Lock'eim from San Diego

Had a fun filled five days in San Diego. We stayed with a friends Mom & Dad in Scrips Ranch - a pretty suburb about 25 minutes up the terrifying and death defying freeway. Our friend, Averil and Richard had a very comfortable house with great views over San Diego. They lent us one of their cars and were fantastic hosts - even though we had to watch the nightly episodes of Jeopardy and Dancing with the Stars - it was worth it.  

Richie did an amazing job of navigating the freeways - which basically involves driving onto the on ramp at about 120 ks and not looking at the merging traffic - who dares wins. In the US speed limits are just a starting suggestion! anyway we survived.

It was love.......

We spent the first day exploring Bilboa Park - in and out of the 10 or so museums and gardens. We caught the ferry from down town to Coranado and walked across the island to the Del Hotel for drinks - very old and very cool hotel - although full of middle aged, middle class people (not at all like Richard and I of course :-)

The best day was the visit to the San Diego Zoo - first we took the Zoo bus tour - the lazy way to see the zoo; then we took the cable car over the zoo and we spent the rest of the day on foot. My favourite was the Polar Bears - it was love at first sight - sadly it wasn't reciprocated - I might have been a tasty, high calorie morsel at best.

The most interesting day in San Diego was when our friends took us to their Synagogue/School to listen to some trainee Rabbis (The Macabeats) singing barbershop style - they were very talented and apparently had sung for President Obama - (this was before he started talking about the 1967 Israeli borders and now everyone hates him). The crowd were even more interesting than the singing Rabbis - many women wearing wigs (head coverings - go figure) and 8 or 9 children each. Everyone was very friendly and the food was great. Soooo interesting…………..

The Macabeats

As I write this we are at San Diego airport….. the flight is delayed - no surprises there. We are trying not to notice the two very fat people directly in front of us and shoveling food down the faces…… (yes we are getting very judgemental). I guess we had better get ready for Vegas - I'm sure it brings out the worst - like Kuta Beach and West Australians. Fortunately I have my Ipod and the new Keith Richards biography to distract me…...