San Diego 2018 Day 14 – San Diego Sea World and Gasclamp Quarters

Woke up with less than 30mins left for breakfast. I quickly went out of the room to the breakfast area. There was a small buffet table and a automatic waffle making machine. Took some disposable plates and filled them up with whatever I could and brought them back to the room. Had breakfast while mommy cooked and soon K joined us upon waking up and ate breakfast too.

Breakfast
List of information on a strip
Though not Disney hotel, Mickey’s in the hall
Leaving Homewood Suites

Check out timing was at an easy 12pm, but we were on our way out by 11 and made our way to our accommodation in San Diego, Homewood suites San Diego. It was a 2 hr drive, on the highway for a good part and a nicer coastal view nearer to San Diego. Pumped gas at Shell for $50 which didn’t fill to full as San Diego gas was quite expensive.

Driving to San Diego on the carpool lane

We arrived to find out a $42 valet for parking without other options and I dropped off the luggage with the bellboy and checked in first. While the bell brought the luggage to the room, we drove to SeaWorld.

Parking at SeaWorld costed $22, general parking and mommy bought the tickets at the self help kiosks, for a total of $270. The park was opened until 5pm and so we had to make the best we could. First we stopped at a cafe for lunch and bought 2 x chicken sandwiches for almost 20ish and it didn’t taste good as the cheese was pungent. K had his lunch cooked by Mom and after which, we went for the Orca show.

Seaworld entrance
Tickets
Inside the park
Our wraps
Cafe
One of the rides

The show was pretty good with 3 whales out and about, splashing a lot of water as the trainer belted out information. 30mins and then, we found ourselves at the jellyfish ride and the octopus rides. K made the 42” height limit and was able to board them with me. Jellyfish made me a little dizzy but the octopus one was basically a mechanical swing.

Orca whale show
Like free Willy
Beaching
Up on land to say hi
Otter feeding – totally relaxed on its back
Jellyfish ride
Octopus Swing

After the few rides and much persuasion to visit other exhibits instead of taking the rides, we made a short visit to see the crabs then we were on our way to the Arctic exhibit. The Arctic exhibit had Baluga whales and we saw other people in their up close and personal experience with one Baluga. While K was busy fiddling with his camera, he dropped it to the ground and it stopped functioning. I tried to check it but couldn’t revived it. We then moved on to the other exhibits while K was being pissed off with what happened to his camera. Further on, we saw seals and walruses and then underwater a group of 3 playful Baluga, beautiful creatures gracefully swimming around.

Moray eels exhibits
Giant crab
Map of the entire Seaworld
What a scary ride…
Artic expedition displays
Baluga
Sleeping seal
Walrus on its back
Swimming baluga

We walked to the penguins exhibit that had a slow travellator within that brought us slowly through, seeing the feeding of the penguins and the other section had puffins and other birds.

Xmas at in Seaworld
Penguin Encounter
Emperor penguins standing proud

After this, we walked to the shark encounters and saw from starting from the top, through to underwater. There were many sharks there, some of them were large! Reminded me of our Singapore’s now extinct underwater world.

Sharks
Walking through the waters
More sharks overhead
An another one

Then as hastily as we came, we hastily proceeded to the sealion show which had already started. It was a pretty entertaining one, with jokes and lots of funny actions, very different form of presentation from the awesome Orca shows.

Dancing with sealion
Otter waving goodbye

After the show, we went over to the sealion point just behind and bought from the shop there some feed for the sea lions. It was fun feeding but made even more fun because it was closing time and they gave out more fishes to some of the people there to feed. We fed those barking sea lions and it was really funny to see them being so exciting and calling out to us for the food.

Feeding sealions through holes
Calling for food

The park closed officially at 5pm and we walked to the souvenirs shop to see if there were anything to get. Eventually, we only pressed two souvenir coins and didn’t get anything else and we were out of the park. Drove back to the hotel and dropped off our leftover barang barang before driving to Gaslamp quarters and parked at Horton Plaza.

Closing time
Horse shoe crabs near the entrance
Souvenir shops
Street of Gaslamp quarters
One of the old style buildings there

We took a walk around the supposedly happening area, looking for a place to have dinner and ended up at a Mexican restaurant Los Panchos. Upon entering, there were just feels of Mexico (never been there but I felt so) with Mexican music and deco.

Los Panchos
Interior of the restaurant
Mexican feels

Started Tortillas and quite spicy salsa that K couldn’t resist eating those corn chips. Then with Pineapple Mojito that at first tasted sour but then it became better and also I, a little dizzy. The main dishes of Enchiladas and Fajitas of mix up meats and seafood were awesome! Came with the wraps for us to made tacos out of. As usual, these were rather huge dishes and we couldn’t finish them.

Tortilla chips
Mojito
Enchiladas
Fajitas
Tacos

To walk off the alcohol and then the food, we went to Ralph’s for shopping and purchased some 70ish worth of items including Starbucks instant coffee and foodstuff before heading back.

Lamp post in Gaslamp Quarter
Brightly lit street
Horton Plaza carpark
Ralphs’ supermarket
Big supermarket
Many fresh produce

Paid for the carpark at the exit manned by a cashier at a whopping cost of $28 for 3.5hrs of parking. Back at the apartment it was a rather easy affair of bathtub fun and TV before going to bed.

Fire on the table to warm hands
Bedroom
Kitchen
Living room
View from the room

Los Angeles 2018 Day 2 – Venice Beach, Venice Broadwalk and Santa Monica Pier

K woke up at 4ish wanting milk which was normal, and I made him some. Sometime at 630 he woke up wanting to go poop and while we made to the toilet, he already pooped in the diapers. A short clean up, another bottle of milk later, he returned to bed. I wasn’t all that sleepy anymore and day broke rather early with light coming from the windows as early as 630am.

This morning I was supposed to collect the rental car at Enterprise, not too far from where our Airbnb was. After referring to the reservation note on the email, I realized that I had totally forgotten about their options of picking people up to their office for car collection. Called their number and was informed that they were swarmed with work currently and weren’t able to provide that service. I decided to take a walk.

It didn’t look very far on Google maps, about 1.7km in actual distance and the weather was cool enough for me to clock some distance on my Pogo. As the sun rose, the California street scenes of tall coconut trees lining the road from American drama came into view.

Tall coconut trees.

20mins later, I entered Enterprise Rent-a-car at the T-junction and it was already pretty busy. Provided the reservation and was offered the Ford Explorer for my standard SUV reservation. Was initially hesitant about it as I had never rented big cars for holiday trips and from the external look, it was monstrous! The petite lady convinced me that it was actually not that big since she could drive it with no issues and that there were bigger Lincolns out there which were really crazy huge!

Enterprise at Marina Del Rey.

 

We settled the rest of the payment including removal of child seat rental as I have brought along a collapsible child seat and added in damage waiver for fear of damaging the car, all this while the car was sent to a last minute shower within the compound.

After all the adjustments in the car, I drove to the Cheesecake factory to get some breakfast. Arrived at a carpark manned by a valet who directed me closer to the side entrance and I parked pretty comfortably with the built in reverse camera. From the sides, I made my way past the Alfresco dining area (didn’t know it was a full restaurant, thought there were only cheese cakes!) with a view of the beautiful beach of Marina Del Rey and to the cashier where the cheesecakes could be found. Spoilt of choice, I picked a vanilla flavoured one and a original cheesecake for around 15bucks and drove back to the Airbnb.

Cheesecake Factory.
So many flavours.

A short 5 mins drive and I am driving up towards the residence parking of the Airbnb. Parking was easy with enough lots and the rear camera which I did not have the luxury to have on my car back home. Stepping into the apartment, I was greeted with my boy already awake. Quickly opened up the cheesecake for him, one of the limited choices of food that he liked, for breakfast. The portions were too big and we couldn’t finish it, and I left one of them for my next day’s breakfast in the fridge.

Cheesecakes with whip!

We got ready and left the apartment at 1130, towards our first place of visit, Venice beach. Drove the couple of minutes towards the Venice Pier and found a huge carpark. 9 dollars per entry, my first shocking carpark fees to a whole lot more to come. Parked and got out and strolled to the long pier that stretched out into the ocean, snapping photos of proud seagulls standing on poo-stained railings while passing by them. K surrendered walking really early and he was soon sitting on my shoulders, snapping photos of seagulls with his SGD$20 camera.

Parking at Venice pier.
On the pier going out to sea.
Seagull.
Large sandy beach.
View from the pier.
Beach seemed to stretch for miles.

Returning to the beach front, we approached the Venice Beach Rentals to see if we could get a bicycle so that we can ride along the beach to the Venice broadwalk. After waiting for quite a bit in the scorching heat as the staff served the previous customer who took the last bicycle with child seat, we left disappointed. Thought we would walk to the broadwalk instead but after a short walk along the footpath next to beachfront residences, we decided to drive there instead, as there did not seemed to be anything interesting along the way.

Pathway along beachfront residences.

Punched in Venice broadwalk on the Google maps and we were on our way. We drove through a small residential area that was built to feel like Venice, and it was an interesting drive as our car went over small arch bridges that went above small canals.

Canals of Venice.

Learning from the expensive parking, I thought I would drive to somewhere close to the broad walk and not next to it, so that the fees might be lower. Upon arriving at a street near the broad walk, we saw a sign that said “Public Parking” and drove into the open space, where we saw personnel directing cars. As we got off the car, I then realised it was actually a valet, that it would cost me 20 dollars to park there (they claimed that it was whole day parking for 20dollars which didn’t attract me a bit as I was damn sure I wouldn’t be there for the whole day)! Got back into the car and drove around further, and found another manned parking space for 10dollars for 3 hrs, where we ended up parking the car.

Parking receipt.

The Venice broadwalk had more things to see then when we were at the pier. At least the beach front was lined with stalls and peppered with food stalls and lots and lots of people enjoying the sunny day out at beach. I thought it had all the feels of a California beach (I thought). It was lunchtime and we tried looking for a place where we could sit and eat but we couldn’t find such restaurants around. We ended up with pepperoni pizza with a drink for lunch for 8ish dollars, while we found a small shaded place to sit and eat, and watch the world go by. There were interesting stuff to see along the street – makeshift stalls selling arts and sometimes weird items or performers strutting their stuff or just strange people behaving weirdly.

Crowded broadwalk
Roman pillars.
Pizza for lunch.
Our lunch

After the non-impressive excuse of a lunch meal, we walked to big Ben & Jerry’s store to get some ice cream. There were no seats in there although there was enough space for it so we just bought the cookies and cream single scoop cone for 7.75 dollars and went off to sit on the grass shaded by some coconut trees. It felt rather relaxing to chill there.

Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store.

Before leaving the place, we walked to the skate park nearby to look at kids for different ages taking on the multiple contours at speed and then a short walk to the Venice beach entrance to take a selfie with the Venice sign before returning to the car.

Panoramic view at Venice broadwalk.
Skate Park.
One of the colourful buildings.
Venice sign.

We first drove to a superstore Costco which had its own carpark but was pretty full at that time. Left and drove to Ralphs instead, which also had its own carpark. It was a huge supermarket and while mommy was shopping for groceries, I was with K playing with some Halloween pumpkins display before he decided that he wanted to go toilet. I approached one of the staff there for help and was kind enough to offer me an entry code to use the toilet within the supermarket itself.

Ralphs supermarket.

After that, I thought I should get myself some Starbucks coffee, a store was inside the supermarket itself! Spent 5ish dollars for my caffeine boost. Ended the shopping with foodstuff 76ish dollars worth and we returned to apartment. Ate some watermelon that was bought from the supermarket before hitting the sack at 430pm for a short nap, the body adjusting to the time difference.

Starbucks within supermarket.
My caffeine boost.
Inside Ralphs.

The next thing we knew, we woke up at 630 and I got K to go bath in the tub. Left the apartment only at 830 and we drove towards Santa Monica Pier. Wanted to park beside Santa Monica pier but the road leading to the carpark was blocked and I tried to find another place to park. There was a multi storey parking structure 8 and it was a good location that was close to the pier.

Parking structure 8.

Heading in the direction of the pier, we noticed a restaurant just across the road of the Santa Monica pier, and decided to have our dinner there, at Del Frisco’s Grille. Ordered baby ribs (pretty good) and omelette cheese sticks while K had his home cooked meal. We couldn’t finish the entire portion and left at 1030pm, paying 62ish dollars including tips.

Del Frisco’s Grille.
Ribs and omelette.

Crossing the road, we went to Santa Monica Pier and there were many people even at that time of the day. It looked like a fun place where there was a games arcade, fun fair rides and stalls. There were restaurants too but mostly closed expectedly. We proceeded to check out the rides although the package price looked enticing, we only took ferries wheel for 10 each, taking in consideration that it was quite late already. Even so, there was a long line for the ferries wheel. K and I boarded the wheel while mommy waited for us. Nice feeling to be up there looking into the distant dotted lights of Santa Monica with a slight chilly breeze. We left at around 1130pm, after just that one ride.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
End of famous Route 66.
Inside Santa Monica Pier.
Pacific Park, where the rides were.
Ticket counter.
Stored value in ride card.
Ferris wheel.
View from the top of the pier

A short walk back to the carpark, we wanted to pay at the ticket machine but found the one at the 1st level to be not working. Luck wasn’t on my side as my stomach started to hurt as well. There was a mall near the parking structure and there were toilets there but they were just stubbornly locked. Without much of a choice, we quickly found another machine to pay for the tickets for 6ish dollars and drove back to the apartment.

So the 20mins back felt like eternity and unfortunately, I couldn’t make it back without an incident. Had to wash up for an extended period of time till about 1am before lights out.