It was a bit damp on the morning of New Year’s Eve in Balboa Park. It had rained overnight.
Big weekend crowds wouldn’t turn out until the afternoon, which made my early walk quiet and easy.
I wandered about randomly, turning right or left with no clear destination. The sky was overcast and the air was chilly.
Kids splashed in puddles. Artists were setting up along El Prado. Street musicians were already filling the air with music. Ambitious tourists pointed at new sights, as they explored San Diego’s crown jewel. The faces of friends were already smiling.
Even on a gray, damp, chilly morning, Balboa Park is very alive.
I’m sure in the coming year this special place will bring more joy to you and me.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
The world’s oldest active sailing ship, San Diego’s own legendary Star of India, is sailing this weekend! It has been five years since she headed out into the Pacific Ocean.
At 9 o’clock this morning, Maritime Museum of San Diego crew members cast off the ropes that held Star of India to the Embarcadero, and two tug boats commenced to tow her across the bay.
Once far out on the ocean, the beautiful Star would unfurl her majestic sails and become a white cloud floating on the blue. Unfortunately, nobody would see that from downtown–unless, perhaps, one could peer out into the watery distance from a high building.
Five years ago, from the end of Point Loma, I photographed the Star of India cruising out into the wide ocean. It was accompanied by other tall ships that make San Diego their home. See those photos here.
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
You have until 4 pm today (Sunday) to view Fleet Week San Diego’s special Active Duty Military & Veterans Art Exhibit. It’s open free to the public at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s old downtown location, at 1100 Kettner Boulevard.
If you’re watching the Veterans Day Parade along the Embarcadero today, you might enjoy stopping by afterward. It’s within easy walking distance.
The artwork covers several walls in the museum’s Melinda Farris Wortz Gallery. Diverse artists with different military experiences have pieces on display. Many of the works depict life in the military or on the battlefield–occasionally with a bit of humor. Other paintings include impressionistic landscapes and dreamlike visions. There’s even some fine nature photography!
I captured a few of the canvases…
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Polynesian Voyaging Society’s historic voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa arrived in San Diego yesterday!
Hōkūleʻa is making its final port call during a long Pacific Ocean journey down the West Coast. For the next few days, you will be able to see the amazing ocean-going canoe docked at the Maritime Museum of San Diego!
Visitors to the Maritime Museum can tour the massive canoe on Friday, November 10, and Monday, November 13. See the sign that I photographed for the hours.
Click here to learn more about Hōkūle‘a. She was designed by artist and historian Herb Kawainui Kāne, one of the founders of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. The canoe was named Hōkūle‘a (“Star of Gladness”), a zenith star of Hawai‘i, which appeared to him growing ever brighter in a dream. This launching was one of many events that marked a generation of renewal for Hawai‘i’s indigenous people.
Does this voyaging canoe seem familiar? Five years ago, Hikianalia, the sister canoe of Hōkūle‘a, also visited the the Maritime Museum of San Diego. I blogged about that special weekend here.
When I walked past the canoe, crew members were washing down the deck getting everything ready for tomorrow’s visitors. Then I spotted them taking a group photo!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
This Saturday, November 4, visitors to Balboa Park can pick up a free tree sapling to plant at home. The distribution of free trees is part of Forever Balboa Park’s two-day event Plant It Forward 2023: Growing Our Urban Forest.
Forever Balboa Park will be handing out 100 tree saplings in the Plaza de Panama from 9 am to noon. (First come first served, one sapling per household.) In the afternoon there will be a park cleanup that you can join, if you’d like.
Learn about the Plant It Forward event, the free trees and park cleanup by visiting this website. (You’ll also find videos about tree planting, choosing the appropriate tree, and more.)
Help grow San Diego’s urban forest! Plant your own shady, beautiful tree!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
You’ll find many smiles this weekend in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park during their big Día de los Muertos celebration!
I walked through the State Park yesterday as the event was ready to open and found artists painting colorful murals, an arriving chalk artist, a sugar skull creation station and more. I watched as the big Community Altar was set up at one end of Old Town’s historic plaza.
There are forty Day of the Dead altars in all–most inside the State Park. Others can be enjoyed along San Diego Avenue and elsewhere around Old Town. There’s face painting everywhere you turn, live music at several restaurants, and even a 19th century magic lantern show at Seeley Stable!
The big event continues today–Sunday–so head on down to Old Town if you can!
In addition, there will be a candlelit procession this Thursday, November 2, starting at the Immaculate Conception Church just outside the State Park. At 6 pm the procession will head down San Diego Avenue toward El Campo Santo cemetery. That event will include blessings and traditional dances by Danza Azteca Atlachinolli.
Enjoy these photographs taken inside Old Town San Diego State Historic Park yesterday as Día de los Muertos got underway…
Old Town San Diego Boosters raise money by selling gifts in front of the Robinson-Rose House Visitors Center.Canopies set up on the grassy plaza offer several Day of the Dead activities.State Park employees get the big Community Altar ready in Old Town.Spreading marigold petals, to lead departed souls toward the Day of the Dead altar.The beautiful Community Altar.Smiling muralist Belen Islas was working on her beautiful canvas.Artist Juliet Elise Rodriguez paints many colors into her mural.Symbolic marigolds for sale.The San Diego Public Library was there with fun for the family!Color your own skull mask!Kids love painting small sugar skulls.Here are three finished ones!It’s a smiling Isabel Garcia! You’ve seen some of her beautiful murals on Cool San Diego Sights!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
A large crowd has gathered on San Diego Bay today for Lobsterfest!
The big extravaganza for lobster lovers is taking place this morning on the pier between Seaport Village and Tuna Harbor–the same pier where the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market is held every Saturday.
Spiny lobsters on ice, freshly caught by local fishermen, are for sale to the public under a row of canopies.
Lobsters are also being prepared for eaters sitting at shady tables. The smell of lobsters on the grill is mouth-watering!
There’s even a band playing live music!
I walked along the pier this morning as Lobsterfest got underway and captured these photos…
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Crew members of San Diego’s world-famous tall ship Star of India were training today for her upcoming journey into the wide Pacific Ocean!
Accompanied by a fleet of beautiful sailboats and Maritime Museum of San Diego vessels, Star of India will sail out beyond Point Loma on November 11th and 12th, 2023, to celebrate her 160th birthday!
This morning I stood on the Embarcadero watching the sail crew hauling at lines, raising a sail, and practicing the complicated dance that is required to maneuver the world’s oldest active sailing ship. The crew will be training each Sunday up until the big weekend next month.
If you want to buy tickets for Star of India’s historic sail, go to the Maritime Museum website here.
Enjoy my photographs, taken from the nearby boardwalk…
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Oktoberfest has returned this weekend to downtown La Mesa. The enormously popular event is attracting a crowd of thousands today, and these colorful photographs document some of the fun!
Where else can you watch crazy Weiner dog races while wearing lederhosen and feasting on tasty bratwurst?
Visitors to La Mesa Oktoberfest can enjoy multiple beer gardens, a kids fun zone, and every sort of delectable food. Smiling vendors, artists, and community organizations fill several city blocks. There’s chalk art, dancing, craft activities and a whole lot more! Folks who dine outdoors at restaurants along La Mesa Boulevard have an excellent view of the action.
A great way to travel to Oktoberfest is by trolley. The La Mesa Boulevard station of the San Diego Trolley is located directly across the street from the festival’s main entrance.
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Those in San Diego who love The Sound of Music, rejoice! The timeless musical will be playing in Balboa Park next Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater!
I was sitting on a bench at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion reading a book this afternoon when the full cast unexpectedly assembled on the stage for a photograph!
My camera got busy, too!
This uplifting Sound of Music production involves members of the Santa Sophia Catholic Church in Spring Valley. Everyone up on the stage wore a big smile!
If you want to enjoy next weekend’s performance, check out their website by clicking here.
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Cool San Diego Sights! 