San Diego

So I finally finished THE most difficult trimester of dental school. Yay! Unfortunately, I found myself back at school the following Monday. Boo! You see, Cheryl doesn't get trimester breaks like I do. If the clinic is open, which it almost always is, then she's got work. This meant that if I wanted any escape from USC, if not LA in general, it would need to happen on the weekend. The idea of San Diego popped in my head shortly after lunch on Friday and by the time Cheryl finished the work day I had planned a fun-filled weekend trip. To my pleasure and surprise, the last minutes deals for hotels were better than any AAA discounts or other promotional offers available - who says procastination doens't get you anywhere?

The plan was to head down Saturday morning and head straight to Old Town San Diego. The weather was gorgeous, although a bit windy, and made for a great day of historical sight-seeing.

Since our marriage, San Diego has become more of a significant city in my life. Cheryl is actually a descendant of the Estudillo family and it was her father's paternal grandmother who had the last name of Estudillo. The lineage goes further back - we calculated Cheryl to be 7th generation, and it was neat to hear and see the history of Cheryl's descendants.

And my personal favorite... wait, after dental school I can practice medicine as well?! Awsome!

So let me get this straight; it's a restaurant, without any food or drinks. Right.

Martha Stewarts humble beginnings. I love what she's done with the place.

Acting the part.

And the best part of the day - Coyote Cafe. The smell of fresh made tortillas was an added bonus to the entire dining experience.

And to top it all off, an absolutely delcious churro.

Day 2: The San Diego Zoo

We started in the monkey exhibit, but apparently this little guy was too tired to stop hanging around.

And here you have your typical pink-headed fruit dove; but with a green head. I don't get it.

Malayan Tiger just staring me down.

Polar Bears - They're Huge!

Cheryl and I rode the skyfari.

5 dolla?

Shhh. You'll wake the Koala.

Ever gotten a wet-willie with a giraffes tongue?

It's like he knew I was about to take a photo and just posed.

And last but not least, Su Lin, one of the park's giant pandas - taking an afternoon nap.

Another great trip and one more part of our overall Southern California experience.