teamluguy

The latest Renard_Bleu creation is going to keep all kinds of precious items out of reach from grubby little hands: For the full INSTRUCTABLE  

So hard to leave the warm south and return to a New Year deep freeze, but we've stored a little sunshine down deep that will hopefully help us to make it to the spring. And now we start planning the next trip... Last night decadent treat at Ghirardelli Chocolate and Ice Cream Shop Back to Montreal - Tim Horton's bagels for supper!

The USS Midway aircraft carrier is parked in the port of San Diego after being decommissioned in 1992. Even for non-military, non-history, and non-aircraft buffs, it's a fantastic and informative destination. One of the most interesting aspects was seeing how the crew lived and worked in cramped quarters for long periods at sea. Riding the trolley back to the hotel (note the girls' Junior Pilot wings) Guy whipping up a batch of muffins. We can handle this. Alice and Estelle so sad to be thrown in the brig (on-board jail) Must have been all that arguing. The indoctrination ceremony. Listening for clues Learning about all the different jobs on board and their respective uniform colors. Guy headed off for his "adult only" tour of the bridge. A whole fleet of helicopters.

The bus took us from downtown to the Coronado beach in about half an hour. We didn't plan for full on swimming, but it was warm enough for frolicking with gay abandon, collecting shells and digging in the sand. A requisite for a Californian trip, I'm guessing. Happy sisters. View of the Del Coronado Hotel, a behemoth resort-type hotel and definite consideration for our next San Diego escapade. This wave is chasing me... All in a good morning's sand play... My skirt is soaked! A nice, cosy blanket I'm goin' down. The tide is coming in! Relaxed. On the Coronado Bridge

Balboa Park is one of the main tourist and local attractions for San Diego, primarily for the San Diego Zoo, but also for the many beautiful gardens and 15-20 museums and theatres. We spent one day at the park to see the gardens and Natural History Museum, but we could easily have gone back every day for a week.  Alice and bird of paradise The cactus garden Guy leading the way to a day of learning!!! Yippee! Public washrooms in here?! Californian hippie painted our kids' faces with hypoallergenic, soy-based, hemp-infused colors Kissy Kissy Double dolphins All made up and ready to explore Scary exhibit. A replica of Lyuba, the world's best preserved baby mammoth. Estelle wants to bring Lyuba home (or at least back to the hotel room) A lesson in plate tectonics Lovely artist's market Sea goddess Estelle found her pick on the 1910 Balboa Park Carousel Wanna race? Ever the show-off... ...

We selected our 3rd hotel from Trip Advisor reviews and booked a good deal through Expedia. After checking in and looking around the place, we made sure to double check the room rate because we couldn't possibly afford such a luxurious place... Turns out it wasn't too good to be true, so we remained at The Westgate Hotel for the last 5 nights. It was a perfectly located, ritzy place smack downtown, close to the Gaslamp district, and a trolleys & buses that took us to the park, the beach, a parade and a mall.  A pool and hot tub on the rooftop of the 3rd floor - which we had all to ourselves quite often, and we used once or twice every day. Browsing the corridors; lookin' for trouble... The hotel was decked out with holiday trimmings.  Heated pool and happy girls. Dolled up in summer dresses for lunch at the Westgate Cafe. Where's our doorman?!? Estelle's bodyguard. A view of downtown from the pool area. Early mornin...