Thursday, February 22 - U.S.S. Midway

This morning we drove over to the Navy Pier and took a tour thru the U.S.S. Midway aircraft carrier. Midway was in active duty for 47 years, serving in three wars. She was the command center for Operation Desert Storm. We picked up digital players that we used to listen to specific information about 51 locations around the ship. There were male docents relating the process of launching and recovering (trapping) aircraft. We were there four hours and for MA, that is a REALLY long attention span.

Later we ate a late lunch in the village of Pacific Beach at Sinbad's Cafe, a hookah and cigar bar. We ate outside in the glorious sun of Southern California. We had lengthy visits with several of the staff, a waiter and a bouncer. They told us we needed to make a trip up to Mt. Soledad, about 5 miles north.

After lunch, we took their advice and drove to the top of Mt. Soledad. It was a spectacular 360 degree view! Looking north, we see the coastline, all the way up to and past Oceanside; to the east are mountains and the Imperial Valley; south is San Diego, Mission Bay, Coronado Island and Mexico; west are homes on the hillside and the mighty Pacific Ocean!

At the very top of the mountain is this cross that is a tribute to US servicemen and servicewomen who served in wartime.