I know it’s not quite Friday yet–there’s still a few hours to go as I post this. But no matter.
The weekend is almost here!
For your enjoyment, I now present these random fun photographs that I took in the past few weeks!
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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!
Strange to say, but one of the most iconic landmarks in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood is a gigantic water tower.
Even stranger, should you wander around North Park, you’ll discover not one water tower, but two! The one is absolutely enormous, but the other is much smaller–and in fact isn’t a genuine water tower at all!
I took photos of the mini-water tower several weeks back. Drivers coming down Interstate 805 might glimpse it by looking up as they pass north of El Cajon Boulevard. It’s located at the intersection of Meade Avenue and Boundary Street.
The smaller tower is actually an AT&T cell tower that was erected several years ago. North Park signs on the disguised antenna greet alert travelers coming in either direction down the freeway. I was surprised to find a small, somewhat neglected garden beside the unique cell tower.
The genuine, gigantic, historic North Park Water Tower is over 140 feet tall. It stands near North Park Community Park just south of El Cajon Boulevard and was built in 1924.
According to this article, there were claims that it was “largest elevated tank in the world” when constructed, and held more than one million gallons of water but now is decommissioned and empty since the 1990s.
Today the tall North Park Water Tower is an iconic landmark that can be seen from many city blocks in every direction. Its unique design and historical importance has been recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
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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 photos for you to enjoy!
I can’t believe it. A couple days ago WordPress notified me that this Cool San Diego Sights blog is now eight years old. Time flies.
I see that five years ago, in September 2016, there were many interesting events going on in San Diego, particularly during the Labor Day weekend.
Among other things, I took photos at the Festival of Sail, the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge and Fleet Week. Later in the month I also documented the departure of a popular Civic Organist and a beloved Padres broadcaster.
Check out the upcoming links and you’ll see my camera was very busy back then!
Click the following links for lots of photographs…
Amazing, beautiful tall ships visit San Diego!
Cool California Carvers create sand sculpture art!
The most amazing sand sculptures in the world!
Photos from 2016 Fleet Week in San Diego.
A wonderful Chinese Moon Festival in Balboa Park!
Roald Dahl celebrated in San Diego’s Balboa Park!
Fun photos of Trolley Dances at Fault Line Park!
San Diego says goodbye to popular Civic Organist.
Celebrating Dick Enberg at his final Padres home game.
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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 phone or 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.
The alley in Escondido that I visited a couple weekends ago, where I found many Esco Alley Art murals and alley cats painted on dumpsters, contains even more fun artwork!
Take a look!
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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!
A beautiful, thought-provoking mural was painted earlier this year on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. I saw it last weekend on the parking lot wall of Little Lion Cafe. The mural, I learned, was painted by Aaron Glasson, an artist who lives in Ocean Beach just a few blocks away.
Next to the mural I found an article printed in the Point Loma-OB Monthly concerning the artwork and its creation. You can read the article online here. The four women in the canoe form a racially diverse group. If there’s a basic message in the mural it’s that Ocean Beach is a diverse and welcoming community.
The mural is located just north of Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. Should you visit this scenic coastal stretch of Point Loma, keep your eyes peeled for the Little Lion Cafe!
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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!
Every time a world-class organist performs in Balboa Park, the Spreckels Organ shines.
Tonight the Spreckels Organ, largest outdoor instrument in the world, one of San Diego’s most unique and precious treasures, absolutely sparkled.
Concert organist Hector Olivera filled Balboa Park with magic during the first performance of the two-month-long San Diego International Organ Festival.
Hector Olivera, considered one of the greatest organists alive, took the stage with his humor and deft touch and created something extraordinary. I sat mesmerized throughout the concert. The music he summoned from the Spreckels Organ was subtle, luminous, alive.
Hector Olivera was a child prodigy. As a five-year-old he played for Eva Perón. Before he’d left his teens he’d performed for heads of state. He has since played in many of the world’s most prestigious venues.
Tonight he started the 2021 San Diego International Organ Festival with an act that will be hard to top. But more top organists are coming, including San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez!
If you love listening to world-class musicians you must go to this free weekly event. The Spreckels Organ shines in Balboa Park every Monday at 7:30 pm through October 25, 2021!
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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!
One of San Diego’s most amazing, scenic walks is along Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma.
Yesterday I walked along the length of Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, which stretches for about 1.5 miles beside the Pacific Ocean. I started near the intersection of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and Adair Street and headed south to Ladera Street, where there’s a popular beach, nature trails and stairs down to a small cave and rocky tide pools.
The August summer day was perfect for a long walk. The sun didn’t break through the coastal marine layer until the very end of my adventure, and the sea breeze was pleasantly cool.
Views of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the steep, rugged cliffs seemed endless. The mostly dirt Coastal Trail I followed wound above the high eroded bluffs, past a few pocket beaches and past sea caves and picturesque sandstone arches.
In places the cliffs have collapsed from the constant powerful action of tides and incoming waves. Many signs warn people away from the edge of the unstable cliffs.
I met a painter. I met friendly lifeguards training for cliff rescues. I saw benches along the path dedicated to lost loved ones and sunsets. Many were standing and sitting at the ocean’s edge, peering at eternity with silent wonder.
As you can see from my photographs, nature’s hand creates beauty everywhere it moves.
If you like to stretch your legs and spirit, and you happen to be in San Diego, it’s likely you’ll love this walk, too.
As I walked along, I met Scotty Painta. He paints beautiful small scenes from Sunset Cliffs. We had a friendly chat and my day was enriched.
I met three lifeguards. They had slender ropes dangling down an almost vertical bluff. They were practicing cliff rescues. Jake told me a little about what they do. Thank you.
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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 phone or 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.
I walked along Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma today.
As I moved along the edge of the Pacific Ocean, looking out at the horizon from atop the high sandstone bluffs, the corner of my eye was caught by something colorful and bright. It was a bench beside the path overlooking the water.
The bench is very special, as you can see from my photos.
I found flowers, memories, and a poem written by Deborah R. Culver titled Your Mother Is Always With You. Read the powerful but simple words.
I will share photographs from my amazing walk along Sunset Cliffs shortly. I’m getting them ready right now.
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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!
There’s a mural in an Ocean Beach alley that perfectly captures the vibe of this laid-back San Diego community. The spray painted artwork depicts a Hippie Dog!
I saw the mural today as I walked down Cable Street, just south of Newport Avenue. It’s on one side of Maxoto Auto Service.
The artist is @monocrew, and I see from their Instagram page the mural is a tribute to nearby Dog Beach and a particular dog named Tigger. It was painted back in February this year.
That’s one very cool dog!
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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 photos for you to enjoy!
History was made today in San Diego’s always amazing Balboa Park. Nine beautiful new International Cottages finally opened to the public!
A ribbon cutting ceremony late in the morning was followed by a procession of flags and youthful House of Pacific Relations Queens. Inspirational and congratulatory speeches were then made, including words from San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.
After various dignitaries and consulate representatives spoke, a happy crowd watched cultural performances by each of the nations with new cottages!
Those nations or cultural units are: Mexico, Panama, the Philippines, Korea, India, Peru, Palestine, Chamorro and Turkey.
Everyone received great applause. Smiles like sunshine radiated from every face. The audience and participants formed one big very colorful family. History was made.
If only this troubled world could take notice.
I took photographs before, during, and after the ceremony…
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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 photos for you to enjoy!
Cool San Diego Sights! 