Jun 12th, 2022 Sunday Cloudy
In the beginning of June, I took a long-anticipated vacation with my husband. For the first time since the pandemic hit, we hopped on a plane and headed towards the southwest-most city of the United States – San Diego.
We landed right after dusk, so we only got a glimpse of the city from the airport to our hotel. Frankly, not too impressive – just another large urban center with high-rise buildings, shopping centers, bustling downtown areas, like most other cities that we have been to.
The first impression changed drastically after we walked out to explore the second day.
Due to cancelled bus service (a marathon in place), we took a stroll towards Balboa park, where a charming small village, Spanish art center, welcomed us with colorful tiles, compact art studios featuring local artists, and a type of tree overflowing with purple flowers that I have never seen before.
We actually saw the same kind of tree the day before and on our way, because they are, literally, everywhere in the city (even on the bus from the airport– some seats were scattered with the violet-colored buds). Light purple being my favorite color (you can call it violet, lavender, lilac, periwinkle, etc.), I was ecstatic to see a tree so full of this color that you can barely see any green leaves, as if the tree itself is pouring all its energy into blooming a purple dream.
I learned that this tree is called “Jacaranda”, a native sub-tropical to tropical plant in the Americas. In San Diego, they feel right at home.
The vitality as flaunted by the jacaranda trees is throbbing in other parts of the city as well. Thanks to the comfortable temperature range and the plentiful sunshine all year long, many plants make every effort to show off their most vibrant flowers as if they were in a competition for attraction. As a result, flaming red, intoxicating rose, juicy orange, brilliant yellow, and even a mahogany hue so dark that it looks almost black (from a succulent plant called aeonium), are all on display to decorate the city landscape.
This is coupled with many clay architectures (some may not be real clay, but made to look like clay) from the Spanish influence, and an azure blue sky that perfectly frames the skyline.
San Diego is a city of contrast. A city that shouts out “I am alive!”, just like the desert plants and beach plants that manage to thrive despite the harsh environments that they grow in.
Desert and beach, that is a second contrast about San Diego. As a city, it expands into both territories, and if you were to drive west from the beach, within thirty minutes you would be in a desert climate, where the blue pacific tides moments ago feel like an unrealistic memory.
Still, there is more contrast to be found. For example, compared to other regions I have visited in North America, food in San Diego (at least dining out) seems appallingly expensive. It is rare to see any single entree for less than $20, so a two-person meal at a regular (not high-end) restaurants can easily cost $70 – $80. In contrast, shopping seems more affordable, even in “touristy” areas, which makes me regret not having allocated enough time to satisfy my shopping craving 😛
Maybe someday I will go back for that 😉