Balboa Park (Day Two)

February 9th, 2016

We returned to Balboa Park today to continue our museum visits that our weekly ticket covered.
Here is a link to the previous blog Balboa Park - February 5th, 2016

The architecture and landscaping is awesome.  There is so much to see here that you could easily just go and walk or ride the tram and not spend anything.  Even parking is free!! Take a picnic and enjoy.

We only did a small portion of it.  Here is a MAP of attractions and parking etc.  I have tried to put the # or letter of the location by each place that I talk about.

I have decided to write a blog for each museum/attraction that we went into as there are so many pictures it's impossible to get them in one place. Here are the links for those blogs:

1 to 4 were visited on February 5th, 2016
1. San Diego Natural History Museum BLOG #16 on map - Interesting
2. San Diego Model Railroad Museum BLOG #14 - Amazing
3. Japanese Friendship Garden BLOG #G  - Beautiful
4. San Diego Air & Space Museum BLOG #22 - Ok

We parked in the car park by the tram stop outside the Automotive Museum as that was where we were going first.

The following are the museums/attractions we visited today:
5. San Diego Automotive Museum BLOG #24 - Good
6. San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum BLOG #32 - Disappointing
7. Veterans Museum and Memorial Center BLOG #39 - Excellent
8. Reuben H. Fleet Science Center BLOG #11 - Average
9. Botanical Building BLOG #17 - Pretty

We started at the San Diego Automotive Museum (see link to blog above), which is next to the Air & Space Museum which was the last one we visited on Friday.
                                 
                                                                                           
After spending quite a while in there, we walked across to the Hall of Champions Sports Museum, (see link to blog above) and waited for Christina and Trystan to join us.  They had parked in a different car park to us and so we had to figure out exactly where there were and direct them to us.  We got there eventually and I waved to them as I saw them walking down the hill.
                               

After looking around this museum and having some lunch we got on the free tram and headed to the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center, (see link to blog above).  It was a bumpy ride but saved us quite an uphill walk.
                                

These flowers were outside of the Veterans Museum.
                                

                                

After leaving the Veterans Museum we walked with Christina to her car as we wanted to make sure she got back to it safely.  We said our goodbyes, we were all feeling tired but as we were figuring out the way back to our car we saw the Science Center and decided to have a quick look inside, (see link to blog above).
                                

After wandering around the Science Center, I needed a rest so I sat by the fountain outside while Bryan took some pictures.

We headed down El Prado and saw the Zoro Garden #36.  We didn't walk around it as it looked quite barren and as if they were renovating it.  It is supposed to be a butterfly garden now but was originally designed as a nudist colony during a 1935 exposition.  When we return here we will take a walk around but we were too tired today.

Loved the roots on this tree in the Zorro garden.

Looking down El Prado

Fabulous Architecture

A different living statue from Friday

The Lily Pond #9

                            

View of the Lily Pond from the Botanical Building.      

There was a guitarist playing which added to the ambiance.

Sue standing looking at the Lily Pond, waiting to go in the Botanical Building.

We looked inside the Botanical Building, which was filled with exotic flowers, (see link to blog above).

 Views of the park from outside the Botanical building  
                            

Families enjoying the afternoon sun.

Ducks at the Lily Pond

More great architecture

Covered walkways along El Prado

Sue at the Plaza de Panama

At the Plaza de Panama we got on the tram back to the automobile museum where the car was parked.

It was another awesome and tiring day but well worth it. I have no doubt when we return to San Diego we will return here as there is still so much to see!!!