I would have taken more pictures with my cell phone if I had realized just how nice a job it was doing. Sure the pictures aren't perfect, but it would have been nice to take more. This picture was taken by my AVID elective teacher partner Janet. She thought it would be funny to send to Norma. Everyone knows I don't drink, so me with a margarita in my hand is pretty funny. Joe, one of our science teachers that was there, said, "Just type in 'Anything for AVID.'" Cracked me up. Norma wrote back a one word response: "BullSh*t!!!"
She knew.
Old Town San Diego was where the picture was taken from. We were at a 'hole in the wall' Mexican place that had terrible service, but good food. Their rolled tacos and enchiladas were GREAT. We had a nice time because the five of us just sat and talked and talked and talked. It sure is fun watching other people drink and not feeling bad in the morning!
Afterwards we walked around Old Town and bought some things. I got Aidan two Mexican toys. They are hand made wooden toys. He liked them, but they did not score as high as a dino would have! Still, I thought it would be neat to get him something different. I also got Norma a neat Angel that had a cool inscription on it that she would like.
Old Town has a very old west feel to it. Kind of 'Cowboy meets Mexico' theme. According to the website: Old Town San Diego is nestled in heart of San Diego, with over 150 restaurants, shops, and historical sites. Old Town, the Birthplace of California, is just a short walk from the San Diego Trolley Transit Center and a short drive from most San Diego destinations. Whenever we return to San Diego (my plan is when Aidan is 5 or 6) I'd love to spend a couple of days there.
The earliest indications of people living in San Diego date back 9,000 years. They called themselves Kumeyaay. When the Spaniards arrived, they used the word Diegueño to identify the Indians associated with the Mission. In 1542 explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo reported that the native indians, “were good natured and an attractive people.” With the arrival of the Spanish settlements in 1769, many Kumeyaay retreated to the hills.Very interesting historical stuff. There is even a Ghost Town exhibit at night that we just missed. It closed just as we walked up on it. This is probably my last post about fun San Diego, but I thought I would add a little about the places we went to the blog. Just in case anyone finds themselves heading to San Diego and wants to learn about great places to go. I really enjoyed myself.
The FOUNDING of CALIFORNIA
Old Town San Diego is considered the "birthplace" of California. San Diego is the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. It was here in 1769, that Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that were to be the cornerstone of California’s colonization. Father Serra’s mission and Presidio were built on a hillside overlooking what is currently known as Old Town San Diego. At the base of the hill in 1820’s, a small Mexican community of adobe buildings was formed and by 1835 had attained the status of El Pueblo de San Diego. In 1846, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant and a Marine Lieutenant, raised the American flag in the Old Town San Diego Plaza.
In 1968, the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation established Old Town State Historic Park to preserve the rich heritage that characterized San Diego during the 1821 to 1872 period. The park includes a main plaza, exhibits, museums and living history demonstrations.
Historic buildings include La Casa de Estudillo, La Casa de Bandini, La Casa de Altamirno Pedrorena and the Mason Street School, San Diego’s first one room schoolhouse. Just up the hill from Old Town San Diego Historic State Park, you’ll find Heritage Park where several of San Diego’s most notable Victorian homes have been relocated and authentically restored to their original splendor. Just a short walk down San Diego Avenue is the Whaley House, an officially designated haunted house, the Little Adobe Chapel on Conde Street, the first Church in Old Town San Diego and El Campo Santo on San Diego Avenue, a 1850 Catholic Cemetery.
With the non-stop rain of Houston this summer, I sure do miss the weather!
Me, Aimee, and Terry, Jr. The brother's giving away the bride. It was truly an honor to do so. I will never have the chance to do that again. I was very lucky to ever have the experience. Norma and I will probably never have another child, so the odds of us ever having a girl are VERY slim. So it was neat to experience this. Not to mention what an honor it was to stand in for my father.
