The sun was shining on “America’s Finest City”, as San Diego is fondly referred to, when we approached its port, as if the city was flaunting it’s own reputation for its glorious and mild year-round climate. San Diego is also ranked as the fifth best place to live in the United States, the fifth wealthiest city, and the ninth safest. Pretty high accolades….but it made me a believer.
My glorious day in this city began with an eye-level view from our suite at the next pier over, of the magnificient and proud USS Midway aircraft carrier, now a museum, permanently docked there. It was a short walk, and I arrived at the museum before the ticket gate opened at 10:00 am. Tom, Deanna, and some other friends from the ship saw me waiting in line, called for me to join them, so I had the good fortune to be included, at the last minute, in their private tour hosted by the President of the museum, RADM John “Mac” McLaughlin, USN. Tom and Mac had been classmates together at the US Naval academy at Annapolis, Maryland. This may have been a reunion, of sorts, for them, but it was a very special treat for me. Mac escorted us through the museum, which he has directed since the ship arrived in San Diego in 2004, providing a personal and intimate commentary of it’s features and highlights from his eyes as the museum CEO, retired career naval officer…and really nice guy.
And then my day gets even better. My dear friend Nancy, picked me up at the pier, to host me for a special afternoon in her long time home of San Diego. We headed out to Balboa Park, established in the late 1800’s, and one of the oldest sites in the U.S. dedicated to public recreational use. The 12,000-acre urban cultural park, named for the Spanish maritime explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa, includes open spaces, gardens, walking paths, museums, theaters, and the world famous San Diego Zoo, all set within pristine landscaping and classic Spanish architecture.
Our first stop was the Mingei Museum, which means “Art of the People” in Japanese, celebrating the imagination, inspiration, and motivation of America through folk art, craft, and design. The lower level exhibition was a collection of captivating and unique African-American dolls made between 1850 and 1940, believed to have been created by African-Americans for children they knew, members of their own families and communities, as well as white children in their charge. They portray a wide range of characters from playful boys and girls to distinguished gentlemen and ladies, some still with their elaborate clothing made from leftover materials and precious bits of ribbon and lace. The embroidered, stitched, and painted faces express a wide variety of emotions from surprise, puzzlement, contentment, joy, and, almost terror.
Upstairs featured the fascinating “Self-Taught Genius” exhibition, a collection of masterpieces in textiles and needlework, ceramics, furniture, sculptures, carved figures, drawings, and paintings, of folk art and craft. And the museum stairway showcased monumental contemporary works, including one by Dale Chihuly. This museum is a jewel.
We had lunch outdoors and caught up on our years apart. After a stroll around the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, home of one of the world’s largest outdoor pipe organs, and a drive past the Old Globe Theater and St. Francis Chapel on our way back to the pier, we bid a fond farewell, with renewed promises to meet again.
Back onboard with a late afternoon departure, we shared stories of shoreside adventures over pre-dinner cocktails and canapés with our friends, as the day’s sun set on, very possibly, America’s finest city.
Nancy looks great, Kristy! I am sure it was great to catch up with her
She does look great…..has not changed. We had a wonderful day!
You filled out my San Diego visit as I was reluctant to visit the aircraft carrier because of the steps, I found later that an elevator was available.
Tom
We also saw a short, very well done, and moving film about the Battle of Midway in the small theater at the museum. And, on the flight deck, we saw an interesting presentation of how the planes take off and land….when timing and precision count!