This is far overdue, but back in early August I took a week-long trip to San Diego for training for work on the TrackWise QMS system developed by Sparta Systems. Each day I was in training from 8-5 under the tutelage of a wonderful professor of knowledge, Izzy, and at night I was free to wander about and take in whatever sights I could manage.
While I could write a ton about what I did, etc., I’m just going to show you some of my favorite pictures taken and let you fill in the rest with your wonderful imagination. These are all taken with my old 1.2 MP cameraphone, so I apologize in that they aren’t terribly crisp or wonderful, but I think you’ll get the idea.
The view of myself in the DEN bathroom. This is the boredom of a four and a half hour layover, but hey, where else to screw around but an airport?
The bed in the suite I stayed in on the last night, due to an overbooking at the main hotel. It was loverly. (Sheraton Suites, downtown SD)
The wash from the bay tour boat, so beautifully foamy in the afternoon sunlight. I tried not to think how deep the water actually was below us.
Fresh breaded calamari for my appetizer on the first night. Thick as fingers and digit-licking good. Well worth the $23 at the Blue Point Oyster Bar, Gaslamp Quarter, SD
A cookie from a shop at DEN; heaven in a small, squishy circle.
Cremé Bruleé — if you’ve never had one, you don’t know the true meaning of oral orgasm. I could have had twenty of them, but the beauty is that they only give you one and all the time in the world to eat it.
I got a kick out of the fact that DEN had personalized soap dispensers.
Dusk comes to the San Diego harbor, seagulls hover overhead, and jackasses in pimped-out Mustangs patrol the shore.
YO! HOMIE! Have you been out walking in the dark with your sunglasses on? This isn’t Timbuk 3 anymore, man!
The main entreé: Lobster-crusted seabass with black truffle oil. Words fail to describe properly.
At the San Diego Civic Theatre during the intermission for Phantom of the Opera, looking down on all the “Mezzanine Level” people. We balcony folk were much more refined, even if we had bloodier noses.
The Horton Plaza, an open-air mall near the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego. Fun with all its random ramps and escalators and stairs.
What a pretty bird! Not a plane of mine, but I simply adore the machines of commercial aircraft and it’s fun to take photos of them.
The really, really long line to get checked into the United counter at SAN. Incredible…took me an hour-fifteen just to get inside.
The chandelier at the SD Civic Theatre.
Do you know how freaking tall these things are? They’re huge!
A view down the hallway of my main hotel; as you can see, all open-air. No bugs, no snow, no problem!
A view of the marina from the classroom we were in all week. Rough, eh?
The San Diego Skyline from the harbor tour boat. Pretty.
All in all, I have to say San Diego was one of the nicest major cities I have ever been in. The people were generally friendly and helpful, the city was clean and organized, the public transportation was timely, cheap, and fast, and the weather was beautiful. If there was a major city where I could see myself living, SD would definitely be on the top 5 list.
Did your company give you a certain amount for dinner/breakfast every day? And also, did the hotel that was booked pay for a room at the hotel you stayed at or did your company do that? In the even that we’re totally filled up, we pay for a guest to stay at another hotel.
Cool pictures
Palm trees are really neat.
Sounds like a nice trip, all right. Everyone I’ve known who’s been there raves about it, but I think I’d miss seeing a deciduous tree now and then.
nicheplayers last blog post..I needed this today
Did you know that it is also one of the most expensive places in the country to buy a house? Ah, too many people who loves the place.
Thanks for the palm tree pic… it’s been 3 months since I’ve seen one and was starting to go through withdrawal!