including over the big bridge onto Coronado island, apparently California governor Ronald Reagan was the first person to drive over this bridge when opened in August 1969. We pass the Seaport area & Midway aircraft carrier,Little Italy, Gaslamp area, Petco park, Balboa Park, San Diego Emarcadero & Barrio Logan. Our tour guide driver named Vinny was funny and informative. Returning to The Old Town we visit the Tequila Factory, disappointed as this was actually a hotel bar – not a tequila factory at all !!! We moved on to early dinner at a recommended place called Guadalajara a huge Mexican restaurant. The meal was massive and neither Roger or I could do it justice, I noticed others using take away boxes, we call doggy bags but I’m assured you can reheat and eat later! Uber back to base Staypineapple Z Hotel in a brand new bright red Tesla – an amazing car – Roger wants one!!!
Liquid Tales 