Sunday, July 3, 2016
Headed Home
8:49am

We got on the road at 8:45am. Our tummies are full of one last breakfast at the Terrace. Mine was two eggs sunny side up, three pieces of bacon, hash browns, a little greens and some Greek yogurt with a smidge of honey. Julia also had the yogurt and opted for a fancy omelet with crab and asparagus in it.

Wow! We've had a great time! Because we planned more free time at the beginning, we saw more of the Mensan events. Especially memorable was a program about the Galapagos islands. The speaker, Marcia Brandes, and her husband took a boat tour around the islands and got great photos.

Another lecture by Tony Dias on Pompeii and Herculaneum was fascinating. We also learned about "Malignent Medical Myths" with Dr. Getoff. Most of what he said agrees with what we've heard from Dr. Fuhrmann, Dr. Davis (the "Wheat Belly" doc) and Dr. Amen. But he varies a bit. He also has cautions against cellphones and WiFi (it's nice to know Julia and I aren't the only hold outs!).

On Saturday, we took another walk to the mall, considered a movie, but they only had 3D. We'll see "The BFG" later at our home theater. We did buy some tea cups and a blouse and ate and drank a lot. The Teavana shop agreed to make an unsweetened version of their "Youthberry" blend. And we had some more "Medicine Man" part-tea blend at True Foods, in addition to chowing down on Panang Curry. No offense, True Foods, but Red Rose in the Foothills neighboring Yuma has better!

And now we're glad to be going home.

Saturday, July 9, 2016
More Beautiful Sights
7:04pm

The trip journal is online, and I still have more photos to share. We did get to see "The BFG", starring Mark Rylance, at the Old Town theater. This movie really touched me. The giant is so gentle, and the memory just delights me. I'll probably want the DVD, as I know I'll want to see this one again. Coconut curried chicken at River City Grill satified my taste buds, along with their version of the flourless chocolate cake. Theirs is more like a brownie, compared to that of True Foods.

I have so many more lovely photos from our trip.

These two ladies seem to be enjoying the cool San Diego breezes:


Mother and Daughter Seated, 1971
Francisco Zúńiga, Mexican (born Costa Rica), 1912-1998
Bronze, 47 in. x 49 in. x 31 1/2 in. (119.38 cm x 124.46 cm x 80.01 cm)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin S. Larsen
San Diego Museum of Art #1971.27

Sitting down at Panama 66, the little café by this museum, we enjoyed a scenic view through the gateway to the rest of the museum's sculpture garden:

Many other people found this view attractive. After I snapped, a group of Chinese or Japanese speaking people came by and took their cameras, some with the long 'selfie' stick, and also snapped. After Julia and I drank our tea, I found the Calder which had been elusive:


Spinal Column
Alexander Calder, American, (1898 - 1976)
Iron, 118 in. x 100 in. x 90 in. (299.72 cm x 254 cm x 228.6 cm)
San Diego Museum, Accession Number: 1969.2
Museum purchase with funds provided by Mr. and Mrs. Norton S. Walbridge


Two foxes caught my eye:

Two Shinto Shrine Foxes, 1912-1926
Shirai Nobutaro, Japanese, active early 20th century
Bronze, 19 in. x 8 5/8 in. x 10 5/8 in. (48.26 cm x 21.91 cm x 26.99 cm)
San Diego Museum, Accession Number: 2001.10.1 and .2
Museum purchase with funds provided by the Barbara and William Karatz Fund in memory of Barbara L. Karatz

Kitsune is the Japanese word for 'fox'. "Foxes and human beings lived close together in ancient Japan; this companionship gave rise to legends about the creatures. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari, a Shinto kami or spirit, and serve as its messengers. This role has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance. The more tails a kitsune has—they may have as many as nine—the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make offerings to them as to a deity." (Source: Wikipedia) "In the Shinto tradition, foxes are wily spirit messengers. One [of these statues] holds in its mouth a lock, and the other has a 'wish-fulfilling gem'. Those who approach the shrine and entrust a message for the deity [Inari] must do so with humility and make prayerful requests and supplications that it indeed be delivered." (From info card)

Going back outside, now to the beautiful Japanese gardens, a lantern caught my eye:

In 1955, interested citizens of San Diego gathered, and formulated a plan for restoring a Japanese garden in Balboa Park on an expanded site. In response, the City of Yokohama presented the City of San Diego with a lantern in 1956. This gift from the Boy Scouts and citizens of Yokohama is a symbol of continued friendship between the two cities, and thus is called "Light of Friendship". The chrome sphere inside the lantern contains the names of the people who helped send the gift to San Diego.

The bronze lantern, called "yukidoro", has the typical broad roof of the snow lantern. (Sources, Wikipedia and Garden website)


Detail...


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