OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO

We enjoyed refreshing root beer floats one afternoon in Old Town

Old Town San Diego

By 1846 the U.S. declared war on Mexico and a new constitution was written in 1849 and California was a state in 1850.  By then the American flag was raised in the plaza and San Diego was incorporated as a city.

 The San Diego Union Museum is a historic structure in Old Town San Diego.

This first office of the San Diego Union newspaper is restored to what it was when the Union printed its first edition on October 10, 1868 as a weekly paper. Visitors can view the original printroom with a Washington press and the editor's office

Don Jose Antonio Auirre adobe mansion site  

Don Jose Aguirre

Father Antonio Ubach

Casa de Aguirre is an important landmark within the Old Town Market as it displays the life and traditions of the settlers of Old Town, San Diego’s first city. The home of Don Jose Aguirre and his family, the original adobe was built in 1853. Don Jose later gave the building and all his land to the Catholic Church. Father Antonio Ubach used the home as a site for an industrial school for Indians.

figurines in shop next to museum in Aguire's hom

store room-Casa de Estudillo

In 1907 Spreckles bought the remains of  La Casa de Estudillo and started to restore Old Town. La Casa de Estudillo is a fine example of a home of a leading family of that era.  It  was built by Jose Estudillo with an inner courtyard with bedrooms,  servants quarters, a kitchen, storage rooms, a living and dining room and a chapel.  It was the social and religious center during the Mexican and early American periods 

La Casa de Estudillo 

GETTY MUSEUM

The Getty Center incorporates the modern design of architect Richard Meier, with beautiful gardens, opens spaces and spectacular views of Los Angeles.

The collection of the Getty Museum includes pre-20^th century and 20^th century European and American paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, photographs, sculpture, decorative arts and changing exhibits. 

A special exhibit was focused on sacred landscape art.

There was a special outdoor performance of Aztec dancers with drum players.

Several galleries feature Impressionist art.

Portrait  by Manet

Landscape at Louveciennes by Camille Pissarro

Irises by Vincent Van Gogh

La  Promenade by Renoir

 

                                         The Fountain of Love is by Boucher

Another  special exhibit called Golden Kingdoms highlighted the luxury and legacy in the Ancient Americas.

Since the weather was pleasant we took a lunch break at an outdoor terrace café near a garden area with a view of the city.

SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART

During our visit at the San Diego Museum of art we spent time in the galley with “genre” paintings that includes landscapes, still life and interiors.  Around 1600 a shift took place with the rise of naturalism. 

Painting by Juan Sanchez Cotan

Venice Canal by Bernardo Bellotto

Grand Canal by Giovanni Canaletto

The Penetant Saint by El Greco

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The gallery with European devotion art spans 1550-1850. Religious

Institutions commissioned artists and architects to build and decorate places of worship, from cathedrals to monasteries and hospitals.

Monarchs and wealthy nobility also employed artists to paint devotional works for domestic setting and design altarpieces for family chapels at parish churches.

DAY WITH MONET

Le Bassin de Nympheas by Claude Monet

Paul and I enjoyed at day in
Balboa Park visiting the Timken  Museum of Art and the San Diego Art museum to see a few Claude Monet paintings along with the rest of the art collections at each of these art museums .   We took a lunch break at the Prado with an outdoors table during a pleasant afternoon.

Etretat is located on the Normandy coast of north-western France

Etretat by Claude Monet

Etretat by Claude Monet

Varengeville-sur-Mer is a commune in the Normandy region in north-western France

The Church at Varengeville by Claude Monet

ZOO VISIT

 

 After visiting the new Africa Rocks exhibit at the zoo Paul and I  explored some of the other exhibits that included the two large aviaries.  The San Diego Zoo is committed to saving species worldwide through expertise in animal care and conservation science.  The 100 acre Zoo is home to more than 3,500 rare and endangered animals representing  more than 650 species and subspecies and a prominent botanical collection with more than 700,000 exotic plants.  The temperate, sunny maritime climate is well suited to an extensive collection of birds, reptiles and mammals.
         It is one of the few zoos in the world that houses and successfully breeds the giant panda.  The zoo raises 40 varieties of bamboo for the pandas on long-term loan from China.

Toucan

Bonobos

                                               Lorikeets

Orangutan

Paul enjoys photography