San Diego Adventures

I love your San Diego picture Memphis Mojo  Pictures of Players in Memphis Blog.  I too noticed the large number of players from around the world.  The final of the women’s BAM seem to have more European players than Americans.  Well I didn’t count them up.  I could easily have been playing in an Olympiad.  Actually I knew many of the Europeans better than the Americans because I had played against them (and watched them) in world championships and I haven’t really played many women’s events in nationals.

It is exciting to think that going to the nationals gives you a chance to play against the very best in the planet not just North Americans.

Ray and I had a lot of fun touring around (not so much fun yesterday flying home).  I was thinking that when you go to a bridge tournament to play you had to also remember to take the time out to look around.  We visited Laguna Beach which we seem to go back to fairly often, bought a few prints at our favorite art gallery, the  Water Color Gallery 

and then we searched for some geocaches and ended with a very nice Italian dinner recommended by a friendly New Zealand ex-pat.

We started out by checking out La Jolla.  We went into historic Sunny Jim’s Cave Store and walked down (and up) about 150 steep steps.  This would normally be alright but I was a bit tense since I had a sore knee.  All was well though and it was quite nice to have a look at the cave and a good view of the ocean.

  

The cave

We looked all around La Jolla Cove and it was we agreed spectacular.  We decided that the La Jolla Cove Bridge Club was in one of the most beautiful settings in the world.  Here is a picture of the ocean beside the club.

and the club

Wow.  I really liked the seals on the seal beach but when we first saw them we thought they were rocks or plants.  It wasn’t tell one moved that we realized exactly what they were.

If you are still in San Diego and get a chance don’t miss the Greatest Generation collection right near the USS Midway.  My favorite and apparently the very newest memorial/sculpture set is A National Salute to Bob Hope And The Military.  There is Bob Hope standing at a microphone at a USO show and you can hear him telling the jokes to his audience

The audience includes a 15 military men and women from all branches of the service.  One is drawing a caricature of Bob.  Its really very good. 

 

I also really like the huge statue of a sailor kissing a nurse called Unconditional Surrender

I really enjoyed this bridge tournament.  San Diego is a terrific destination.  I loved the Embassy Suites.  For once Ray and I didn’t feel crowded in our hotel room.  The second room really makes a difference especially if you have a husband who wants to get up very very early to watch soccer from the U.K.  The location near Seaport was excellent with lots of good restaurants within walking distance. 

I really enjoyed playing in the Women’s BAM.  The final was a very good field.  The whole experience was much better than the Wagar.   I didn’t really expect to enjoy it, but I did.  We had terrific team mates too.