Tag: monsters

Unexpected encounters in the city!

I know it ain’t Friday yet, but who cares! Let’s have fun anyway!

These photographs of unexpected encounters all around the city were taken in the past few weeks.

Enjoy!

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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!

Very scary, spooky photos for Halloween!

Two weeks ’til Halloween!

The deadly creatures are creeping closer, closer… Ghouls, vampires, zombies, demons… Before you know it they’ll be gathered at your door… The approaching horror is inescapable!

Most of these very scary, spooky photographs were taken in past years around Halloween. Ghosts, grim reapers, demons and bloodthirsty monsters were encountered in Balboa Park on the Haunted Trail. The deformed zombies? I took those photos during Comic-Con! An elegantly dressed skeleton couple materialized in front of my camera in Old Town on Dia de los Muertos. Other frightening faces appeared just before Halloween in shop windows!

Are some of the images vaguely familiar? I changed these color photographs to grayscale, then darkened many, blurred a few slightly. So that you might be properly terrified!

Trick or treat!

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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!

Creepy creatures appear downtown!

Securely shutter your windows and lock every door! Creepy creatures have materialized throughout downtown San Diego!

As I walked about this morning, I suddenly realized that I was hopelessly surrounded. Closing in around me were witches, spiders, ghosts and an army of skeletons! Not to mention a few terrifying clowns!

The dark forces of Halloween were unstoppable! They had even caused the mighty Zoltar to retreat!

There was no escape from the madness!

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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!

Walking down a dark, spooky Haunted Trail!

Today I felt brave enough to walk through a very dark, very spooky corner of Balboa Park.

Night had fallen, the crooked branches of black trees surrounded me, and my eyes were on a swivel as I approached The Haunted Trail!

Did I manage to photograph anything that was remotely scary?

You be the judge!

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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!

Very strange creatures lurk downtown!

Alligators have been sighted in downtown San Diego!
Alligators have been sighted in downtown San Diego!

This morning I spotted several very strange creatures lurking downtown.

Some appear dangerous.

Chili Dog blast off!
Chili Dog blast off!

For this frog's sake, I hope they don't turn the heat up slowly.
For this frog’s sake, I hope they don’t turn the heat up slowly.

This might be Kingpin. Or perhaps Skull and Crosspins.
This might be Kingpin. Or perhaps Skull and Crosspins.

This peculiar creature responds very strangely to caffeine.
This peculiar creature responds very strangely to caffeine.

Godzilla and his pals from Monster Island haven't arrived in San Diego yet, but they're on the way!
These caffeinated creatures haven’t arrived in San Diego yet, but they’re on the way!

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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!

Creepy clowns, ghosts and demons in a park!

Legions of creepy clowns, ghosts, demons and undead are slowly gathering in a popular city park. I photographed them lurking among shadowy trees and spooky buildings, waiting to terrify nice, innocent, completely unsuspecting people who happened to be walking down the park trail!

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As you might have guessed, this morning I took a stroll around the perimeter of The Haunted Trail, which is being built once again in the southwest corner of Balboa Park for Halloween!

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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!

Japanese pop culture party during San Diego Comic-Con!

A Japanese pop culture party--Yokai Omatsuri--will be held during San Diego Comic-Con at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park.
A Japanese pop culture party–Yokai Omatsuri–will be held during San Diego Comic-Con at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. (Click this image to enlarge it for easy reading.)

I found out something really cool this afternoon! During a quick visit to the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park, I learned that they’ll be hosting a Japanese pop culture party during San Diego Comic-Con!

Click the flyer’s photo to read it. A supernatural world of anime and manga will take over the garden and its beautiful Inamori Pavilion on Friday, July 21st, from 7:30pm to 11:30pm. There will be cosplay, a costume contest, food, activity booths and lots of yokai running about. Yokai is Japanese for supernatural monsters, demons, phantoms, etc.

Anyone visiting San Diego for Comic-Con should spend some time in Balboa Park anyway. It is truly our city’s crown jewel. And as a member of the Japanese Friendship Garden myself, I assure you the beautiful garden is well worth a visit!

You can learn more about the Japanese pop culture party and find a link to purchase tickets online here. If you purchase tickets before July 10th, you will receive an Early Bird bundle pack with tickets redeemable for food at the event!

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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!

I plan to cover Comic-Con like crazy this year! I live a short walk up the street from the Gaslamp Quarter and the San Diego Convention Center!

Conan O’Brien Live at Comic-Con trolley wrap!

A new San Diego Comic-Con trolley wrap features Conan O'Brien turned into what appear to be Funko POP! toy figures. Here he's a blank-eyed zombie, and his own ordinary bland self.
A new San Diego Comic-Con trolley wrap features Conan O’Brien turned into what appear to be Funko POP! toy figures. Here he’s a blank-eyed zombie, plus his own ordinary bland self.

I spotted another 2015 San Diego Comic-Con trolley wrap in the past couple days! This one promotes Conan O’Brien’s television show on TBS. He’ll be hosting his talk show live from Comic-Con July 8-12. I’ve read that he’ll also be moderating two panels in Hall H: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 and The Last Witch Hunter.

The images on the trolley wrap seem to show Conan turned into several Funko POP! toy figures!  Cool!

And here Conan O'Brien has been transformed into Batman and a green Frankenstein monster. The latter seems true-to-life in various ways.
Here Conan O’Brien has been transformed into Batman and a green Frankenstein monster.

Here's a wrap on an older version San Diego trolley at America Plaza. Conan will be live from Comic-Con July 8-11.
Here’s a wrap on an older version San Diego trolley at America Plaza. Conan will be live from Comic-Con July 8-11.

Finally, here we have a commuter who's entirely unconcerned that Frankenstein Conan is threatening him with scary outstretched monster arms.
Finally, here we have a commuter who’s entirely unconcerned that Frankenstein Conan is threatening him with scary outstretched monster arms.

Stay tuned for a ton more cool Comic-Con stuff in the coming few weeks!

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To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter.

Spooky fun Boulevard BOO! Parade thrills kids.

Boy dressed as tin man enjoys Boulevard BOO! Parade in San Diego.
Boy dressed as tin man enjoys Boulevard BOO! Parade in San Diego.

I’ve heard about San Diego’s only Halloween parade for years. Today I checked it out!

The Boulevard BOO! Parade is now ten years old. It takes place every late October on El Cajon Boulevard near College Avenue. The neighborhood, just south of San Diego State University, appears to have really embraced this annual Halloween event!

Hundreds of families turned out to view the fun spectacle. The BOO! Parade is mostly for kids, and many young spectators had trick-or-treat bags and were in costume themselves!

Here are my best pics!

10th annual BOO! Parade took place on El Cajon Boulevard.
10th annual BOO! Parade took place on El Cajon Boulevard.

Two scary zombie kids were seen lurching down the street before the parade began.
Two scary zombie kids were seen lurching down the street before the parade began.

These pirates were being rascally and rambunctious in the parade staging area!
These pirates were being rascally and rambunctious in the parade staging area!

BOO! Parade kicks off a few blocks west of College Avenue in the late morning.
BOO! Parade kicks off a few blocks west of College Avenue in the late morning.

The tall ghostly blue creature is the character Boo!

Super tall Boo is blue, and he seems to blend in with the clouds.
Super tall Boo is blue, and he seems to blend in with the clouds.

Looks like all the regular monsters have shown up for this big Halloween parade!
Looks like all the regular monsters have shown up for this big Halloween parade!

There were a few not-so-scary clowns around, too!
There were a few not-so-scary clowns around, too!

Marine Corps marching band gets things rolling near start of parade.
Marine Corps marching band gets things rolling near start of parade.

One of many creative floats seen during the fun late October parade.
One of many creative floats seen during the fun late October parade.

Two different Ghostbusters cars were in the parade.
Two different Ghostbusters cars were in the parade.

Kids get goodies from a ghostbuster patrolling El Cajon Boulevard.
Kids get goodies from a ghostbuster patrolling El Cajon Boulevard.

Costumed parade participants from San Diego Center for the Blind.
Costumed parade participants from San Diego Center for the Blind.

Here come some smiling SDSU cheerleaders.
Here come some smiling SDSU cheerleaders.

The San Diego State University mascot Aztec Warrior gives a high five!
The San Diego State University mascot Aztec Warrior gives a high five!

Lots of cars in the parade were draped with creepy cobwebs.
Lots of cars in the parade were draped with creepy cobwebs.

Kids marching in the parade wore every sort of cool costume you can imagine!
Kids marching in the parade wore every sort of cool costume you can imagine!

Here comes a long line of classic cars with spooky decorations.
Here comes a long line of classic cars with spooky decorations.

A witch waves to a passing skeleton!
A witch waves to a passing skeleton!

The San Diego Police Department must be hiring guys with evil pumpkin heads!
The San Diego Police Department must be hiring guys with evil pumpkin heads!

One of two pirate ships I saw. This was most definitely very cool.
One of two pirate ships I saw. This was most definitely very cool.

Little zombies do a dance routine!
Little zombies do a dance routine!

Several schools were in the parade and everyone was having a blast.
Several schools were in the parade and everyone was having a blast.

Here come the Shriners in their Halloween-themed mini-cars!
Here come the Shriners in their Halloween-themed mini-cars!

And here come more clowns out of the woodwork.
And here come more clowns out of the woodwork.

The second pirate ship rolls along with some waving beauty queens.
The second pirate ship rolls along with some waving beauty queens.

A beauty queen is wearing a big, golden pharaoh headdress!
A beauty queen is wearing a big, golden pharaoh headdress!

I suppose these young ladies are the queens of Zombieland!
I suppose these young ladies are the queens of Zombieland!

And this beauty queen is dressed up as macaroni and cheese!
And this beauty queen is dressed up as macaroni and cheese!

Looks like the ROTC is recruiting young monsters.
Looks like the ROTC is recruiting young monsters.

Headless parader thrills girls and shocks poor old mom.
Headless parader thrills girls and shocks poor old mom.

A whole lot of fun was enjoyed by thousands today, young and old.
A whole lot of fun was enjoyed by thousands today, young and old.

Utility box on El Cajon Boulevard painted with scenes from BOO! Parade.
Utility box on El Cajon Boulevard painted with scenes from BOO! Parade.

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To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.

Signs of Halloween in downtown San Diego.

Scarecrow and hay bales at pumpkin patch in San Diego's new waterfront park.
Scarecrow and hay bales at pumpkin patch in San Diego’s new waterfront park.

During my mid-afternoon walk around downtown San Diego today, I was watching for fun Halloween photo opportunities. It’s less than two weeks away!  I had a little bit of luck…

(The above pic was taken after all the pumpkins were snatched up, but lots of families were still about enjoying the pleasant day!)

Spiders on side of Little Italy building wrap a skeleton.
Spiders on side of Little Italy building wrap a skeleton.

Spooky shredded sails of haunted Star of India on Embarcadero.
Spooky shredded sails of haunted Star of India flutter in wind on the Embarcadero.

Gaslamp parties celebrate Halloween and Day of the Dead.
Gaslamp parties celebrate Halloween and Mexico’s Day of the Dead.

Alamo Flags at Seaport Village has a smelly witch foot!
Trick or treat?  Alamo Flags at Seaport Village has a smelly witch foot!

Just relaxing on a nice Autumn Sunday by the Seaport Village carousel.
Just relaxing on a nice cool Autumn Sunday by the Seaport Village carousel.

Kid checks out pumpkins and colorful display at Seaport Village.
Kid checks out pumpkins and colorful leafy display at Seaport Village.

Gaslamp banners advertise a monster bash block party.
Gaslamp banners advertise a monster bash block party.

Donut Bar window contains a scary skull-headed server!
Donut Bar window downtown contains a scary skull-headed server!

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To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.