Tourist First: San Diego: A Waterfront Walk

Sunday, October 29, 2017

San Diego: A Waterfront Walk

This large artwork references the famous photo of people celebrating the end of World War II in Times Square,
New York. There are many reminders of World War II along the waterfront in San Diego, then as now
an important U.S. naval base. In the background are San Diego Bay and Coronado, the peninsula that
defines the bay.

San Diego is, as cities go, a very pleasant place. A subtropical desert, it has a mild climate. Its role as home to one of the world's major naval bases underpins its economy. Wandering its streets, one finds almost every kind of ethnic food imaginable. A casual joie de vivre is seen at sidewalk cafes and farmers' markets all over town.
Since moving here in late September, Jane and I have enjoyed exploring our new home. We're renting an apartment in Little Italy, home to countless restaurants (not all of them Italian) and bars. Our building even has a hidden speakeasy-style tiki bar. If you don't know about it, you'll never find it. We've been to the Old Globe for a show, to Coronado via ferry, to the beach and pier at Ocean Beach, and we've taken the city trolley to the Mexican border and walked into Tijuana for lunch. San Diego has many attractions that we've yet to visit, including its famous zoo. I'm sure I'll be doing more posts on this city.
For this post, though, the focus is on the waterfront, specifically from the Hilton Hotel near the Petco baseball park north to the Coast Guard station near the airport. One can stroll the entire way along the water, ogling billionaires' yachts and fishing boats from the Embarcadero. Here are some snapshots from my almost daily walks.

The aircraft carrier Midway is a major attraction. I'm told that it gets more visitors a year than the Intrepid
in New York. It sits near the Broadway Pier.

A ferry or excusion boat passes the Midway as it leaves the Embarcadero.

Carnitas, a bar and snack shop near the Midway, is one of many temptations along the Embarcadero.

The bar is outdoors at Carnitas. With this climate, one hardly needs
walls or a roof.

The Star of India is one of several tallships that can be toured.

A tallship's bronze figurehead. The ship itself is in the photo below.

The steamship Berkeley awaits visitors rather than passengers.

Boats of all sizes are available for private cruises and parties.

Bird of paradise flowers, native of southern Africa,
are seen in sidewalk plantings, roadway median gardens
and along the waterfront.

The San Diego airport is literally within walking distance for many people. Airplanes appear to dodge
buildings and palm trees for takeoff and landings. I took this photo from the Embarcadero
near the Coast Guard station.

This helicopter hangar marks the northern end of my walks
along the waterfront, though sidewalks continue
out toward Point Loma.

Visitors and locals take to the waterfront. In the background is a sail on the Star of India.

Unlike the Northeast, where sailing is mostly a summer
activity, San Diego Bay sees boats like these
almost every day.

A bronze Bob Hope entertains bronze American forces in this World War II installation. A recording
of Hope speaking to troops during WWII plays continuously.

Serious-looking fishing boats have berths along the Embarcadero.

Pedicabs zip up and down the Embarcadero as well as along
some downtown streets. Most carry advertisements.

Many people along the waterfront become entranced when this little boat appears. It carries a pilot
and one passenger as it dives beneath the water and pops up at sharp angles.

Kites fly in one of the many open spaces along the waterfront. In
the background is the bridge to Coronado.

Private boats of all sizes are berthed at marinas along
the waterfront.

This is the Vava II, a 97-meter super yacht owned by the Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli. Its Airbus helicopter
reportedly cost more than $8 million, and the boat itself cost about $150 million. It's registered in the
Cayman Islands, of course.

This ship is one of many that puts into the naval base on
Coronado for refueling, restocking and repairs.

1 comment:

Katy BNovember 26, 2017 at 2:23 PM
Great pics! That boat that can go underwater is wild.
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Argentine Patagonia

They are called what they look like: Mexican hats. They occur naturally in the highlands above the town of El Calafate. The water in the distance is glacier-fed Lago Argentino. An hour's drive east of El Calafate, near the headwaters of the lake, visitors can hike on the Perito Moreno glacier and take a boat ride among icebergs that have fallen off the several glaciers in the Parque Nacional des Glaciares. El Calafate is basically a summer (Nov. to Feb.) tourist town, and there are a number of hotels at all price points. We stayed at Esplendor El Calafate, a very stylish hotel with a full restaurant and bar. The South American picker-upper drink mate is available at breakfast. The hotel is an uphill walk from the commercial area, but that's not much of a drawback. Click on the photo to visit the Esplendor online.

Dominica

Probably the greenest island in the Caribbean, in terms of color and ecological awareness, is Dominica, just north of Martinique. It was named by Columbus, who sailed past it on a Sunday. The island nation is one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, but it is rich in friendly people and natural attractions, including a boiling lake, hot and cold waterfalls, a parrot jungle and hill after hill of dense green jungle. There is also a cable-car ride through the jungle canopy (http://www.natureisland.com/AerialTram.html). I wrote about Dominica years ago, and much of that article is still relevant: http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/26/travel/winter-in-the-sun-an-island-where-less-is-more.html?scp=2&sq= Unfortunately, one of the hotels I mentioned, Petit Coulibri, has since closed. Fortunately, there's still a wonderful eco-resort called Papillote Wilderness Retreat http://www.papillote.dm/), four acres of lush gardens, hot-spring-heated soaking pools and modest cottage rooms.

Palm Springs

Palm Springs, Calif., is a great destination for nature lovers -- Mount San Jacinto State Park is a wonderful gondola ride (shown above -- click on it to visit its website) away, and Joshua Tree National Park is a short drive away. It's also a great destination for naturists; there are several major clothing optional resorts in the area -- and for fans of Mid-Century Modern architecture. For a dose of mid-century style, stay at the Orbit In (http://www.orbitin.com/), which does ask that you keep your clothes on.

Pompeii

If you're driving from Naples to the Amalfi Coast, and it's hard to imagine anyone who wouldn't want to visit the Amalfi Coast, you should plan to spend a night in the modern city of Pompei, adjacent to the ancient city of Pompeii. Above are the murals depicting an unknown ritual in what's called the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii. If you can, devote most of a full day to exploring the site. Afterward, you'll want a good hotel. Click on the image for info about Hotel Amleto, a small and friendly hotel in the heart of the new town and an easy walk from the ruins.

St. Vincent

This is one of the "rooms" at Petit Byahaut, an isolated (access by boat only) eco-resort on St. Vincent, the largest island in the country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Bequia, mentioned above in this column, is one of the Grenadines. The photo above is of the living deck and doesn't show a relatively enclosed area that had a real bed. Did you notice I said "had"? That's because the place has closed. To read about the property in its heyday, click on the image for a New York Times article I wrote. The article has a link to a slide show with more images of the resort.