This evening I was walking along Broadway past the new, almost completed InterContinental San Diego when I noticed a couple of guys installing artwork near the waterfront luxury hotel’s entrance.
I spoke briefly to one of the workers and learned they were following a general design that was provided to them. I’m not sure who the artist is, but I like what I see so far!
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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!
An old pile once used to support Anthony’s Fish Grotto on San Diego’s Embarcadero is removed with a large crane.
Here’s a quick, fun post . . . about posts!
I got off work early this afternoon, so I took a slow walk along the Embarcadero. By sheer chance, today happened to be the day that old piles from the now demolished Anthony’s Fish Grotto were being extracted.
After watching a large crane on a barge lift one pile skyward, I asked a nearby worker to describe what I was seeing. He explained that the long concrete piles had been installed in 1964, and had supported the old Anthony’s Fish Grotto structure for half a century. I stood for a while and watched the crane do some more heavy lifting.
My friend Carlos, who shows his cool artistic creations near the water, had watched this activity for much of the day. He told me that in the morning some powerful machinery had gripped and violently vibrated each pile for 30 seconds or so, in order to loosen them prior to extraction. I wish I had seen that!
Many extracted piles were already stacked on the barge beside the crane when I walked by.Several construction workers were making ready for a new project. The Portside Pier will include a Brigantine restaurant, several smaller eateries and a public observation deck. I believe the supporting structures you see in the water will remain.My friend Carlos points toward some fascinating activity on the bayfront. I see the Star of India and the Maritime Museum of San Diego in the distance.A gull circles overhead as a long, dripping wet pile is carefully hoisted skyward!
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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 mysterious, glittering reflection of the Port Pavilion on San Diego Bay.
So many new buildings are rising around downtown my head spins whenever I’m out for a walk.
In the past few years a host of gleaming high-rises has materialized near the water, and the Embarcadero has been so dramatically improved I can barely recall the way our waterfront once appeared.
This morning during a walk I captured some dreamlike visions with my camera. And my mind began to ponder the stealthy passage of time. The past can be so difficult to remember…the future can be so difficult to envision…
Another morning. A gull glides over smooth San Diego Bay. A short distance north of downtown, the Coast Guard station shines in the early sunlight.Reflections of buildings along San Diego’s waterfront. Like dancing fragments of light, these visions change as the years pass quickly by.The InterContinental Hotel, under construction at the location of old Lane Field, is beginning to appear complete.Near the Broadway Pier, morning light invites people into the brand new day. Remnants of past days are quietly swept up.A crane on a barge. The demolition of Anthony’s Fish Grotto on the Embarcadero has begun.A peek into the past, and into the future.
If you’d like to time travel on this blog, here are some links concerning past construction along the Embarcadero, in chronological order.
I myself hadn’t visited some of these old posts for years. Memories were rekindled…
Holiday by the Bay in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront opened on Thanksgiving. There is an ice rink, Christmas-themed miniature golf and many colorful lights.
During my walk this evening I noticed that Holiday by the Bay has opened. It’s Thanksgiving Day.
Cheerful lights surround a small ice rink and a fun Christmas-themed miniature golf course in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. While just one person was skating as I walked by, it looks like a wonderful place to spend some time!
Holiday by the Bay is open until New Year’s Day. With every ticket purchased, Hilton will give $1 to USO San Diego. According to the Hilton website, one can eat breakfast outside here with Santa!
Best of all, it’s a place of innocent joy and peace. On beautiful San Diego Bay.
It’s early evening. Someone enjoys the ice rink on San Diego’s beautiful waterfront.It’s almost sunset on Thanksgiving Day. Some cheerful Christmas trees are lit.Lights, fun and good cheer await visitors to Holiday by the Bay!
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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!
This afternoon I went on a long, chilly walk along San Diego Bay. The sky was mostly gray. I regretted not wearing a light jacket. But I pressed on.
You never know when the sun might burst through.
The winter ice rink is being set up in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Anticipating warm holiday cheer.Few people are out walking under the gray clouds. But two can always hold hands.Pigeons swoop in long searching circles, before settling somewhere far away.The sun is up there. Somewhere.This person moving forward refuses to retreat.Time takes a toll. The Marriott Marina is slowly being refurbished. Pushing forward, looking ahead.A worker defies gravity near the Marriott Marquis.Surfing Santa is awaiting a perfect wave–it should arrive in Seaport Village before too long.Who is that lifting his hat? It’s Mitchell, the cool didgeridoo guy! I was reminded by Mitchell that Earth’s sun is a G-type main-sequence star. I had forgotten. Nuclear fusion is pretty warm!A smile like a ray of sunshine.
(And here I must make an apology.
While I sat on a rail speaking to Mitchell about life, the cosmos, and whatever, two smiling ladies came on by pushing a cart full of Noosa yogurt samples. Mitchell earned his sample by summoning deep magic with his didgeridoo. For my sample, I promised to post a photo of the smiling ladies on my blog–right here–where there is no photo.
Sorry. My camera beeped as if a photo were taken. But alas. My battery went dead and it turns out I don’t have that smiling photo.
I will say, however, that my Noosa yogurt was super creamy, yummy, and scrumdiddlyumptious. I really liked the bits of chocolate. I’m a sucker for chocolate.
There. Now will you forgive me?
Thank you ladies for helping to lift my spirits–it fits this theme perfectly!)
A distant kiteboarder, harnessing the wind, rises above San Diego Bay.Who cares about the weather? One can always make bubbles.Even during a gloomy spell, life can be very good! Just smile!
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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 the metal Wind Palms in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront catches golden light at the end of an autumn day.
I walked along the Embarcadero late today. As I reached the Hilton San Diego Bayfront the sun was beginning to set. Looking up, I observed that golden rays of waning sunlight had been magically captured by some peculiar palm trees…
Sunset begins behind the trees of Embarcadero Marina Park South.Late sunlight on one of the rotating Wind Palms created by artist Ned Kahn in 2008.People walk and jog along San Diego’s Embarcadero as evening approaches.Waning rays of sunlight, magically captured.
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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!
Lots of activity on the grass behind the San Diego Convention Center. It’s the Saturday before 2017 Comic-Con! A big wrap is being applied to the Bayfront Hilton!
This afternoon I walked all around the San Diego Convention Center and the Gaslamp Quarter. The application of building wraps and the construction of most outdoor venues is well underway with five days to go until Comic-Con! I didn’t walk around Petco Park. The Giants are in town through Sunday. I’ll probably head that way in the next couple days to see what, if anything, is going on!
These guys are starting to set up the Adult Swim site.A guy said Fox will have their site in the middle area of the grass, like last year.Looks like a lot of work is still to be done! They’ve got five days!I see a wrap being applied to the Marriott Marquis!The outdoor site for FX this year, like past years, will be on the grass right in front of the Hilton.A closer look at the developing Marriott wrap. It will promote the TBS comedy television series People of Earth.Working on the Midnight, Texas attraction near the Tin Fish.More Netflix wraps are going up on the Hilton Gaslamp.Will Smith peers brightly from between palm trees.Looks like another strange thing is being attached to a building in downtown San Diego. Five days until the start of 2017 Comic-Con!
I also noticed that work continues at The Tick Takeover site! I haven’t seen a 20-foot-tall animatronic Tick yet! You’ll see it shortly after I see it!
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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 bicyclist passes reflections on the glassy two-level ballroom of the Marriott Marquis.
Here are two magical photos. Bright reflections of nearby high-rises were captured by my camera as I walked past the new ballroom expansion of the Marriott Marquis. I love San Diego’s beautiful waterfront.
Optical magic on glass windows.
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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!
Late this afternoon I walked along the Embarcadero. People were out and about, strolling, lingering by the water. My camera found magic, wonder and warmth.
Doing a bit of work on a boat in Marriott Marina.Strolling along San Diego’s waterfront on a warm late Friday afternoon.A pedicab driver relaxes while awaiting some business.Something interesting must be down in the water.Three friends walk along the Embarcadero.Two friends share a moment.On green grass, under a green tree.Silver light and a dreamlike sailboat.
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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!
Ready to board the small Pilot boat, one of many historic vessels at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. We’re going to enjoy a short harbor cruise!
A couple months ago I went on a short tour of San Diego Bay on the Pilot, a historic vessel owned by the Maritime Museum of San Diego. When you buy a ticket for the museum, you can pay a little extra and enjoy a fun look at San Diego’s harbor in the open air aboard the Pilot. I recommend it!
Come with me and get a small taste of what you’ll experience. Obviously, these few photographs are no substitute for the ocean breeze, sunshine and sparkling blue water.
A plaque indicates the 1914 Pilot Boat has 82 years of service and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. For decades it helped thousands of ships safely enter and exit San Diego Bay.Captain of the Pilot is getting ready to pull away from the floating museum.Here we go out onto San Diego Bay! I see Californian, the official tall ship of the state of California, to our left.It’s a pleasant day out on the water. We head initially in the direction of Shelter Island and Point Loma.We’ve turned southward and pass the ships of the Maritime Museum. Part of San Diego’s skyline is visible in this photo.There are two big cruise ships in port today. Some of these ships are larger than downtown buildings!Out toward Point Loma many sailboats are participating in a regatta.We’re continuing south and now I see the second cruise ship by the Port Pavilion.We’ve passed the USS Midway. Just enjoying the blue water and sunshine.Yay! We get to slow down to photograph sea lions sleeping on a harbor buoy.Beautiful sailboats were tilting in the breeze and many passed so close we could hear the canvas flapping.Looking south as we approach the Coronado Bay Bridge. Way off in the distance I see Mexico. Nearer, to the right, is a part of Coronado–the Naval Amphibious Base where Navy Seals train.Under the bridge we go, while looking east at two Navy ships.Shortly after passing under the bridge, we turn around and head back north near the shipyards. I see BAE Systems Ship Repair’s huge dry dock. These two friendly passengers were visiting San Diego.Back north of the Coronado Bay Bridge, now passing the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal.A magical look west toward sails, clouds and the descending sun.Here comes a speedy sailboat behind us!The handsome Manchester Grand Hyatt buildings. One can observe San Diego from two large windows on the 40th floor. They are in the tower on the right. This Hyatt is the tallest waterfront hotel on the West Coast.Our tour guide points toward Seaport Village. I see the silvery Marriott Marquis to the right.I love the G Street Pier and the fishing vessels that dock by it. Just beyond is Tuna Harbor. Sometimes I post photos of lobster traps and other cool stuff piled on this working pier.This harbor tour is going fast! We’re already passing under the immense bow of the USS Midway aircraft carrier museum.Some guys watch us from the end of Navy Pier near the USS Midway Museum.We’ve returned to the Maritime Museum of San Diego. There’s the beautiful Star of India, oldest active sailing ship in the world, one of our city’s prized gems.And here’s HMS Surprise. If this replica Royal Navy frigate looks familiar, you might have seen Russell Crowe walking her decks in the great movie Master and Commander.It’s the distinctive County Administration Building.About to tie up near the museum’s restored Swift Boat. I went on a ride aboard the Swift Boat some time ago. We went further south in the bay on that tour and got a good look at many active Navy ships.While I linger at the museum and check out lots of cool nautical stuff, the Pilot takes off on another fun tour. Should you visit San Diego, I recommend buying a ticket!
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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!
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