The warmth was not just the weather but the spirit of the people there

Nadia Bach—

20 January 2014—

I just returned from my first visit to warm and sunny San Diego, California where I flew to visit family. I was there for only a few days before renting a car to drive up the coast to San Francisco. It was so nice to get away from the frigid polar vortex of the New York area

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Reflection of the San Diego Bay in a window of the Convention Center

Downtown by the bay I discovered the interesting architecture of the Convention Center which looks so amazing, especially in the glow of the sunset. I walked along the water where there are many shops, most selling nautical themed wares, especially since the navy has such a strong presence there. You see San Diego is home to the Pacific Fleet. Its port hosts military ships as well as tankers transporting goods such as the large Dole ship I saw that was probably bringing in bananas and pineapples! Escaping the cold back home, it was great to see Palm trees in San Diego. That made it feel like a real vacation. That, and the art of exploring are something new. 

 

The first hotel in the world to use electric lighting!

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Historic Hotel Del Coronado

I took the bus over the bridge to Coronado to its Victorian Hotel built in 1888. It’s such a breathtaking sight of the beach from The Hotel Del Coronado, yet even more breathtaking is the view inside of its wooden lobby, where no nails were used, and so many famous people have passed through.

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Historic Hotel Del Coronado carved wooden lobby

Notable guests at the hotel have included sixteen US presidents, Hollywood stars, especially during prohibition on their way south, and among many others, the inventor of electricity, Thomas Edison. You see, the Hotel Coronado was the first hotel in the world to use electric lighting. In 1904 Edison returned to the Hotel to oversee the world’s first outdoor-lighted Christmas tree. I marveled at the exquisitely decorated Christmas tree I saw in the Hotel lobby. Edison would be proud! The gift shop in the hotel is a gem. I purchased ornaments and a book about the hotel’s history. In the book they have pictures about filming the 1958 movie “Some Like It Hot” starring Marilyn Monroe at the hotel.

Next time I’d like to be an overnight guest at the Hotel Del Coronado!

Photos © Nadia Bach—

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