Outdoor display window near the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum asks: How do you type a language with no alphabet?
I was walking through San Diego’s small Chinatown yesterday morning when I spied something really interesting. In a window near the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum a special exhibit is being promoted. The exhibit is titled Radical Machines – Chinese in the Information Age.
How do you type a language with no alphabet? Good question!
I’ll probably check this exhibit out in the next couple months. It runs through April 16, 2017.
A special exhibit titled Radical Machines – Chinese in the Information Age can be seen at the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.Gazing past stone lions at the entrance of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.A manual typewriter whose keys type Western Civilization’s adopted Latin alphabet seems to magically produce sheets of paper containing Chinese characters.
…
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Mysterious gold lettering on a door in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter reads: Law Office Eddie O’Hare, Esquire. It’s actually the sneaky entrance to a speakeasy, the underground, 1920’s themed Prohibition Lounge!
Here’s another batch of cool door photographs, taken during my walks around San Diego.
Some of these doors are rather odd, as you can plainly see! Others have interesting historical significance. Most are just plain fun!
To learn a bit more, read the captions!
Nautical-looking door of the American Tunaboat Association on the Embarcadero near Tuna Harbor.Interesting detail above the door of the 1906 Hearne Surgical Hospital Building in downtown San Diego.These old wooden doors to the patio of Indigo Grill in Little Italy are enormous! I don’t know their origin.A very odd metal door in Little Italy. Seems to me it would quite easy to step around it!Not sure I’d want to follow the arrow and step through this door in the Gaslamp Quarter. Looks dangerous!In San Diego’s small Chinatown one can see a cool sight that traces back to early San Diego history. The door to Quin Produce!The unusually tall stained glass door of the Philippine Library and Museum in the Gaslamp. I’ll probably visit one day!It’s what meets you at the front door of Mexican Fiesta in Seaport Village that’s out of the ordinary. A sculpture of a bandito sitting on a bench!Step through the front door of Cinema Under the Stars in Mission Hills and you’re met by Hollywood movie stars!
…
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
It was drizzling very lightly this morning when I stepped out my door. I walked from Cortez Hill down to Broadway, then over to Santa Fe Depot. My camera was under my umbrella.
The light was dim and uncertain, causing many photographs to come out unfocused. A few strange photographs seem to contain mysterious phantoms from some half-remembered dream. Haunting visions on a wet, drizzly morning.
…
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
An amazing ship model by artist Joe Frangiosa, Jr. One of many fantastic examples in an extensive, special exhibition at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
The Maritime Museum of San Diego currently has an exhibit that’s a lot of fun. It concerns collecting model ships and model ship building! Anyone interested in the hobby or nautical history in general should check it out!
I took a few photos to provide just a taste of what you’ll see. Bring your kids! They’ll love it!
Detailed model of a 74 gun two-decker British Ship of the Line, circa 1800. By artist Joe Frangiosa, Jr.Half a dozen ship models in different scales of the San Salvador, historic galleon of explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who discovered San Diego Bay for Spain in 1542.Tiny models of classic cruise ships, including the famous Titanic.A Native American ancient ship model. This pecked stone boat effigy was found in 2012 on San Clemente Island. It’s at least 1000 years old.Just a few of the many ships in bottles on display now at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.Tiny model ships recreate the Battle of Trafalgar between the British Royal Navy and the Spanish fleet in 1805. Outnumbered, British Admiral Nelson sailed two columns directly into the opposing line of ships.The Cutter Bear, by famous ship modeler Dr. William Brown, a local artist. His amazing work appears in prestigious museums around the world, including Mystic Seaport and the Smithsonian Institution.A Model-Maker and His Art. The collected works of Dr. William Brown. Any serious model ship maker, collector or hobbyist must have this fine publication.
As a member of the Maritime Museum I recently received the latest publication of Mains’l Haul, titled A Model-Maker and His Art. It features the collected works of one of the world’s most famous model ship builders: Dr. William Brown. It’s really amazing! Any serious model ship hobbyist must have a copy of this fine publication in their library. The many photos are extremely detailed–much better than my few, which were taken in dim light through glass!
Hopefully you’ll soon be able to buy A Model-Maker and His Art online here. Or look for it at the museum’s gift shop!
Dr. William Brown produced models of ordinary working boats and ships, as well as historically important vessels. This is L.A. Fire Boat No. 2 which was launched in 1925.Close look at Orizaba, a merchant vessel instrumental in San Diego’s early history. Dr. William Brown has produced dozens of models specifically for the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
…
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
This is the first weekend visitors to the Star of India can walk on the beautiful new poop deck!
We all are a part of history. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that.
The people at the Maritime Museum of San Diego are contributing to history by restoring the main deck of the world-famous Star of India. The poop deck is finished! Visitors can now enjoy the beautiful new wood deck and varnished helm and imagine putting to sea steering the romantic wheel. On a historic tall ship that is now 153 years old!
The beautiful new wood deck underfoot is meant to last another 50 or so years. The bench along the saloon’s skylight will be sanded and varnished next.The 1863 Star of India is a world treasure. Its amazing, varied history includes circumnavigating the globe 21 times. It’s the oldest active sailing ship in the world!A visitor rang the ship’s cheerful bell while his friends talked near the binnacle and helm.The helm’s new varnish is still drying! In my dreams I command this amazing tall ship while standing at the wheel!A super nice Maritime Museum docent showed me how the steering mechanism works. The two opposing screw-like worms were made with amazing precision over 150 years ago!The port side of the main deck has been caulked! Now just to sand and apply several layers of sealing protection.The people at the Maritime Museum of San Diego are working hard to keep an important part of world history alive.The finished main deck on the starboard side. Soon the entire ship’s deck will be shiny like new!Folks enjoy a sunny San Diego day on the newly restored poop deck of the historic tall ship Star of India.
…
This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
People gather near the beach to watch the 2nd Annual Ocean Beach Pier Surf Classic.
Here come some cool surf photos!
I went to the 2nd Annual Ocean Beach Pier Surf Classic today and enjoyed walking around and watching the action from atop the OB pier.
What a beautiful, perfect day. Check it out!
The OB Pier stretches into the Pacific Ocean on a beautiful morning in early February. A fun surf competition is underway.I believe these guys were signing up people for a beach cleanup.Catching a football on the beach while two surfers head toward the water.Considering the event is only two years old, a nice turnout was evident along the boardwalk.A musician plays in OB during a surf community celebration.I believe the winners in different categories would take home one of these small surfboards.Hanging out on the sea wall and the sand berm. The latter protects the nearby street and businesses from high water during winter storms.A horn sounds. The 10:30 heat is starting out across the beach! May the best surfer win!The surf competitors enter the water.One of the surfers has caught a nice wave. The surf was high today and not terribly choppy, making for some pretty good rides.Pacific Beach and La Jolla can be seen in the distance.Two surfers tackle a good breaker!OB is a haven for Southern California surfers. It’s fun to watch from the pier.A nice shot. This local surfer went under the pier and emerged near the competitors.A fun surf photo. (About the best my little camera can manage at a distance.)People on the pier look out across the foamy water.Keep having a good day!More cool action at the 2nd Annual OB Pier Surf Classic.A line of pelicans flies overhead.People enjoy a warm San Diego winter day on the OB pier. One of my favorite places.Leaning over the rail watching surfers below.The guys surfing the south side of the pier were catching some fairly big waves.Today San Diego beaches were under a high surf advisory. Perfect for experienced surfers!Surfer in a wetsuit about to paddle under the pier.Some photographers and videographers were recording the action.Wow! Check out this pic of the surf competition! Very cool!Riding smoothly in toward the shore.Meanwhile, along the beach people were simply enjoying life.An artist was displaying some colorful surf art at the competition.An announcer calls the action so everyone can follow along.A wonderful day at the 2nd Annual Ocean Beach Pier Surf Classic. Here’s to many more years of success!
…
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Gaslamp Museum at the William Heath Davis House and Park, 1850. Home of the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation.
These photos inside the historic William Heath Davis House Museum were taken a few months ago. I toured the fascinating house during the Fall Back Festival, which is held every year in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.
Dated 1850, the William Heath Davis House, like a number of other structures in early San Diego, was built on the East Coast and shipped around Cape Horn. At the time San Diego simply didn’t have the resources and tools required to build a fine wooden house. Various rooms inside the museum show what life was like in New Town a century and a half ago. It was a much simpler time. The small museum now sits in the middle of a gigantic, bustling metropolis.
Please read the photo captions for more info, and click the signs to read them.
Photo of the William Heath Davis House Museum taken from across Island Avenue.Tours of the historic house are available. A museum store contains fascinating gifts.The William Heath Davis House, built in 1850, is the oldest surviving structure from San Diego’s New Town. It is a prefabricated “salt-box” style home, shipped from Portland, Maine around Cape Horn.The 1850 Davis-Horton House was used as a military barracks, county hospital, and was home to New Town’s founder Alonzo Horton and several other families over the years.Looking down the stairs from the second floor. A lady in Victorian attire welcomes visitors to the museum during the Fall Back Festival in November.A look at the first floor living room where family and guests would gather.A small piano, sheet music, teacup and candle. Entertainment in the olden days was simple.The dining table is set for a grand meal in what was then a sparsely populated New Town San Diego.An old sewing machine can be found by a window upstairs.The nursery, with crib, chest and small bed.Three beds for the children have colorful quilts.A desk in the study, framed photos, and a cabinet full of books. No internet back then!An old-fashioned penny-farthing bicycle reminds visitors to the William Heath Davis House Museum of what life was like a century and a half ago in San Diego.
…
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Adopt Leticia! She’s a silly Chihuahua and Rat Terrier mix who loves fluffy beds and meeting new people!
Lots of potential furry friends are awaiting adoption at the San Diego Humane Society. They’d like to meet you!
I spotted some fun flyers while walking near Balboa Park yesterday evening. They feature some friendly four-legged folk who are waiting to be adopted. Visit the San Diego Humane Society website to find out more!
Adopt Ellie and Bob! These special kitties are best friends who seek a compassionate human who understands the nature of shy cats.Adopt Lacey! She is a calm, loving girl who is really smart.Hey there, I’m Regal! This social gentleman is ready for a home of his own! He loves belly rubs and tennis balls and being with his people!
Walking past public art in Chula Vista’s Bayside Park. The Fisherman is a sculpture of a great egret, created by Stephen Fairfield, 2006.
Look at these cool examples of public art! I spotted them Saturday during my visit to Chula Vista’s Bayside Park.
Some of the artwork, as you can see, is rather strange and surprising! Read the photo captions to learn more!
The Fisherman, by Stephen Fairfield, was a part of a past Urban Trees exhibition along San Diego’s Embarcadero. It’s now part of the Port of San Diego Tidelands Collection.Dark shadow of what appears to be a gigantic egret on a walkway in Bayside Park.One of several tables by San Diego Bay containing a tile chess board.Walking north along the beach area. Downtown San Diego and the Coronado Bay Bridge can be seen in the distance.Still walking north, toward more interesting public art at Chula Vista’s Bayside Park. This is Wind Oars by George Peters and Melanie Walker, 2004.Oars in the blue sky change position in the shifting wind. A kinetic artwork landmark in San Diego’s South Bay.Like rowing through blue water above.At the north end of Bayside Park, we now approach some unusual temporary art. Bench Party, by artists Jose Parral and Tasia Paulson, will be on display through May 20, 2017.Visitors to the Bayside Park might sit here and talk, or take in views of San Diego Bay.A large group of people could sit here and have a bench party!The huge travelift at Marine Group Boat Works in Chula Vista is seen beyond the benches. Super yachts and large boats can be lifted out of the water there.A breakwater by Marine Group Boat Works looks like strange art on the water. Rising in the distance we can see Point Loma.A bird swims past stacked rocks.Feeding birds at a park picnic bench.A second sculpture from an Urban Trees exhibition is also located at Bayside Park. This is San Diego Synergy, by Kent Kraber, 2007.Seabirds soar above fish, their food.A school of fish in the ocean kelp.A silvery tuna between a fishing boat and sailboat, at the base of the San Diego Synergy sculpture in Chula Vista.
…
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Early morning sunlight reflects from a building’s shining windows in Mission Valley, casting heavenly beams of light through a slight fog.
It was very foggy this morning in downtown San Diego. I had my camera out as I walked from the top of Cortez Hill to the Civic Center trolley station. By the time I reached Mission Valley, the fog had mostly dissipated. I was very fortunate to capture that almost heavenly first photo! Those slanting beams are exactly as they appeared to the eye!
A bird flies past Cortez Blu, which rises into a foggy downtown San Diego sky.Vantage Pointe in downtown San Diego rises into a fog illuminated by the rising sun.Fog and sunlight create a magical morning photo of skyscrapers on B Street in the heart of San Diego.Beautiful light on tall ghostly buildings.
…
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Cool San Diego Sights! 