Amtrak 2026: 2 - San Diego & L.A.

I had anticipated enjoying two days in San Diego. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had lunch with a nice gentleman named Mike the first afternoon that I arrived, While we were exploring the harbor, we stopped at the Maritime Museum ticket booth where I met Sarha. No, that isn't a typo! It sounds like Sarah, but she spells it Sarha! It was a bit too late to complete the self-guided tour of six boats and a submarine, but I knew at some point in the future, I wanted to come back to enjoy this museum.

We stopped at a Bob Hope exhibit at Tuna Harbor Park entitled "A National Salute to Bob Hope & the Military" It was a re-creation with audio of one of his many United Service Organizations (USO) tours. A USO tour is live entertainment to support and raise morale for deployed U.S. troops and their families. It was a wonderful tribute to Bob Hope, but it also captured the appreciation of the troops.

Another memorable moment was when I haggled in Spanish for a San Diego embroidered jacket. The sign that drew me in was "$10 Hoodies!" However, the jacket that caught my eye had a zipper and no hood. When el hombre español told someone else the jacket was "treinta dólares," my first thought was "Estás loco", but instead I said, "quince dólares." He replied, "No, necesito veinticinco," and explained it had a zipper. I countered with "veinti," to which he responded that since I was negotiating in Spanish, "veintidós." I agreed and begrudgingly handed over the only cash I had. I have no regrets because not only do I have a jacket I love, I used Spanish with a stranger!

The following day, I went to the San Diego Zoo and I was not really impressed considering the ticket was $73.00 and there have been years of public hype. I found the signage difficult to follow and often confusing. The views of the animals were obstructed by either wire or reflections on the glass enclosures. The Panda exhibit was a long line with very low visibility. I bought a Fuel Rod at a kiosk on the recommendation of staff to recharge my phone. It only recharged 30% until it was depleted. When I tried to swap it, two different kiosks were not working and customer service even gave me a complete new set. It was a real hassle with little battery restoration. I returned them for a refund. I don't regret going to the zoo, because now I know. I wouldn't recommend it even if you are travelling to San Diego for a different reason. There are so many other museums and areas in San Diego to visit. I spent about seven hours wandering around. The plants are really nice and there are many statues of animals. On a positive note, I do have the experience of seeing one panda and a Komodo dragon. If you ever get to visit the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, NE,, you will get your money's worth and leave in awe.

On Saturday I was headed for Hollywood! I had a fun experience planned, but my train arrived nearly two hours late causing me to miss. my appointment. I called and texted the company and thankfully they offered for me to come early the next day. I checked into the hotel I had booked on Sunset Blvd and decided to explore some before dark. I was really disappointed to learn I was less than a block from The Comedy Store. It was too late to get tickets, but at least I tried. I went in search of food to no avail. I ordered some fancy tacos and had them delivered. The room did have a really beautiful city view. When I woke, I headed to my appointment at Hollywood and Highland!

To be Continued