California Dreaming

The USS Midway, San Diego, CA

  Whew! We're back from what felt like a whirlwind trip through southern California and as usual I think I could have used a few more days to explore. The cool weather didn't dampen our spirits any especially considering we left high temperatures in the twenties in Salt Lake City. No we enjoyed every moment of the trip in fact I would go as far as to say that it was more fun this time than it has been in previous years.

  I am a little surprised that Disneyland was as crowded as it was. In the past when we visited in January you didn't really have to wait in lines longer than twenty minutes but that wasn't the case this time. Maybe we've just been lucky in the past but hey, life goes on.

  Also in our travels we managed to hit Universal Studios before heading south to San Diego. The last time I visited San Diego my son was still in diapers and my daughter wasn't even a thought in my mind. Fourteen years later proved to be just about the right time to take them to Sea World as they were mesmerized by the killer whales and other marine animals that they were allowed to be so close to. Watching them it was like experiencing it for the first time. They laughed as tiny fish picked the dead skin from their hands (yes it sounds gross but it's kind of cool.) The size of killer whales amazed them and they gave little protest to posing for the camera as a sea turtle passed overhead. On the other hand I had to eat crow because I disagreed with my wife about how much they would enjoy it and in the end it didn't taste all that bad. But I won't make a habit out of it. Unfortunately some attractions were closed so they couldn't get the full experience so I guess we'll just have to go back in the future.

 

Sea World, San Diego, CA

   It wouldn't be a trip with me if you don't dash a little history into the mix so we also took half of a day to visit the USS Midway, an American aircraft carrier now retired in Coronado Bay. This tour took a lot longer than I expected which caused us to miss out on our plans to visit Old Town. Although disappointing in that respect the tour was great. Being able to see how our sailors live day in and day out is an amazing experience and I learned quickly that at 6' 4" I would have had a miserable experience living life on a carrier.

  On the trip home we stopped into Calico, CA, a once booming mine town just a few miles off of I-15. Now more of a tourist trap that's a fun place to stretch your legs when you're driving through the desert.

   This is just a quick overview of our trip and in the coming posts I'll get more in depth with the coverage of these locations. For now though, I wish you all well and encourage you to get out of the house and find an adventure of your own. I know I feel a lot better after a nice break from the ordinary. See you Friday!

Brandan