Day 10: Part 2 - Walks are Cheap...

I'd just like to point out that this is my 100th post. No fanfare necessary...especially considering my 1000th post on my other blog is less than 25 away.

Moving on...

When last we left off, we were headed to the pride festival. 

We followed the throng of parade spectators,



float personnel,



lovers,



and men in rainbow beads...



...to the gates of the festival. 

We learned that it was $20 per person to get in.  And then you pay to drink, eat, and do whatever else you'd like.  There was live music, none of it anything we wanted to see, and more things to spend cash on.  By this time in the vacation we were strapped for cash (more so than we thought we'd be, seeing as how Robb's paycheck didn't direct deposit and his new credit card never came), so we opted out of going in.  Instead, we toured the area (which I liked better, anyway). 

We crossed that viaduct from day 9 on foot, pausing to take photos of the skyline.



And then we ended up at The Museum of Man, hosted in this building:



The area really was gorgeous, very Spanish Mission feeling.



That girl was gorgeous in her cute skirt, let me tell you.



We stayed to hear the bells toll, had a little fight about something stupid, and then decided to head back towards Hillcrest to find food, seeing as how we hadn't eaten in our rush to get to Pride.  On the way we saw lawn bowling.



It was all very civilized with their white outfits and quiet clapping. 

We fought against the crowds of men going the other way,



passed some local art,



and back to the gayborhood.  And who was waiting to give my tired feet a ride? 



Him.



And them.

But we walked around Hillcrest,



And we ate Chipotle.  It was the best I've ever had, honestly.  As we were leaving the neighborhood we saw this place:



I love that the awning highlights the words "World's Largest Hot Dog."  A little ironic in the gay neighborhood.

We didn't stick around long after wandering the streets and visiting some shops, because we needed to find our new hotel, since the one we were at had no free rooms for the next night (shame we'd have to leave Ben, the night desk guy).  So we headed off, getting lost thanks to my VZ Navigator being set on pedestrian mode instead of something NOT stupid.  Whoops!

But we got settled in our new hotel and headed back out because I wanted to see the sunset from the beach.



As you can tell, we didn't quite make it, due to...breaking in...the...hotel room............*ahem*

Anywho.  We headed back to Mission Beach for a great night of wandering through the sand.  On the way we passed this place:



I'm sorry...does that say "BALLS" in the window?  Anyone want to explain that to me?

Once on the beach we saw these performers playing with fire and eachother:



We walked down the beach and saw some people enjoying a chilly night:



I paused to draw one of my birds in the sand, demonstrating the transience of art...



And then we headed back to our car after a very romantic little walk.



When we got back near the lot, these guys wer STILL performing:



He was being held in the air by this guy:



And then they got an audience member involved:



It was pretty neat!  We decided at the car to go see the Giant Dipper, the roller coaster near the beach.  I unexpectedly treated Robb to a ride on it, since wewouldn't be back that way, maybe ever.



We had a good time!  Candy stores and carnival rides make for a nice night:



And we ended up here:



That would be The Wave House.  It's an outside bar with a man made wave to ride.  We sat and watched the surfers do flips:



And wipe out, too.  It was a great night.  Spectacular views, too.



And after flirting a little with our favorite surfer, we headed home to our hotel to sleep it off and get ready for who knows what the next day.  While day 10 didn't turn out as expected on any account, it was still one of my favorite days of vacation!

Out

Day 10 - Part 1: San Diego Pride...

We planned ahead.  We really did.  We thought, "Let's get up early, walk to the closest train, and then get off and get the rental car company to pick us up.  Then we'll drive to Hillcrest and see the Pride parade.  We may eve be there early!"

Well, as they say, the best laid plans...you know.



This is where we went wrong.  We were jinxed the moment Robb said something about how these trains were nothing like Chicago's CTA, how San Diego's public transportation is so clean and reliable and perfect, instead of the delays and craziness of Chicago's.

Well, someone with a sense of humor was listening.

"I'm sorry.  This train is out of service.  This train has gone into total electrical failure."  So we got off...and it was smoking.  SMOKING!  So...we waited...

And then we had a snafu with the car company. 

And then, since we were running late, we hit pride traffic.  We parked a million miles from anything and walked.  And walked.  And walked.

But we made it!  We missed the first half (including Dykes on Bikes...sorry Jhonna!), but we made it!

This was the first thing we saw, and I knew we were home:



I could talk for hours about how San Diego pride is all about advocacy and people showing support, and how it's so much better than Chicago's because it's not about getting plastered and making a scene.  But I know you guys just want to see the photos, so...



Rainbow flags abounded!

And...this was an odd entry:



San Diego Pug Rescue.  Interesting and adorable...like two old men in a stroller.

There was a Rocky Horror float:



Complete with Magenta and whats-his-face-that-gets-killed-by-an ice-pick...Johnny?

And...then there was this:



He singled me out in the crowd...wild!

This blanket apology from the church as a whole made me smile.



So did this:



And this:



Oh, and this:



Yeah...we apparently showed up at the tame part and then it got a little wild.  No complaints here, though.

I thought this float was the coolest in the parade:



This didn't hurt:



Nor did this:



Funny story behind this next photo--the guy with the sign had stopped me two days earlier while I was wandering the city streets and asked me to join Greenpeace and save the whales.  He was cute AND I do care for my planet, so I listened.  But I didn't have any extra cash to pledge...seeing as how I work part time and that seems to be less and less all the time...but the whole time he was talking to me he was really nice until I mentioned my boyfriend.  I thought maybe he was phobic...but I guess not!



Small world...he even waved at me with a look of recognition in his face.  That's so funny to me...

They waved, but there was no recognition in their faces...and there didn't have to be...seeing as how I didn't even realize they HAD faces!



Wow...that's California body.

And...maybe so is this:



There was plenty of costume and drag and fun stuff like that.  Definitely something for everyone...

Like...are you into leather?



Bad drag?



Derby dykes?



It was all there.  And people were hooting and hollering as those derby dykes lay down and had the other memebers jump over them at high speeds.  Fun stuff!

I loved the people were so unafraid to show affection to eachother and anyone who was looking:



But to take your eyes off the parade for a minute was to miss stuff like this:



I suddenly felt the need to have something built for me...

At the end of the parade was this HUGE pride flag...



It went on for a mile!



Or longer...

And afterwards, guess who was right there to take people wherever they needed to go:



Yes sir.

Everyone started heading towards Balboa Park for the festival.  So...we followed them.



This was absolutely adorable, let me tell you.  The hot gay dads?  Definitely don't see enough of those.



But these guys were just great.

We followed them (not creepily) towards the festival...and it looked like the emergency personnel were ready for a party.



But that's for part two...tomorrow.

Out