The Journey Inward

Early start again today, riding into work with my daughter. From there, walked a mile to the pier while catching up with a friend by phone. Got a cup of tea and sat overlooking the marina. Boat life is so intriguing to me, though I would never want the responsibility!

I had bought a Hop on/Hop off trolley tour ticket to see 25 miles of the city on my own! I learned so much and took notes the whole time to share with the kids! Some scenes in Top Gun were filmed in the city, and we passed KC BBQ, where the piano bar scene was shot. As Petco Stadium appeared on our left, we learned that Ted Williams started his career here, a little known fact. I also learned that the longest home run was hit at the stadium. The ball landed in a box car and traveled 120 miles north!

The first place I hopped off was the Gaslamp Quarter. This was so named because of the gas lamps on the street corners. They were replaced by electric ones after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, which was followed by terrible fires from the kerosene lamps.

Alonso Horton bought 800 acres here for $265. The land was full of jackrabbits and was referred to as Rabbitville. Horton didn’t want any alleys because he believed they bred “rebels and rubbish”. His design allowed for corner lots, which made him more money, but caused a lot of traffic. The town was called New Town, but as it grew, and he prospered, he was able to switch names with San Diego. This district was like the wild, wild West, with gambling and saloons on 5th Avenue. Wyatt Earp operated several. It was the equivalent to Bourbon Street.

Barrio Logan was my next stop to take in 40+ years of colorful murals. I enjoyed the vibe here and heard about a taco place that has been in business for 90 years. It’s lunch only, cash only, and when they’re out, they’re closed!

Coronado was next, which is actually a peninsula, not an island. In the late 1800s there was nothing there, no trees or fresh drinking water. Elisha Babcock and Hampton Story were two men from the Midwest who hunted and fished on the land and became buddies. Together, they dreamed of developing the peninsula and starting a hotel. They bought 4100 acres for $110,000. They decided to auction off 248 lots in 1885 so that they could raise money to form a rail system and bring in water. Word spread and instead of the 400 people they expected, 6,000 people showed up. Within two hours, they had made their money back. Within two days, they had raised $2.2 million. Using the ocean currents and tugboats, as well as a pipeline from the river running under the island, they made the improvements they wanted. They built the Hotel Del Coronado in 11 months with 399 rooms and 75 bathrooms. It cost $2.50 to stay there for the night. Today there are 757 rooms, which go for $600-$800 a night.

Not everyone could afford the huge homes on Coronado, so some people brought their smaller cottages from San Diego. They used cranes to transport. Coronado is listed as one of the top 10 beaches in the United States. The dunes on the beach spell out its name.

I enjoyed walking by the small cottages and multimillion dollar homes, and looking at the beautiful flowers, but my absolute favorite was sitting down for an early lunch of ceviche and a local hazy IPA.

Our guide told an interesting story as we were driving back over the Coronado Bridge. John Spreckles, who had taken over the Hotel Del Coronado, offered the Navy space on the island to combat the “riffraff”. The Navy agreed, but refused to pay, instead intending to take the land by eminent domain. Spreckles took them to court and eight years later the Navy bought the land for $5 million and paid $1 million in interest.

The first Navy pilot flew here and the first free fall parachute dive happened here

A return to Balboa Park was next. Originally named City Park, a contest was held and this new name was chosen. 16 museums are housed on the property, as well as gardens and cafés. The Starlight Globe Theater, built in 1933, was so named because it had no roof, and therefore the audience could see the stars. Unfortunately, it is so close to the airport that 80 to 90 planes fly over during the course of a play!

There’s also a replica of the Globe Theater in London. I immediately shot a text off to my daughter, as we had seen a performance there while I was visiting her.

The Museum of Us was a must for me. The exhibits were thought-provoking and sorrowful and illuminating. I was moved by much of what I saw. My favorite exhibit was Race: are we so different? It was amazing to think that you were considered black in Virginia if you had 1/16 African blood, 1/8 was the designation in Florida and other states determined any African heritage at all designated you as black. You could literally cross state lines and change your race. Across the way was the exhibit on cannibalism, which was fascinating.

On weekends, the international section offers food tasting and culture from various countries. On Sundays at 2:00 for the past 100 years, you can listen to an organ performance at the largest outdoor organ pavilion. There’s even a Rembrandt at the free art museum!

A statue of Kate Sessions is a reminder of how she brought seeds to Balboa Park from all over the world.

Back on the road, we drove through bankers Hill, established when the bankers wanted to remove themselves from the Gaslamp Quarter! Off to the right was a steep hill that Tom Cruise rode his motorcycle down in Top Gun.

Now it was time for dessert in Little Italy, as well as a cup of tea. This Little Italy is bigger than New York and San Francisco’s!

Arriving in Old Town San Diego, it seemed more tourist attraction, and I was running out of time, so other than a quick walk down the street, I hopped on the next trolley.

I arrived back at the pier and began walking toward the Coast Guard station to ride home with my daughter. Once there, we took the pups out for a walk around her neighborhood.

My last adventure of the day was a walk up the coast towards La Jolla to watch sunset. Again, a bank of clouds perched above the ocean, so as to prevent the sun from sinking below the horizon. But an adorable hummingbird made a showing in many of my shots!

I learned so much today, but most importantly I celebrated my independence, autonomy, curiosity, joyful exuberance, friendliness, and confidence.

Photos: by LA, 8.11.25