There was a humming bird aviary at the zoo. Other birds in it as well. I probably waited at least 20-30 minutes to get these two pictures back to back. Had earlier chances, but could not quite get the picture. Patience prevailed!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
San Diego Zoo - Wrapping It Up
Day 11 - Our third day at the zoo. We took our time. Made sure we saw what we had missed on the previous days. It's been a relaxing vacation with lots of sightseeing and time for visiting old friends and relatives.
There was a humming bird aviary at the zoo. Other birds in it as well. I probably waited at least 20-30 minutes to get these two pictures back to back. Had earlier chances, but could not quite get the picture. Patience prevailed!
There was a humming bird aviary at the zoo. Other birds in it as well. I probably waited at least 20-30 minutes to get these two pictures back to back. Had earlier chances, but could not quite get the picture. Patience prevailed!
California Sunset
Day 10 (cont.) - After spending some more time at the shops and stores on Coronado, we headed toward Point Loma. We were too late to enter (it closes at 5 pm), but stopped at Seaside Cliffs on a Nazarene campus. We watched the sun set into the Pacific Ocean. A little overcast, but still beautiful. A sailboat even came along. It did not sail into the sunset, but across it.
Sunday Brunch
Day 10 - The newly weds stayed in town a couple of days before leaving on their honeymoon to Jamaica. So our friends invited everyone to a brunch and gift opening at the resort hotel where they stayed. A good spread of food. Wally's girls had asked if they had to have eggs so there were no egg dishes, but lots of good Mexican food! No one went hungry.
Earlier we walked along the beach at the Hotel del Coronado. It's over 180 years old! Huge, magnificent, awesome. Expensive.
And after the brunch we returned for more sightseeing and a little time on the beach.
I told you the Hotel del Coronado was HUGE!
Earlier we walked along the beach at the Hotel del Coronado. It's over 180 years old! Huge, magnificent, awesome. Expensive.
And after the brunch we returned for more sightseeing and a little time on the beach.
I told you the Hotel del Coronado was HUGE!
The Zoo in the Morning and a Wedding in the Evening
Day 9 - the reason we came to San Diego in the first place was the wedding of our friends' daughter at 4 this afternoon. But that allowed us plenty of time to spend 3 hours at the zoo in the morning. Love those passes!
I purposely did not take pictures at the wedding, but left the camera in the car at the reception and dinner afterwards. I should have gone back out to get it.
The bride was beautiful, the groom handsome, and the wedding simple, yet elegant.
The reception was on the marina west of Sea World. Loved the jelly bellies in blue and white (their colors). Excellent food and a wonderful time visiting with our friends and their families. Sonia is originally from Kansas City and we caught up with her mother, her brothers and her sister. All still live in the Kansas City area except one brother now living in Florida, I think. A very good time.
You have to settle, though, for some more pictures from the zoo.
A cloudy morning, but a sunny afternoon for the wedding. I thought I had caught some reflection off the glass wall, but the monkey's skin is patchy.
This cheetah would not hold still. He paced continually and swiftly. Even though his head is partially hidden, this is best I could do.
Peacock in the open on top of a building. Waited several minutes for it to show its tail feathers. It did not cooperate.
I purposely did not take pictures at the wedding, but left the camera in the car at the reception and dinner afterwards. I should have gone back out to get it.
The bride was beautiful, the groom handsome, and the wedding simple, yet elegant.
The reception was on the marina west of Sea World. Loved the jelly bellies in blue and white (their colors). Excellent food and a wonderful time visiting with our friends and their families. Sonia is originally from Kansas City and we caught up with her mother, her brothers and her sister. All still live in the Kansas City area except one brother now living in Florida, I think. A very good time.
You have to settle, though, for some more pictures from the zoo.
A cloudy morning, but a sunny afternoon for the wedding. I thought I had caught some reflection off the glass wall, but the monkey's skin is patchy.
This cheetah would not hold still. He paced continually and swiftly. Even though his head is partially hidden, this is best I could do.
Peacock in the open on top of a building. Waited several minutes for it to show its tail feathers. It did not cooperate.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Wild Animal Park
Day 8 - The Wild Animal Park is about 30 miles north of the San Diego Zoo and is actually a part of the zoo. As you can see, the animals have much more area to roam in a more natural habitat. It was established to facilitate the breeding program connected with the zoo. Because the animals are more comfortable in this environment, the breeding program has been an overwhelming success.
Again, our passes included a bus ride around the facility which gave us a good idea of what was there, but we generally got better pictures as we walked around. By appointment and paying extra, you could ride in safari vehicles and get up close and personal with the animals. I think we did pretty well just using my zoom lens.
This is a large facility and it is sometimes a ways between exhibits. We did a lot of walking! But, we also spent a lot of time sitting (or at least just standing) in front of the gorillas at lunch time and late in the afternoon. Great fun and LOTS of pictures.
This post will have 12 pictures - many animals and vistas. You probably know this, but you can click on the individual pictures to see them full-size.
Again, our passes included a bus ride around the facility which gave us a good idea of what was there, but we generally got better pictures as we walked around. By appointment and paying extra, you could ride in safari vehicles and get up close and personal with the animals. I think we did pretty well just using my zoom lens.
This is a large facility and it is sometimes a ways between exhibits. We did a lot of walking! But, we also spent a lot of time sitting (or at least just standing) in front of the gorillas at lunch time and late in the afternoon. Great fun and LOTS of pictures.
This post will have 12 pictures - many animals and vistas. You probably know this, but you can click on the individual pictures to see them full-size.
San Diego Zoo - Getting Started
Day 7 - We left Yuma in the morning (3 hour drive), checked back into our motel and headed to the zoo. Before we left Yuma, we went online and bought a 5 day pass good for multiple admissions to the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. As you will see, this was perfect for us and our schedule.
At the zoo, we felt refreshed by the cool temperature and had fresh legs because we did not do any extended walking in the Arizona heat. We spent over 6 hours at the zoo starting with a bus ride around and through the entire zoo and continuing at steady, but relaxed, pace through many of the exhibits and shows.
After eating (I think I will have a post dedicated to food, without pictures, after getting the vacation pictures posted) and returning to our motel, we pulled out the map of the zoo and checked off the animals and shows we had seen. We had covered barely one-third of the zoo! Thank goodness for our multiple admissions tickets.
At the zoo, we felt refreshed by the cool temperature and had fresh legs because we did not do any extended walking in the Arizona heat. We spent over 6 hours at the zoo starting with a bus ride around and through the entire zoo and continuing at steady, but relaxed, pace through many of the exhibits and shows.
After eating (I think I will have a post dedicated to food, without pictures, after getting the vacation pictures posted) and returning to our motel, we pulled out the map of the zoo and checked off the animals and shows we had seen. We had covered barely one-third of the zoo! Thank goodness for our multiple admissions tickets.
Yuma, AZ
Days 4-6 - Did I mention it is hot in Yuma? Imagine being imprisoned in this heat in the late 1800s! In the evenings, we took drives to see various parts of Yuma. It is bigger (both physically and population) than I had thought. The U.S. Census estimate for 2006 was about 90,000. And the population increases dramatically (+85,000) in the winter. The city spreads over more than 100 square miles.
We had three relaxing days with Jay and his family. They have a pool (water temperature 87ยบ) in their back yard. Tiffany left for camp Monday morning, so we did not get to visit much with her. They have a dog and two cats for pets. A screen flap beside their patio sliding door allows them to go inside and outside as they please.
One night Jay said we were going out to the foothills. He drove us around various residential areas and I commented it did not look like there were any roads up in the foothills. He promptly informed us we were in the foothills, I was looking at the mountains! They tower a little over 1000 feet above Yuma. Yuma's mountains are Denver's foothills.
Sun Bank has 4 branches in Yuma area WalMarts and Armed Forces Bank has a branch at the Marine Corps Air Station. I should have mentioned earlier Armed Force Bank of California has several branches on naval bases around San Diego. All of these banks are serviced by the data center in Kansas City where I work as the computer operations manager.
Pictures include the territorial prison, dam on the Colorado River, wildlife at the university. Some of you may know I am a Jackrabbit from Greeley County High School.
Territorial prison watchtower.
Oops! Brittney got caught.
Yuma Marine Corp Air Station - a branch of Armed Forces Bank is here.
Robin, Brittney, Amy and Jay - I am behind the camera as usual.
Outlet tubes of dam on the Colorado River. Not quite as exciting as the spring opening of the tubes at Tuttle Creek Reservoir near Manhattan, KS, but you still get a since of the power.
Northern Arizona University? Yuma is in the extreme SOUTHwest corner of the state.
We had three relaxing days with Jay and his family. They have a pool (water temperature 87ยบ) in their back yard. Tiffany left for camp Monday morning, so we did not get to visit much with her. They have a dog and two cats for pets. A screen flap beside their patio sliding door allows them to go inside and outside as they please.
One night Jay said we were going out to the foothills. He drove us around various residential areas and I commented it did not look like there were any roads up in the foothills. He promptly informed us we were in the foothills, I was looking at the mountains! They tower a little over 1000 feet above Yuma. Yuma's mountains are Denver's foothills.
Sun Bank has 4 branches in Yuma area WalMarts and Armed Forces Bank has a branch at the Marine Corps Air Station. I should have mentioned earlier Armed Force Bank of California has several branches on naval bases around San Diego. All of these banks are serviced by the data center in Kansas City where I work as the computer operations manager.
Pictures include the territorial prison, dam on the Colorado River, wildlife at the university. Some of you may know I am a Jackrabbit from Greeley County High School.
Territorial prison watchtower.
Oops! Brittney got caught.
Yuma Marine Corp Air Station - a branch of Armed Forces Bank is here.
Robin, Brittney, Amy and Jay - I am behind the camera as usual.
Outlet tubes of dam on the Colorado River. Not quite as exciting as the spring opening of the tubes at Tuttle Creek Reservoir near Manhattan, KS, but you still get a since of the power.
Northern Arizona University? Yuma is in the extreme SOUTHwest corner of the state.
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