CALIFORNIA - Giving St. Francis his due

I realise that although I'm actually not in California anymore (not even in the USA at the moment...) I've really not given San Diego it's proper dues yet. I guess the proliferation of big rocks and Disneyland got me distracted. And yet San Diego itself has plenty of things worth talking about. First off: the Pacific...


Me, Olivia and the Pacific Ocean. One of my favourite oceans. Definetly makes the top five.

... about which I have very little to say except that it's very big and has nice white sandy beaches. But it needs more car parking spaces: we had to drive up and down our patch of coast several times before finding one. And the sand gets really hot. (I realise that it's when I start finding things like this annoying that I'm becoming quite Californian)


The first San Diego mission. Featuring, quite literally, bells and smells.

Back in the city and we stopped off at the first San Diego mission. Founded by Franciscan monks supporting the Spanish colonists in southern California, the missions stretching down the coast served as both points of defence and centres for missionary activity. It's a bit of an odd combination, born out by the design of the missions themselves which still house beautiful chapels and gardens enclosed within high stone walls. Olivia, Laura and I got a kick from bizarre designs on the Stations of the Cross, the quite pitiful set of offerings left for St. Anthony of Padua and the "more tricky than it looks" ritual of throwing silver over one's left shoulder to acquire wishes from St. Francis. Although, it turns out, the only wish you're allowed is for world peace. Darn.


Olivia tries her luck with the St. Francis wishing well. She managed, quite impressivly, to both miss the pool and indeed the statue itself. Just as well, really, as she was throwing over her wrong shoulder. And not even with silver, the cheapskate...

I'm a big fan of southern California. It's appropriatly dramatic for my landscape tastes, and even desolate if you can get far enough away from the cities. But then you'd miss out on San Diego and LA and that'd be a real shame. Much hugs and love to the Taberts for their hospitality: whether it be the free haircuts, the Extrodinary Deserts or the entertainment value provided by attacking Buzz Lightyear. (Yes, really)


Continuing the not-acclaimed-yet "from the air" series: San Diego. From the air.