Tuesday, December 26, 2006

San Diego and Tijuana

Dec. 8 - 14th

During November, I was told that I would attend ASCB (American Society for Cell Biology) annual conference at San Diego Convention center in December. With my green card in hand and the closeness of San Diego to Mexico, I couldn't help planning a trip to Tijuana in Mexico.

Taking a red Trolley, we were heading Tijuana at noon. After a full use of Mcdonald's restroom with a quarter, we walked across the border to Mexico without being stopped. It was Saturday, the street was crowded with many drug stores, gift shops, and restarurants. We were stopped many times in Revolution Avenue, most of them wanted to hook us up with hot girls. We spend a few hours just walking around tourist and residential areas, having great but cheap draft beer in rush hour. After geting a great meal in a restaurant we started to heading back to San Diego. It was evening time and the waiting line at the border is long and unbearable. After two hours in line, I finally used my green card for the first time to get back to the U.S.

Jai Alai Fronton Palacio

A local park in residential area

A SPA
Waiting line at the border

Most evenings in San Diego, George and I would take a trolley to Old Town, then transfer through bus 44 to a place where most good Chinese restaurants are. One of the best places is featuring Sichuan food - Ba Ren Restaurant. (4957 Diane Ave, 858-279-2520)

I finally got a whole morning free from working at the exhibitor booth. George and I visited Balboa park, a 1174-acre city owned playground built in 1868. It's like Central park in NYC. The difference is that this park has many museums inside.

Rain forest walk
Old Globe theatre
Spanish-Moorish architecture
Cabrillo bridge over highway 163
(Proclaimed by JFK "The most beautiful highway I've ever seen")


1 comment:

alain said...

Awesome trip!

Had I known, I would have given advice from my own experience: skip Tia and make your way to Rosario, a charming little beach town on the highway south. Try the fish tacos - sweet!

Balboa Park is teh sw33t, glad that you could take it in. I especially liked the rose garden, having (at the time of my visit) just seen the roses at grandfather's bungalow in Phoenix.