San Diego Week 2

I have not made it to the beach yet, maybe this week.  San Diego is a very cool city, lots of things to do and see.  Yesterday I went to an area called Hillcrest, it is near the University.  First I went to a place called Hash a GoGo for breakfast, the portions are enormous, so I was pretty full by the time I finished breakfast (no I did not eat it all).  Then I went exploring, I found all kinds of thrift stores and used two used bookstores, so stocked up on hard reading material.  I have my ipad here, but when I am going out and about I prefer to read real books.  There is also a great hat store, G&T you would have d loved it, and other small stores with cool stuff in them.  I asked one of the people at a bookstore for a recommendation to a coffee shop, and she recommended a French cafe/patisserie which was great.  I was still full from breakfast, so I just had coffee, but think I will go back and have a treat one day.

A lot of Museums are located in Balboa Park, which is a 30 minute bus ride away from where I am staying.  I went to see the Museum of Man, which had an exhibit from Spain, called Instruments of Torture, it was very disturbing, some of the artifacts were from 4 or 5 hundred years ago, but they(or updated versions of them)  were still being used in the 20th century.  The rest of the museum was a little more upbeat, one exhibit was all about beer, it's history and all the different kinds around the world.  Another exhibit was all about the Mayans, and their hieroglyphics and calendars.

I took the train out to an outlet mall, that is right at the border between the US and Mexico.  My bus pass is really handy.  The cost to take a bus is 2.25 a ride, and there are no transfers given, if you are going to take the bus, then the train  (like the LRT),which costs 2.50 one way, you pay separate fares so without a pass it could cost 4.75 to get there then another 4.75 to get back.  You can also get a day pass for 5.00 which lets you ride all day for that.  There are a lot of people using mobility devices (wheelchairs, scooters) who use the bus, and unlike Edmonton, the driver has to get up and strap them in, which could explain why the bus is late a lot.  Most of the drivers on the routes I have taken are very friendly.  The bus numbers I use to get from my place to downtown are the 3 and the 5, just the same as when I stay at Allison's so they are very easy to remember.

Weather has been unseasonably warm, according to people I have talked to, but you still see people wearing what I would call winter coats, and toques and scarves.