We went back to Blythe for the last week of our months rental before moving on to San Diego. First thing we noticed on our return was a huge flock of sheep that weren’t there when we left. According to the locals the sheep have been shipped in to clean up the fields after the harvest. They act as “lawnmowers” and once it gets too hot they move them further north. There were lambs everywhere, some just hours old, and dropping at a rate of 40 lambs a day.

Before we left we had to try the Blythe Municipal golf course where we were paired with a two very nice guys. Some interesting holes and great views of the fields below growing soybeans, celery, onions to name but just a few crops.

We headed south on Rte 78, through the Imperial Dunes from the north side this time. Miles and miles of sand, followed by some of the largest cattle farms in California, just outside Brawley. Turning right onto I10 we came upon renewable energy country,  fields of solar power, then rows and rows of wind turbines.

Imperial Sand Dunes in Glamis

Heading further west the scenery became very dramatic

 

Our campground was in Bonita CA. nestled between Chula Vista and San Diego. The location was very centrally located and the site itself provided great views over the area

We headed to Old Town San Diego for the day, full of interesting antiquities and architecture

Church of the Immaculate Conception

Whaley House, the number one most haunted house in the US  

We went out for pizza at Jim and Kelley’s cousins place Basic and it was just across the street from Petco Park

Coronado was our next stop at the impressive  Hotel del Coronado the “in place” for Hollywood celebs, presidents and monarchs back in the day.

$20 for him to write your name in his castle. Creative way to earn a living

One day we went to visit our old friends Beti and Aleks, who had recently adopted 4 year old Veronica and had a 3 week old baby boy, Gabriel

We ventured to Cabrillo National Monument and light house

It was a cold and windy day but managed to look around between the raindrops

Grabbed lunch at the Soda & Swine in Liberty Station a very interesting restaurant.

Drove up the coast a little to La Jolla

And found the famous harbor seals and sea lions on the beach

Masses of different species of bird, this one, the cormorant

Now,  if you are in San Diego you have to go to the Zoo

This elephant, Mary, was born in 1965.

It’s a beautiful zoo, with so many well designed enclosures. Learned many things while we were there, the most fascinating was when we came upon a golden retriever dog in an enclosure with a leopard. Apparently the dog helps calm the leopard, not sure how the dog felt.

One day we went on a whale watching tour

 

A bit disappointing, and didn’t exactly meet our expectations. We saw plenty of dolphins and even a seal who was desperately trying to get on board our boat and there was a grey whale and pup, but we could not see it. The tour uses a drone and sells pictures of the whales we were close to. (or so they say)

 

So next it’s off to Oceaside, about an hour north, and our friends Kelley and Jimmy are joining us there.