Small, vacant eyes stare up from a seldom used bridge in downtown San Diego.
A pedestrian bridge in downtown San Diego spans Interstate 5. It’s almost never used. From the extreme end of a large, mostly vacant parking lot below the Veteran’s Museum, it arches high over the wide, busy freeway and descends to a securely gated parking lot next to San Diego City College’s sports fields. It leads mostly nowhere.
I’ve lived about a mile away for over a decade, but I’ve never set foot on the bridge–until this afternoon. Walking up Park Boulevard, I’ve often gazed at the distant bridge and wondered if it was open. Never once have I seen a soul on it.
I suppose people must visit this place at times, because the bridge is absolutely covered with both new and old graffiti. It’s a singularly lonely place, enclosed in fencing, suspended above unseen drivers flashing by in anonymous cars below.
Here are some random photographs. Who applied these small artistic faces? The eyes never blink.
This pedestrian bridge spans Interstate 5, connecting two unrelated parking lots.Two strange eyes seem to sprout from the concrete. Going nowhere fast.Stenciled images of bearded face. Stay fresh.Two contented smiles inside lettering of boldly spray painted graffiti underfoot.Shy face and downcast eyes. Welcome home.Small grinning face in some faded blue words.These stenciled faces seem to be slowly disappearing as time passes.A whole crowd of colorful eyes watch in every direction.Spray painted cartoon looks happy and excited as can be.Another smiling face in graffiti on the lonely bridge.A fierce cartoon cat or devilish creature of some kind.Above a Facebreaker decal is an old Gasface sticker.Looking down at the freeway where it begins its S-curve through downtown.Enigmatic face is unable to speak to the few who pass by.Another simple, childish smile. Even where it’s bleak, there is always hope.
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Young man with skateboard paints for donations on a San Diego sidewalk.
Once in a while my walks around San Diego take me past artists painting scenes from the big city. The artists might be working outside alone in a scenic or interesting place; or I might stumble upon a small crowd of art students working on many easels in a row. I love to pause and look over a shoulder for a few moments. I’m awed by human creativity.
Here are just a few pics that you might enjoy…
Artist in Balboa Park’s Spanish Village works on a canvas in the colorful courtyard.A painted guitarist seems to emerge from the sunny San Diego dappled brightness.An artist works next to Tuna Harbor as many people stroll past.Painter on the Embarcadero inspired by picturesque boats and reflections.Small painted boat seems to float in the nearby rippled water.
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Decorative doors to La Granada Ballroom at the House of Hospitality in Balboa Park.
How many doors are waiting to be opened in one ordinary city? In San Diego, with a population that exceeds one million, there must be many millions of doors.
We take doors for granted, pushing through them like nothing, and yet there is something magical and transformational about each one. Doors represent movement through space and time, from this amazing present to a future, amazing present. As we’re propelled forward in life we pass through many doors, and like the choices we face they are found on every side. Where do we turn our feet? Which doors do we try? Every chosen door leads our restless feet into a beckoning and wonderful unknown.
So, anyway, I just love looking at endless doors. And each unique invitation they present to the eye, while concealing unseen places beyond.
Here’s a variety of doors that I’ve photographed during many walks…
Colorful front door to a small residence in San Diego’s Little Italy.Colors of the Italian flag frame this unusual door on India Street.Imperial Beach surf shop has a door plastered with beach-themed decals and signs.Caged lion in the Gaslamp guards the Hard Rock Cafe, and a door with electric guitar handle.Funky west entrance to the House of Blues in downtown San Diego.Walking past distinctive front of Our Lady of the Rosary church in Little Italy.St. Paul’s Cathedral in Bankers Hill and an elegant red door behind rows of columns.A little shop in Sherman Heights has a plain door invitingly open beside fun pinatas.Artist studio door is wide open and welcoming in Balboa Park’s colorful Spanish Village.International Travelers House has a door that welcomes one and all.Is that a swinging saloon door in Old Town, or a painted version on an ordinary door?This rusted door makes a fashionable statement in downtown San Diego.Just a cheerful orange and bright green door in East Village!
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Participants in Susan G. Komen three day walk fighting breast cancer.
As usual, I ran into an unexpected cool sight during a walk. I was returning home from Balboa Park early this afternoon when I noticed a bunch of people wearing pink lining Park Boulevard. Sure enough! San Diego’s Susan G. Komen three day walk to raise money to fight breast cancer was underway. It was heading down the homestretch!
I took a bunch of pics as I continued home along the route of the walkers. They had roughly one more mile to go until the finish line at downtown’s Petco Park stadium.
San Diego walkers cheered by pink-wearing supporters on Park Boulevard.Mile 59. Just one mile to go to the Petco Park finish!Lots of fun pink stuff greeted the walkers along their route.Guy helping with traffic wears pink and lots of pins and buttons.Encouraging signs were everywhere along this beautiful section of the San Diego route.Someone stenciled LOVE on the sidewalk.Hydration station awaits some oncoming anti-breast cancer walkers.Cars coming down the street honked and featured optimistic messages.San Diego police officer wears pink for the special occasion.Someone wrote a personal encouraging note in chalk on the sidewalk.This cool bystander guy has a pink mohawk!U GO GIRL
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Lizards undergo transformations in a very creative street mural in San Diego.
Here’s a very cool mural I spotted last weekend after I watched the Boulevard BOO! Parade. I was just walking along through a neighborhood west of San Diego’s College area.
You can find this artwork at the corner of 56th Street and El Cajon Boulevard.
Ant and cacti grown to gigantic proportions beside an ordinary sidewalk.Cool urban art attracts the eye and stimulates the mind of those passing by.Colorful images on a building at 56th Street and El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego.
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Mermaid with a megaphone on the bay side of the narrow Canyon Path.
A mermaid emerges near the edge of beautiful San Diego Bay. She summons people from the bustling city with her megaphone…
Man with binoculars peers into dark alley between convention center and Marriott.
A man with binoculars peers between the San Diego Convention Center and the Marriott Marquis hotel. He heard the mermaid’s siren call, and is trying to catch a glimpse. She seems to be waiting at the end of a long, mysterious passageway…
Unique entrance to partially hidden walkway that provides easy bay access.
Will these people walking along succeed in finding the elusive mermaid? Turn left! Turn left!
Walking through narrow Canyon Path between buildings.
The mermaid seems to be somewhere ahead. The narrow Canyon Path between buildings is shadowy and filled with dark trees and bushes. It’s a bit scary. Where are we going? Are we lost?
Prismatic kite in blue sky above the Canyon Path.
Look up! It’s a shining kite in the blue sky!
Colorful light like a rainbow is cast by prism kite onto building side.
As we approach the mermaid on the opposite side, a beautiful rainbow-like splash of color appears on the Canyon Path’s vertical side! This secret place seems to be filled with magic!
The mermaid, man with binoculars and prismatic kite are all part of public art called The Benefit of Mr. Kite. This fun artwork was created to draw attention to an easily overlooked 925-foot long pedestrian accessway between the convention center and Marriott Marquis hotel, leading from Harbor Drive to the Marriott Marina on San Diego Bay. The artists responsible for our magical journey are Mags Harries and Lajos Héder!
UPDATE!
Look what I saw during a later walk through the passageway!
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Mirabella V is the largest single-masted yacht in the world! It’s gigantic!
I had to blink my eyes a couple times during my walk today. I was behind the San Diego Convention Center, where lots of visiting super yachts are docked, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
That huge ship in front of me looked like the largest sailboat on planet Earth!
As it turned out, my first impression wasn’t far from the truth!
A little searching on the internet proved that I had spotted the Mirabella V (today more commonly called M5), a sloop-rigged super yacht launched in 2003. Registered in the Isle of Man, it’s the largest single-masted yacht ever built. It’s 292 feet high! That’s almost the height of a 30-story skyscraper! It’s so tall, it won’t fit under any bridge accessible from the ocean. Not even the Golden Gate Bridge!
It’s hard to appreciate the mind-boggling immensity of this amazing vessel with these quick pics, but I thought they were worth sharing anyway.
You never know what extraordinary thing you’ll encounter during an ordinary stroll!
People walk past huge boat docked behind convention center.An unexpected sight. Mirabella V is visiting San Diego on a sunny October day.
Here are a couple more pics I snapped on October 19…
People walk toward Hilton hotel and giant mast of a world-record super yacht.Mirabella V has a mast that is higher than nearby San Diego buildings!
Here’s another pic I took in March 2015…
People enjoying a day on San Diego Bay return to sailing super-yacht M5.
Check out what I saw on April 12, as I was walking along!
During another walk I noticed an airplane in the water beside M5.The super-yacht’s crane lifts the small seaplane from San Diego Bay into the air!Crew members pull on ropes to swing the airplane toward the ship’s deck.This tiny seaplane is about to be set on a super gigantic single-masted sailing yacht!The plane is secured to the rear deck of the amazing M5 yacht.
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New public art being applied to building on San Diego’s waterfront.
Early yesterday morning, I strolled for a few minutes along San Diego’s beautiful Embarcadero. I wanted to get some photographs to update last year’s blog post about the Star of India’s tattered sails.
While heading back east on Beech Street, I noticed some gigantic public art is being applied to the west side of the relatively new Ariel Luxury Apartments building. This high-rise stands between Santa Fe Depot and the Little Italy trolley station.
I’ve found no info on the internet about this new artwork. Here are some pics!
A red San Diego trolley passes fishermen catching a huge fish!This new artwork is on the side of the Ariel Luxury Apartments in downtown San Diego.
Half a century ago, San Diego was home to the world’s largest tuna fishing fleet! This image of fishermen working together is very similar to a sculpture on Shelter Island, which I have yet to blog about!
Workers on platform mount a gigantic trophy fish to a high-rise building!
I’m not sure what the white stuff is running down the building’s side. I suppose that will be removed when all is done!
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Adventure is out there! Just attach a bunch of balloons!
Okay, here’s a quick pic of some rather simple street art. I saw this colorfully painted utility box while walking up Bankers Hill a few days ago.
I love the symbolism in the image. A riot of small uplifting balloons whisking one’s home and carefully controlled life away on a carefree, restoring breeze was a theme that I really enjoyed in the Pixar movie Up!
Tomorrow I’m planning on a long walk. No telling where my legs will take me!
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Looking west along the narrow linear Cortez Hill Park, also called Tweet Street.
Every day for the past six years I’ve been watching for rare birds.
As you might have read on this blog, I live at the top of Cortez Hill in downtown San Diego. One cool feature of my neighborhood is a modest but well-loved park that awaits a few steps from my front door. Cortez Hill Park, more commonly called Tweet Street, is an extremely narrow urban park that stretches for several blocks along Date Street and Tenth Avenue. Completed in 2008, it includes a small playground, dog rest areas, and benches where visitors can rest and enjoy the San Diego sunshine. But Tweet Street’s unique purpose is to provide an inviting refuge of trees, shrubs and birdhouses that encourages birds to take up residence!
I remember when Tweet Street first opened, and my excitement. The artistic, brightly painted birdhouses were simply fun to walk past, and the idea that the park would soon be full of birds put a spring in my step.
Years later, I’m still watching for birds. Occasionally one can be glimpsed or heard in the deeper parts of the trees, or down on the hillside above Interstate 5. But to see a bird near the sidewalk is a rare thing. I’ve never seen a single birdhouse being used.
I suppose the lesson is that birdhouses shouldn’t be erected 5 or 6 feet from a popular walkway, where many people pass throughout the day, often with dogs. And that birds need a little more cover than what an extremely narrow park provides. Don’t get me wrong, I love Tweet Street! I love how the trees have grown out. I love walking along the park and gazing out at different vistas. The idea of attracting birds was terrific. But birds have their own notions about where to live. It seems they prefer a little more privacy.
Metal artwork resembles a bird perched atop trees in the downtown community.Houses for birds are creative works of imagination, built by local artists in 2008.Birds might choose to live in this traffic light.Display near center of park shows how to build a birdhouse.Bees have taken over this empty wooden birdhouse.The eyes of this colorful, weather-beaten cat invite courageous birds to enter.Human condos and apartments are across the street from vacant bird housing.House finches are among the birds that occasionally visit the Tweet Street park.Another fanciful but unused birdhouse in the downtown San Diego park.Stylish birdhouse, palm tree and downtown buildings.Squirrel perched on fence above Interstate 5 at edge of Tweet Street park.
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