Day 1 of 33 (Part 2)

There are really no pictures that can do this place justice, but I will post what I have.

After a thankfully uneventful remainder of my trip, I arrived in San Diego. I decided not to press my luck this time and opted for the taxi over public transportation. The San Diego airport is right in the middle of town, and I had caught a glance of Balboa Park, where the theater is located, on landing, but there is so much more in store! I took a quick ride to the apartment complex where I am staying and I was pleasantly surprised.


The complex is situated on a nice little hill in a great neighborhood. On top is a look down the street outside the apartment, where palms are abundant. Below is a shot of the interior. It is a real 1 bedroom / Studio-esque apartment, fully-loaded. It is very comfortable and a BIG step up from the "Crash Room" where I was typically housed at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.



I quickly got situated and headed out for the most important stuff, food and wine. There are plenty of stores, restaurants, coffee shops and other things nearby and I made my way to a Trader Joes. I got the chance to explore a little, and I think my jaw had already found it's permanent location a couple inches below my face. Within 1 hour of arriving in San Diego, I was convinced I wanted to live here. And we haven't even gotten to the good part yet!

After eating, drinking, and merriment. I decided to take a walk through Balboa Park, just south of my apartment. This is where the Old Globe Theatre is located, along with the San Diego Zoo and a number of museums. I had been warned that Balboa Park was gorgeous, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw today.

Balboa Park is a veritable spider web of old and new Spanish buildings that are now used as museums and other interesting places. They are set among some of the most beautiful gardens and landscapes to boot. I was worried that I would be bored with nothing to occupy me for a month, but now I worry that I can't fit it all in.

As I wandered to the Old Globe, I passesd the San Diego Zoo, an artists village inside a Spanish Presidio, a sculpture garden, the Natural History Museum, a mall looking upon the Art Museum and Botanical Garden, a Sculpture Garden and more things. I finally made it to the Old Globe Theater complex and felt completely overwhelmed with the thought that this was where I would be working. Thrree stages comprise the Old Globe Theatre, including one fashioned after the Globe Theatre in London from Shakespeare's time. They have a repertory of shows playing the summer ad I cannot wait to watch them.


I continued walking through the park, trying to get an idea of everything that was there, but eventually decided there was just too much. I passed another 15 museums which I cannot possibly name, a large outdoor concert space where they have free concerts all summer, a village of international cottages (Gaelic lessons every Friday... um yes?) I decided to make my way home, and I found myself wandering the Balboa Park walking path system, which weaved its way through a Palm Canyon, a Rose Garden and a Cactus Walk, as if I hadn't had enough!


I got home again, completely exhausted, and decided to take a nap before heading out that night for fireworks. Unfortunately, my body decided I had had enough for the day. I slept through 2 hours worth of alarms, waking to the sounds of the fireworks themselves. I hear they look fantastic on the harbor, but this is one thing we'll have to take their word for. As far as everything else goes, check back for more!