A wrinkly dog stands eternally inside the front door of Korky’s Ice Cream and Coffee in Old Town San Diego.
Here’s a fun blog post!
Once in a while during my walks I come across art depicting dogs or cats. And sometimes it occurs to me to take a photograph!
Today I rode the trolley to Old Town, where I discovered some more dogs and cats running about my field of vision!
Some of these photos were taken elsewhere in San Diego and have been sitting in my computer waiting for the right moment.
Enjoy!
A cool cat bench outside the entrance of the Coronado Veterinary Hospital.Two dogs stand guard on a downtown San Diego sidewalk.This realistic cat seems ready to jump from a flower pot.Pottery pooches on a shop’s shelf in Old Town.An army of ceramic pooches!Beautiful dog art for sale inside Seaport Village’s fantastic The Tile Shop.A curious cat observes a blue moth on a flower.u mad bro?A very colorful cat bag.Two dogs run in circles at the Balboa Park Carousel.A dog with a sore head. A funny image on the side of downtown San Diego’s Banfield Pet Hospital.A chalk cat in Balboa Park waves to passing visitors. Fun art outside the Mingei Museum’s Collectors Gallery.A fat cat who loves treats!A dog at Dick’s Last Resort tugs wildly at his leash!Two cats in one window!
Today I also revisited the Old Town Model Railroad Depot, and I took more photos of the awesome O-Scale layout! To see them, click here and check out that old post’s update!
I’ve been busy! Coming up will be blog posts concerning the famous Whaley House, the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center in Balboa Park, and something super amazing inside the San Diego Automotive Museum. But it takes time to choose and prepare photos—-and to do necessary research–give me a few days!
Thanks for following my blog! I hope you all enjoy these glimpses of San Diego as much as I do!
One of many park benches near the beautiful water of Mission Bay.
My walk today took me a good distance around Mission Bay.
Benches can be found at intervals along the pedestrian and bike path that circles much of the bay. Most of these benches feature a small plaque dedicated to a beloved person or memory.
I paused on several occasions to read these thoughtful plaques. One really touched me for some reason. I found it at the base of a quiet bench next to Riviera Shores. It is dedicated to Murf the Surf and Camellia the Pretty Good Dog.
There are so many stories, and so many lives. There’s much love in this world.
While I sat quietly on the bench, runners breezed past.I gazed across the sand at the calm blue water. Many have found enjoyment here.1999 – In Loving Memory – Murf the Surf and Camellia the Pretty Good Dog. They loved this beach. Ed and Beth of Buena Vista Street.
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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!
Loving, intelligent guide dogs and their trainers attend a special event in San Diego.
During my walk today I came across a special event taking place at Embarcadero Marina Park North. A local group representing Guide Dogs for the Blind was having a gathering by San Diego Bay!
I was impressed at how loving and intelligent the guide dogs all were. I asked where people could go to learn more about possibly raising a guide dog, and was told to check out this website!
According to a handout I received, Guide Dogs for the Blind was created in 1942 to aid servicemen blinded in World War II. I also learned their services are offered free to people throughout the United States and Canada.
If you know someone who is blind or visually impaired, tell them about Guide Dogs for the Blind! Or check out their puppy raising program!
Guide Dogs for the Blind had a special gathering today at Embarcadero Marina Park North.You see a puppy, a person who is blind sees the world.This best friend can make a difficult life much better.Guide Dogs for the Blind. Raise a puppy. Change a life.
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!
Tiny dogs surf mighty waves in Imperial Beach during the 11th Annual Unleashed by Petco Surf Dog Competition!
And now for something on the light side. Surfing dogs!
Enjoy these funny photos of tiny dogs riding “huge” ocean waves near the pier at Imperial Beach! This morning I swung by the 11th Annual Unleashed by Petco Surf Dog Competition, just to check out the action. The first 10-minute heat featured smaller breeds. These dogs are some of the most talented surfing athletes you’re likely to ever see! Well . . . maybe. But they definitely appeared to be having fun!
All you non-dog athletes, take note! No aspiration is too lofty! No wave is too large!
A crowd gathers on the beach in the morning, as the very popular Surf Dog Competition is almost ready to begin!A pooch says “Hi” while hanging out with a few buddies. It’s going to be another great day in San Diego!This thoughtful dog is checking out the perimeter of the surf competition starting area, which is fenced off from those often interfering human types.We’re almost ready for the first heat! These small dogs pose atop their surfboards for photos and make the most of their superstar status.A line of people awaits the start of the Unleashed by Petco Surf Dog Competition’s first 10-minute heat of the day!And these small surf dogs are off, making toward the Pacific Ocean with the help of a few human assistants!The excitement has built to a doggone unbelievable level. Which four-legged contestant will catch the best waves and impress the judges?The crowd watches these talented canine athletes as they take to the thundering waves!Those are awfully big breakers! Only the most skillful and fearless dogs will master this tough surfing competition.An amazing dog athlete has successfully caught the first wave! Here he comes! Great form!A tiny canine contestant receives encouragement as this year’s surf dog competition in IB gets underway.This innovative dog–I believe his name is Samson–doesn’t adhere to those old surfing traditions. He rides his surfboard backwards.Oh my goodness! Three dogs on one wave! Remember this moment, because you’ll probably never see it again!Two furry athletes vie for surfing supremacy!I’m thinking of submitting this amazing photograph to SURFER Magazine. I wonder if it might make the cover. (Just kidding!)Samson seems to have finally straightened himself out. Maybe he just wants to leap back onto dry land.These best buddy pals are happy just to walk along the beach. No need to show off their mad surfing skills.And these two sneaky dogs want to pretend they’re honest-to-goodness surfers. Can’t fool me!Tiny surfing dogs have mastered the mighty waves at Imperial Beach during the Unleashed by Petco Surf Dog Competition. They are superstars, indeed!
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Many animals were blessed today in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
The animals were blessed today in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
Dozens of beloved pets received a sprinkling of holy water at the annual Benediction of the Beasts, a long-time local tradition.
Monsignor Mark Campbell, Catholic priest of Our Mother of Confidence Parish in University City, administered the blessings. The traditional church ritual, which dates back to ancient times, invokes St. Anthony of the Desert, the Patron Saint of Animals. In the very early years of San Diego, livestock were blessed for an abundant harvest.
I watched for livestock but, alas, didn’t see any.
After today’s blessings, the fun event included a mid-afternoon costume and animal trick contest, which I missed. The male human ritual of watching football could not be violated.
Front row dogs wait patiently for the religious ceremony to begin.Monsignor Mark Campbell reads from Genesis and praises faithful pets.Holy water is cast by the Catholic priest upon animals to bestow health and blessings.Animals lined up for blessings included dogs, cats and rabbits.These two guys seemed to enjoy the proceedings.Cute, furry bunny rabbits need blessings as much as any other creature.Here comes Chopper, the motorcycle-riding dog, a big time celebrity.
Chopper, the canine motorcyclist, is quite the sensation in San Diego. I must’ve seen him on local television news a dozen times. He’s even made a cameo appearance on TMZ!
Chopper rides his motorcycle up to the priest for a sprinkling of holy water.This dog was a bit spooked and didn’t know what to make of this craziness.A cat is fascinated by the shiny aspergillum waving about.One dog seems bored while the other appears suspicious!A long line of pet owners waited in Old Town during the Benediction of the Beasts.
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A big crowd gathers for the 2014 Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals in San Diego!
Breaking news! Wienerschnitzel’s 2014 Wiener Nationals were held today on San Diego’s beautiful Embarcadero! The big race was witnessed by thousands just prior to the Holiday Bowl-related Big Bay Balloon Parade. This year’s wiener dog champ was none other than fan favorite Mr. Schnitzel!
I did my very best to cover the action. Unfortunately, mere bloggers like me had to witness the wonderfully funny dog race from a bit of a distance.
This dachshund participant seems very shy when faced with a news camera.A huge silver championship trophy awaits the winner of this race!One dog during the practice session limbers up by chasing a bouncing ball.This highly-trained wiener dog race contestant is ready to roll!Mr. Schnitzel had a fan with signs. He’s going to kick buns!Furthermore, Mr. Schnitzel cuts the mustard! He must be quite a hot dog.This sign accurately foretold the race results. No other wieners could ketchup!And here’s the start to the final race that determined the four-legged national champ!his little guy is doggone tired after that big important race.Time to clear stuff away to prepare for the Big Bay Balloon Parade down Harbor Drive!
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Family-friendly fun and games lined Balboa Park’s El Prado the weekend before Halloween.
So what happened today in Balboa Park? Here are some photos!
Sign explains Balboa Park Halloween Family Day.Crowds were huge and many imaginative costumes added to the color.House of Pacific Relations had a booth with cool Halloween stuff.Street performer is a bronze version of Shakespeare, the Bard!Masks and other crafts could be worked on by the creatively inclined.Of course, Halloween is all about kids having fun.Boy emerges from a magical boo-box!Guys creating origami courtesy of the Japanese Friendship Garden.One pumpkin is devouring another in a festive nook in Balboa Park!A studio in Spanish Village has skulls, spider and a skeleton hanging around.Fine glass in the form of pumpkins created by local artists.A puppet-dog on strings prepares for the canine costume competition in Spanish Village.Dog enjoying the festivities in wonderful, colorful Balboa Park.Yum! Look at this basket of Halloween candy!SDSU School of Music and Dance kids perform before the Sunday Spreckels Organ concert.Fiona the Humane Society butterfly mastiff hangs out in Spreckels Organ Pavilion.The House of Scotland performed with their booming drum at the International Cottages.Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater is showing The Polka Dot Ghost.The San Diego Dachshund Club’s Hallo-Wiener Picnic was held in Balboa Park.San Diego Air and Space Museum was the scene of the traditional pumpkin drop!A crowd gathers to watch a pumpkin descend and explode into a million pieces!The pumpkin can’t escape gravity. Will it reach terminal velocity?Yeah. It got terminated. The pumpkin predictably busted apart to the great delight of kids.
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Sculpture of Bum, San Diego’s town dog, in a grassy Gaslamp pocket park.
One of San Diego’s most famous celebrities had four legs and a tail. His name was Bum.
Bum the dog made San Diego his home in the late 19th century. He arrived in town in 1886 by stowing away on the Santa Rosa, a steamship from San Francisco. Soon thereafter, he became the well known town mascot.
Everyone was proud to be Bum’s pal. San Diegans young and old gladly provided food, friendship and their front porches for his sleeping place. Bum helped firemen hurry to fires, led parades, and protected the town’s children. We know this today because James Edward Friend, a journalist, wrote about Bum’s life and famous exploits.
Bum was so popular that one local restaurant put up a sign that read Bum Eats Here. When the city of San Diego passed a law requiring dog licenses, Bum’s picture was featured on the license.
Bum was a free spirit. Nobody owned him. But he had a claim on everybody’s heart. He was given free fare on trains, whenever he decided to come or go. He was given special medical attention when one foreleg became badly mangled in a train accident. He was even given a home at the County Hospital by the Board of Supervisors when his arthritis made it hard to get around. Bum was buried on the hospital grounds after his death in 1898.
Bum’s life has come to represent a small chapter of San Diego’s history, back when today’s downtown competed with Old Town and was called New Town. A bronze sculpture of the famous town dog now occupies a shady pocket park in downtown’s Gaslamp District. You can find the exact likeness of the St. Bernard-Spaniel mix lying on the grass not far from the William Heath Davis House, which is a small museum and the oldest wooden structure in the Gaslamp.
Plaque remembers history of Bum in early San Diego and his legendary exploits.
The nearby plaque reads:
Bum
San Diego’s Official Town Dog
Died November 10, 1898 – Aged 12 Years
Loved by everyone – owned by no one. His name suited him because he arrived as a town stowaway, befriended everyone and “bummed” quality food from the local eateries. As a young dog he survived a scuffle with another dog on the Santa Fe train tracks. Though he lost a foreleg and part of his tail, his spirit was unbroken. He guarded the children, led the parades and fire trucks, and had many adventures. So admired was Bum that the City Council awarded him a lifetime dog license. When he died, children collected pennies for a proper burial.
Bum waits faithfully downtown next to the William Heath Davis House museum.Historical photograph shows Bum among his many San Diegan human friends.Greyfriars Bobby, town dog of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Another dog sculpture perched on a nearby bench is of Greyfriars Bobby, the official town dog of Edinburgh, Scotland. The love and loyalty of both legendary dogs is the reason San Diego and Edinburgh are sister cities.
Bum sculpture recalls another rich chapter of San Diego’s history.
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Dogs and their human pals arrive at the big surfing competition.
I’d never seen a dog surf in my entire life. Not until today.
Now I’ve seen a whole pack of dogs surfing.
Yes, I have to admit it. I couldn’t resist heading down to the big Surfdog event at Imperial Beach today. This year it was sponsored by Unleashed by Petco. In the past it was called Loews Coronado Bay Surf Dog Competition.
What? Some of you have never seen a dog athlete mount a surfboard and skillfully ride mighty ocean breakers?
Seeing is believing…
It’s the epic Surfdog summer event everyone has waited for!Finishing touches are put on a sand sculpture at Imperial Beach.This dog can hardly wait to watch the intense animal action!Information boards outline the various heats in the big surf contest.Announcer readies for some incredible pooch performances.The VIP section fills and so does the beach and pier.Dogs and non-dogs at water’s edge have a great place to watch.These guys want a great spot on the pier to view the action.Everyone is ready for the first exciting freestyle heat!This little fellow doesn’t seem to know what’s going on.Surfing contestants mount their surfboards waiting for the starting horn.The crowd favorite, a genuine superstar, poses for my camera.The horn blows and the first fifteen minute heat begins!The crowd converges on the ocean in disbelief.One four-legged athlete is already out near the breakers.Here come two canine athletes showing great form!Steady as she goes!Hot dogging it and hanging twenty!Wow, those incredible, amazing surfers are absolutely inhuman!Thousands enjoy Unleashed by Petco’s surf dog event!
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