San Diego: Friday (MY LAST DAY)

Friday night was my last time to really see San Diego one more time. I had worked all week and barely got enough time to sleep let a lone see more of San Diego. On Friday night there was nothing stopping me from going out. I had a few ideas in mind: Ocean Beach or Downtown or San Diego’s PRIDE.

Earlier that morning, I had been getting my coffee from this guy for the past week. He mentioned to me this place called Winstons in OB that was a comedy club his friends worked at. He gave me some directions and his number if I wanted to meet them up. Now, up until that point I had been blessed with some very reliable/trustworthy people and this guy seemed alright. So, I put the idea in my pocket and went to work.

Later I spoke with Bridgida and she mentioned OB, too. At that point I was sold. At least I would have known someone and got to experience another place in San Diego. She told me about South Beach Bar and Grill and how they have the best fish tacos in all of San Diego. So, I got a cab and for the first time in my whole life at alone at the bar. It was a weird feeling. I know people do it, and when you’re traveling there’s not much choice, but I would perfer to at least have someone to talk to. Hell, when I was there I would have loved for these older guys talking next to me just to include me in their conversation a little. One of them asked me to watch their drink and I got all excited thinking I could someone how segway into a conversation with them, but no such luck. Any luck, the tacos were amazing. The fish was so good, I could have eaten just that.

I like OB. From what I understand OB is the last remaining spot of true San Diego. A hippi town built on small businesses and a lot of weed. It was great.

After South Beach B&G, I wondered down to Winstons to meet up with Andrew (the guy at my hotel). He was so high it wasn’t even funny, but he was a lot of fun. The comedy was okay, but it was cool to see some of these guys brave it all on small topics like drinking, guys stuff and girls. Plus, I didn’t really have to pay for anything. After some really good tequila and an offer to smoke out (which I turned down), Bridgida showed up. I love this girl-so much fun and plenty to talk about with. As we’re talking and I’m really enjoying my tequila buzz the club is slowly morphing into a reggae club. The group that was to go on stage was called “Vegitation“. They were all decked out in dreadlocks, beards and one in a hand made skirt. They’re skit featured set design with plants…lots of plants. We didn’t stay for their show, but did get to hear their opening act. I don’t remember his name, but he was a cross between Ben Harper and Ray LaMontagne only with dreads. He was really good.

After he was done, we called it a night. Bridgida showed me around Hillcrest (their gayborhood). They had so much going on because of PRIDE that weekend. Part of me was sad I didn’t get to experience any PRIDE with San Diego. It would have been awesome to see couples who were legally wed and what not. The PRIDE of it all would have been at an all time high. But, it worked out because it appeared to be predominately a boys town and they didn’t have much going on Friday.

I have to say going to OB and hanging out with Bridgida was an excellent way to say “goodbye” to San Diego. I love that city and need to plan a vacation soon! Next time I’m there, I hope it’s for holiday, NOT for business.

San Diego: Adventure Sunday

Alright, now time to write about my trip. I’ve been working slaving through the week getting less than six hours away from the office. It is beautiful here, though.

Sunday:

1. First, I’m must tell you about my plane ride. Typically I get vertigo easily on planes and will just want to look out the window, listen to music and not do anything else. However, that’s not what God had in store for me that day.I get to the airport (after circling the damn place several times trying to snag a good parking space that wouldn’t cost me $40 a day) late and am rushing to my gate. As soon as I sit down, they inform us the electricity was out on our bridge to the plane. We were told to line up according to group number and walk to the plane Hollywood style. I start realizing, with the additions of people carrying on more luggage, I could be screwed a spot to put my suitcase. So, I decided to cheat. Yes, I played the part of “that bitch” that cut in line. I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better I was nervous about it the whole time.As I walked up to the counter, where I witnessed her turn someone in the wrong group away, she smiled and I quickly got her talking. “How’s your day?”…”Oh, yeah? I totally understand that…”. She took my ticket and let me through. God, many blessings on her, please.After I walked to the plane, climbed through the back stairs (didn’t know that’s where stairs were kept: in the plane’s ass) and found my seat, I realized I didn’t have window like I was told I did. Now, this shouldn’t be a big deal, but for someone as motion sick as I am it’s a big deal. That window is my complete source of comfort, brain stability and vision-headache free. BUT, the person that did have the window seat was not there, so I sat down hoping they wouldn’t care or notice. As I became comfortable (suitcase perfectly above my seat versus in the front of the plane), she showed up. “Excuse me? Do you have the window seat?”she said. Dammit. I muddled a line of “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking,” as I stood up and moved out from the three-seat row. “Would you rather the window?”she said. I could have hugged her right then and there.As the plane was getting ready for take off, I had my XM Radio (by the way I kept that service) out waiting for the “go”. I forget now how it started, but we started talking. I kept thinking it would be a few minutes of conversation then she would pull out a magazine or something and I would carry on with my “brain protection plan”. Yeah…some how I couldn’t pull away. The words, “would you mind if I listened to my music for a while – I have bad vertigo and it helps.” were on my tongue, but I just couldn’t bring myself to say them. She had no magazine or THING to pull out of her bag and was completely engaged in conversation with me.As I kept practicing those words over and over in my head, I remembered something about how God brings you certain people into your life for reasons and often they can be found on airplanes. No, I didn’t read that any where and please don’t quote me on it, but I decided to go with it. I gave up the notion of headphones/music/brain rest and choose to remain engaged. Turns out, she was an AMAZING person to talk to.

   She was in her sixties, from Finland, a traveling nurse and going to San Diego to pet sit for her brother. We talked about books (she suggested the book Anatomy of the Spirit by Carolyn Myss that I will be reading later), pets, careers, my vertigo problem and life in general. One thing she said (among the many good things I wish I would have written down) as resonated with me since then. She said, “When you find yourself wanting to run away you have to turn around and face it. Once you face it, that part of fear/worry/doubt/whatever won’t travel with you. When you run away you take that weakness with you and it stays with you until you deal with it.”I paraphrased a little there, but I that idea/theory hadn’t stuck with me until her. I started thinking about all the things I’ve ran away from and how if I had turned and faced them I may not be working through those issues still. (Side Note: I had a defining moment while I was on this trip and it was the reason I am running away from my relationship with Amy was because I’m in love with her. This is a topic for another blog, but talk about a new discovery.)

   Another thing she said was, “You have to be truly honest with yourself. If you can be honest with yourself and exist in that honesty, you’ll begin to notice your body responding.” Her opinion was because the body and mind are not absent of each other, one reacts to the other. I’m sure there’s more I could go into on that one, but for now I like that quote of being honest with yourself. I’ve started to be 100% honest with myself and stop NOT facing things. Nice, huh?

   What was more amazing was that I didn’t have vertigo at any time on the plane. Though I was next to the window, by back basically faced it the whole time. I was sort of riding limo style with my head. It did hurt a little, but no vertigo! Good times #1.

2. After we landed, she and I parted our ways and I began to find myself in a whole new place. I haven’t traveled on my own in FOREVER and the last time I did anything for business someone was picking me up from the airport. As I reached the pick-up/drop-off deck, I started looking for this “shuttle” that the hotel’s website had mentioned. I call to confirm such shuttle and am told they do not have one. So, after waiting for cab in the wrong spot for about five minutes I found my way to the Taxi/Bus zone. I’m directed toward a cab ready to go and this guy drives me through the hills of San Diego. We do a little conversation exchange and he drops me off at my hotel.Since my flight was so early I couldn’t check in to my hotel until later that day. Good. I was needing to have a San Diego adventure and not being able to check in was pushing me out there to find it.After careful instruction from the hotel “local” shuttle guys on how to take the trolley to Gaslamp, then get to the ferry to Coronado for a beach day, I was off. The shuttle dropped me off at Old Town Station, I tumbled my way through the trolley system, paid for a ticket and jumped on the closest trolley. This was my first mistake. If you’ve ever ridden on the MTS Trolley System in San Diego, you would know there are four parts to the trolley: orange, red, blue and green. Red covers Old Town through Glaslamp (near downtown). Orange takes you from the Northeast side of the city to around downtown. Green takes you from Old Town north of where Orange starts. Blue will take you to downtown and Mexico. I knew I didn’t want to get on the blue.Turns out I jumped on the Red trolley heading the wrong way. Gasglamp was southwest and I jumped on it going Northeast. After I realized my mishap I decided to ride it out seeing how I had no real plans. It was kind of cool, actually, because I was able to see a lot of San Diego because of it. When the trolley system was about to head back I jumped off and jumped on the Orange trolley line to see some new scenery. What I didn’t realized until it was too late, was that the orange trolley line drove you through the ghetto. Seriously. There I sat, by my self, holding my Blackberry hoping no one would really notice me.After I we passed my Petco Park I arrived at Gaslamp. I jumped off into what seemed to be an Obama rally. Yes, there were t-shirt vedeors, button sellers, protesting for Obama and Pro-Life, and that Obama song played by a guy in a electric wheel chair. It was a site to see.I realized I didn’t know which way the peer was and I had to ask around. I only asked cops because A.) I felt safe with them and B.) they would know. I get a hold of this one guy who told me the peer was at least five miles away. Because I’m doing the whole 60 miles in one weekend thing, I took those five miles on. Through the Obama rally I started and after passing much of downtown I found the peer. A few blocks off I located the ferry booth selling rides over to Coronado Island. Did I tell you that while I’m walking I’m approached my a red-faced (sun burn) homeless guy with the story, “I just moved here from Flordia and I have nothing.” I didn’t have cash, so I told him to go toward the Obama rally and there were TONS of people.

   While I’m waiting in line for the ferry, I get sandwiched between to bicycle groups. They start talking about Electra bikes (which, I’ve researched them and want a cruiser), so I chime up. “Did you say you worked for Electra?” We exchanged a few words and I thought that was it. Little did I know these would soon become my beach day friends.

3. While riding the ferry over I sit next to this couple from the Electra bike story: Bridgida and Tim. We start talking, they give me a few pointers on what to do once at Coronado and then they ask if I wanted to ride one of their bikes with them over toward the beach. What?! At first, that really shy part of me thought, “no thanks, I would really hate to ruin your planned day together. Thanks for having pity on me,” but what I actually said was, “I don’t know; it would be an adventure.” Next thing I know I’m following Tim through the streets of Coronado while Bridgida rode the spokes of his bike.It was such a serial moment for me. First, I didn’t know where I was or where I was going and second I didn’t know these people. I was blindly following them into unknown waters in California. I kept telling myself, “please don’t fall off the bike. I know you haven’t ridden a bike in over 12 years, but please don’t fall off and have one of these cars run you over. That would be most unfortunate for them to deal with after being so nice to you.”We biked up to this little pizza joint and stopped to have lunch. If you EVER go to Coronado Island, please rent a bike and ride around. I could have done that every day. The weather is, of course, gorgeous and the area is just too cool. I would love to live there.After we ate lunch, got to know each other better, I realized these were some awesome people. Not only were they being generous with their bike and time, but they actually asked me to hang out with them. God, double bless them, please.

   We biked up to the Corinado hotel, had a few drinks, then lounged on the nicest sand I’ve experienced in the US. Mexico was better, but HELLO…it’s Mexico. Once we packed it up, I realized I was fighting the sun going down more than anything. Since I walked and took the trolley from my hotel, I had a while to go and didn’t want to do it in the dark.

   By the time we got back to the peer, we were exhausted. My skin was burnt (from the walk and the biking), my hair was plastered to my head and my body was tired. My ass hurt so much the next day from that 20 minute bike ride.

   Once we got back in San Diego, we exchanged numbers for a possible meet up mid-week and I was on my way. It felt so good knowing my way around downtown and on the trolley. I didn’t fear getting lost at all! That’s first for me; I’m always lost.

Isn’t that an amazing way to start my first visit to California?! I was so happy that all happened and that I got to do so much. Thanks God!

To view random pictures see: San Diego