Where my Ex told me to go...and what it was like when I went

by Emily Hufschmidt
(Roswell,NM)

To begin with, most people don't listen to their exes at all. I don't qualify as most people. When my ex found out his mistress was pregnant, he offered to do the "decent thing". How he arrived at the conclusion that leaving his wife to marry his pregnant mistress was the "decent thing" to do is anybody's guess. As it turned out, it was the best thing he could have done...for me. I didn't know it at the time, but I was about to embark on a journey to what turned out to be one of my favorite places on the planet.
After I moved out of the apartment and into my own place, my ex was apparently disturbed by the repeated phone calls and visits from me. I can't imagine why...
He suggested that I might enjoy living in San Diego, California. He pointed out that it is on the Pacific Coast, and thus boasts several beautiful beaches. He mentioned that it has one of the finest zoos in the country and that public transportation in San Diego is unparalelled. He mentioned that it is a port of call for military ships and brimming over with handsome young sailors, so I packed my belongings and moved there immediately. I REALLY like sailors, especially the young, handsome ones. My ex knew this. When I met him, HE was a handsome young sailor.
When I arrived in San Diego, I acquired a room in a private home in Lemon Grove, an outskirt of San Diego. There was a trolley station within walking distance of the place I was staying. I could buy a transit pass for $13 at that time, because I had a disability which made it unsafe for me to drive. With that transit pass, I could go all over San Diego County. I could go downtown to Seaport Village, where there was a tourist trap. At one of the restaurants down there, they had a bar where you could virtually eat for free during happy hour. All you had to do was buy one drink and nurse it while you ate. They had a similar arrangement at a place in Balboa Park. Other attractions in Balboa Park which are still available include Spreckles (SP?) Organ Pavillion, where there are free concerts in the summer, the art museum and several other museums one of which is free admission each Tuesday. In case you haven't guessed, I love freebies. There are also vendors with offerings from Tarot card readings to balloon animals.
If you get tired of Balboa Park, you can walk from there over to the San Diego Zoo, where you can walk or ride, depending on your preferences and your finances, all over the zoo. You can visit one of my favorite places, the aviary, and enjoy the songs of the birds that live there. You can visit the monkeys and watch them do things that monkeys do.
There are several shopping centers in San Diego. Mission Valley Shopping Center is on a busline and is very close to Fashion Valley. I like to hunt up one of those survey people and take their survey. It usually takes about 20 minutes and pays from $8 to $10. Then I take my money and go to lunch, usually at a place which has a coupon in the San Diego Reader. When you're done with your free lunch, you can head to the beach and watch the surfers. They can be very amusing, not to mention the fact that they have cute little fannies.
Make sure you catch the last bus back to town though, or you get stuck either renting a hotel room, paying cabfare, or hitchhiking back to town. I don't recommend any of those. I recommend catching the last bus.
The next day, you can go to the Wild Animal Park and walk around all day, which is both expensive and exhausting, albeit fun, or you can catch the ferry to Coronado Island and perhaps catch a band concert on the town square. There is also a lovely pomenade along the bay, with several delightful restaurants and a place that rents bicycles and waterbikes. Coronado is expensive. I don't usually go over there unless someone else is paying.
There is an exception to that, however. At Christmas time, Hotel Del Coronado is a sight to behold. It is decorated to the nines, and occasionally you can catch a performance by some carolers.
If you have a passport, you can also catch the trolley to the Mexican border, where you can walk across for a day of shopping and exploring.
I go to Mexico whenever I need dental work. There is only one place I will go for dental work in Mexico. The Washington Dental Clinic has a reputation for being clean and thorough and making the finest dental prosthetics in the area for the most reasonable prices. They don't carry any malpractice insurance, but they do offer a two year guarantee on the work they do.
I guess that pretty much wraps up my experience with San Diego. If you go there, be sure to have lunch one day at a 79 Market. They have Philipino food which is truly mouthwatering, at prices that are affordable on any budget.