Memorial Weekend

After a great week teaching (supervising) at Hubbard College, on Friday night I had a pleasant and relaxing visit with my friend Katie Botha at Kingsley Manor.

Saturday morning I had to turn down an invitation for breakfast from friend Suesan Walker (and her family visiting from Las Vegas) as I work Saturday mornings at the college.

Saturday night I went with my friend Sue Zenger, to the 59th Anniversary of the release of the book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. This book has now sold over 21 million copies and due to all his other books as well, the author, L. Ron Hubbard, was declared the most reviewed author in the world in 2009 and now has just been declared the most published author on Earth by Guinness World Records.

As it was a long weekend I came home from the event and got right to bed. I got up early and left town for a two day adventure.

I drove south on Interstate Freeway 5 all the way to the Mexican border - but turned off on the last USA exit before crossing the border and had a quick look at the huge modern America Mall, where Mexicans, crossing over the boarder by foot can shop.

Then I made my way to the coast to continue my plan of seeing the entirety of the California coast. I was stopped by border security from going on my planned route (right along the USA side of the boarder) to the coast - they told me it was too dangerous due to drug smuggling and I should go back to the next Freeway exit. Not being one who is easily stopped, I found another route and went to the coast as planned. It was blocked off to vehicles the last half mile so I had an energetic walk, stepping round a brown snake (photos of course) and reached the miles-long white sand Border Beach - totally deserted of anyone but myself - and I could see Mexico in the not too far distance. Back to the car I made my way north up the beautiful California coast.

The first real city I encountered was Coronado with its beautiful white sand beach, pier, shops, parks, and one of the most beautiful hotels I've ever seen - huge, in immaculate shape, in the colonial style with towers, a lighthouse structured restaurant and lots of adjoining cottages - and all of it right on the beautiful beach. I got two hours of sun on the beach there.

Traveling on, I reached the magnificent city of San Diego with it's beautiful skyline and high, long, harbor bridge across a magnificent harbor where there were two wonderful sailing ships and the aircraft carrier Midway as an memorial museum. There, also, is San Diego's awesome, huge, convention center.

On up the coast to Harbor Island where it became to dark to see much, so I got on the Freeway and went back north a short way to La Jolla, got myself a meal, went to a movie (X-Men Wolverine), and set up to sleep in the back of my Volvo wagon in the parking lot of a 24 hour Ralph's store with good bathrooms - and where it was safe! With the back seats folded down I have 8 inches of foam rubber on the floor and a sleeping bag, pillow, comforter and curtains for privacy.

After a good nights sleep I was up and south a short distance to Harbor Island (where I ended the previous day). Then up the coast past mile upon mile of beautiful, long, wide, white sand beaches.

I reached Cabrillo National Monument and Sunset Cliffs National Park and discovered that the Monument is a memorial and there are tens upon tens of thousands of military graves with white markers in perfect lines on perfect green grass. Coincidentally, I was there right on Memorial Day - I couldn't have planned it better. I heard a gut-wrenching address by "the American Flag" spoken by a man with a magnificent voice. Looking at all those graves (and as many memorial plaques on walls) I couldn't help but feel anger at idiot leaders who are so incompetent they can't solve problems by communication and have to resort to the barbarity of war - and even more anger at those who feel war is necessary as a form of population control.

I traveled on north up the beautiful coast - beach city after beach city. Pacific Beach has a very unique hotel - right on the pier with little bungalow rooms along each side of the wide pier out over the water.

I visited Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and went for an hour and a half walk at Torres Pines State Reserve - beach and nature trails - and finally made the city of Carlsbad before it became too dark to see much and I got back on the Freeway for home.

What a magnificent state this southern coastal state, California, is! Beautiful beaches, marinas, yachting, bike trails, walking tracks, sports fields, sports courts, fishing piers, beach stores, picnic areas, statues, fountains, restaurants, hotels, amusement parks, skating parks, surfing, hang gliding, para sailing, kite flying, swimming, hot-air balloons and huge varieties of flowers and trees - dominated by the tall, tall, California palm and the bougainvillea in a great variety of colors.

I arrived home after 10:30 pm and sat down to make this entry while it was all fresh in my mind. Now it's time to catch up on my emails - which I have not seen since Friday.

Love,
Barry