Tag: san diego

Cabrillo National Monument & The Rosecrans National Cemetery (San Diego, CA)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The main San Diego county is not very big but full of great things. There are a lot of nice beaches, shops, and restaurants around. But today I will talk about a hidden gem which is one of my absolute favorite places. I said “hidden” because it is a very understated place compared to the magnificence of the surroundings. I am an L.A county local, moved to San Diego for my current job almost a year ago. So my exploration of this sunny vibrant city still continues and I love blogging and Instagramming about my travel experiences.

So today I will talk about Cabrillo National Monument (pronounced Cabriyo) in Point Loma and the nearby beautiful Rosecrans National Cemetery area.

There is a bit of a personal story attached to this place-

I have been to San Diego a few times before with my family members. Almost 3 years ago we came to celebrate our mom’s birthday in San Diego from L.A. So the plan was to casually drive around some nearby nice destinations, eat dinner at a restaurant and go back to L.A. on the same day. From online searching, we found the Cabrillo National Monument among the top destinations. It was getting dark in the evening after a long day and when we went there we found ourselves at a nearby Navy Base with military guards.

Little did I ever know that I would be working at the same place a couple of years later, as a federal government engineer. Now I know that evening is the wrong time to go there since that area closes at around 5 pm. Even though our mobile carrier services and smartphones have improved a lot in the last couple of years, still when you get close to the last point of Point Loma, data gets lost, navigation gets confused and you might end up somewhere else nearby. One of the few reasons is, it is so close to Mexico, in fact when you reach the gate of Cabrillo National Monument your phone service might notify you, “Welcome to Mexico!”.

So if you are coming to this area come with some proper guide map or someone who knows that area, in case your phone GPS is messed up or you lose data. I recommend coming with a group for the first time. But it is a lovely place to bike around once you know the place.

Why do you want to come here where you might have a chance of feeling lost? Well, you get the unprecedented pristine 360-degree view of the San Diego Bay area with the San Diego Down Town, Coronado at one side and the endless pacific ocean on the other side from the high lands. Plus you learn some history. Come on a clear sunny day. Buy some of those magic dye t-shirts from the store which change colors in the sunlight.

Don’t forget to stop by the cemetery area to check out the view on both sides and pay an honor of silence for our fallen servicemen.

If you love photography like I do, this place is your paradise. I went more recently on my birthday with my family members. And they were very happy and excited to see that I work nearby in such a nice place.

Note: I have added the URL of the official San Diego Tourism Blog photo as the featured image.
For more information please visit:
Find Your Park – San Diego’s Cabrillo National Monument



Check out my other blog posts on San Diego:


San Diego, CA-Mission Beach and La Jolla Cove


San Diego, CA- Ocean Beach

			

			
				


	
	






	
	

		
	

		
বৃষ্টি নাকি ঝড় বিলাস?
	


	

		
আমি থাকি San Diego, California তে। গত দুদিন ধরে খুব ঝোড় হাওয়া বইছে। Southern California তে বৃষ্টি প্রায় হয়না বললেই চলে। যা একটু হয় তাও আবার শীতের সময়। তাই এইখানে মানুষ কিছুটা বৃষ্টির জন্য অপেক্ষা করে থাকে। সেই বৃষ্টিও খুব মুশল ধারে বৃষ্টি না, অল্প কিছুটা হয়ে শীতের পরিমাণটা বাড়িয়ে দেয়।


আমি Los Angeles county তে থাকতাম বহুদিন। কইদিন Northern California তেও থেকেছি। আমার মতে San Diego র মত এত আরামদায়ক আবহাওয়া পুরো যুক্ত রাষ্ট্রে নেই। বছরে বেশির ভাগ সময় ঝকঝকে রোদেলা আকাশ, নিরমল আরদ্রতাহীন বাতাস। কিন্তু সমুদ্রের কাছে হওয়ায় রৌদ্রের তীব্রতা নাই। আর পাহাড়, সুন্দর সমুদ্র সৈকতের অনন্য একটি জায়গা।


আমি ক্যালিফোর্নিয়াতে বেশ আরামেই আছি। আসল শীত কি কখনও বুঝিনি। শুধু বাংলাদেশের আবহাওয়ার যেই জিনিষটা খুব মিস করি তা হল বৃষ্টি।


তো যাইহোক। সেই ঝোড় হাওয়া কাল পর্যন্ত বিল্ডিঙের চিপায় চাপায় একধরনের কান্নার মত হুহু শব্দ করছিল। আজকে বিকেল থেকে কিছুটা ঝিরি ঝিরি শীতের বৃষ্টি শুরু হয়েছে। হুহু শব্দের আওয়াজ থেকে মনে পরে গেল বাংলাদেশে আমার কৈশোরের কথা। বাংলা মটর, ইস্কাটন রোডের একটা এপার্টমেন্টে থাকতাম সেই সময়। আমার রুমটা ছিল বিশাল, ঠিক পুরা ফ্ল্যাটের এক কোনায়। দরজাটা বন্ধ করলেই আমার ঘরটা একটা নিজস্ব পৃথিবী হয়ে যেত। একদিকের জানালায় ঘন জঙ্গল আর অন্য জানালায় পাশের লাগোয়া বিল্ডিং দেখা যেত। বাসার সামনেই ব্যাস্ত রাস্তা। অথচ আমার ঘর থেকে যানজটের গাড়িঘোড়ার শব্দ শোনা  যেত না। পাশের জঙ্গলে আম, কাঁঠাল সহ অনেক ধরনের গাছ। মাঝে মাঝে বুনো বেড়াল, বেজি ইত্যাদিও দেখা যেত। প্রচণ্ড বাতাসে আমার ঘরের দরজা স্বশব্দে বন্ধ হয়ে যেত প্রায়ই। তাই সবসময় একটা ছোট টুল দিয়ে দরজা ঠেকা দিয়ে রাখতে হত। মাঝে মাঝে মধ্য রাতে মনে হত বাতাস আমার দরজার নব মুচড়ে খোলার চেষ্টা করছে। এটা কীভাবে সম্ভব? কি ভুতুরে ব্যাপার! আমি ঐ সময় একটু আধ্যাত্মিক টাইপ ছিলাম। যেই সময় মানুষ বাইরে হইচই করে, আমি দরজা বন্ধ করে ঝড় বৃষ্টি উপভগ করতাম, আর কুরান, শুনীলের ঐতিহাসিক উপন্যাশ, ভূতের বই, বিজ্ঞানের বই আরও বহু জিনিশ পড়তাম।


যখন ঝড় হত তখন বাতাস সেই জঙ্গল আর বিল্ডিঙের চিপায় ঠিক একি রকম হুহু কান্নার আওয়াজ করত। আজ সম্পূর্ণ ভিন্ন জায়গায় বসে পুরানো দিনের কিছু কথা মনে পরে গেল।


 



		
	
	


	
	






	
	

		
	

		
San Diego, CA-Mission Beach and La Jolla Cove
	


	

		
Yesterday I posted about San Diego, CA- Ocean Beach. There are many beaches in San Diego. One needs to tour all of them in order to figure out the characteristics and vibe that each one of them poses. If Ocean Beach is touristy and hippy, then Mission Beach is more local. If La Jolla has this posh, uptown college vibe, then Coronado Beach has a private island atmosphere. I will write about Coronado Island another day.


But today I will write about Mission Beach and La Jolla Cove. I am a San Diego local now. So I hit the nearby destinations quite frequently and at my own pace. But at the same time, I want to see everything from a tourist’s perspective. Imagine those of us who are living in California close to the ocean and all these awesome destinations, paying the high cost of living and always thinking-“well, I am a local. I can visit this place another day.” But that other day does not come very often. I have changed that approach. I think life is too short and I don’t know how long we will live. So let’s enjoy it while this experience lasts.


Mission Beach –


Just like I said, Mission Beach has a very local atmosphere. So let’s look at some snaps I have taken at Mission Beach.




 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Some more from my Instagram–






















La Jolla Cove-


The La Jolla area has a lot of tourist attractions. There are some real hidden gems: from private beaches to awe-inspiring visuals, to seal beaches, downtown shopping/restaurants/hotels and many more. Quite frankly, I am still exploring this area. I go there quite often. If I have to compare La Jolla’s atmosphere to Ocean Beach and Mission and Pacific beach, I would say it is more sophisticated, yet has this young college vibe due to its proximity to UCSD.


Some pictures from my Instagram and camera-






  






















 View this post on Instagram






































 


 #lajollacove #lajolla #hdr #mobilephoto #sandiego #california


A post shared by  TasP (@wonderwomaneer) on 












  






















 View this post on Instagram






































 


 #lajolla #hdr #mobilephoto #sandiego #california #lajollacove


A post shared by  TasP (@wonderwomaneer) on 





















  






















 View this post on Instagram






































 


 #lajollacove #lajolla #hdr #mobilephoto #sandiego #california


A post shared by  TasP (@wonderwomaneer) on 














































 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  




 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
  




I will come with more San Diego posts later.




Cabrillo National Monument & The Rosecrans National Cemetery (San Diego, CA)


San Diego, CA- Ocean Beach

	


	
	






	
	

		
	

		
San Diego, CA- Ocean Beach
	


	

		
Okay, so it has been a while since I moved to San Diego permanently from LA for my current job. I have been to San Diego a few times in the past. Now that I am a local, I still take the time to tour around this vibrant place like a tourist. I have also briefly lived and traveled to northern California. The first thing everyone asks me is how do I like it here so far, especially compared to L.A.? My answer is, I freaking love it here. There is no place like San Diego for me in the US, hands down. I still get to enjoy the crisp So. Cal weather, while it is not too extreme because of the proximity to the pacific ocean. The traffic is way better compared to LA and San Francisco. The whole environment is a lot more relaxed than L.A. And should I mention that the San Diegans are a lot more chill as people. It perhaps has to do with the nice view and environment.


Whether you are taking a trip here or a local, there are always some hidden gems even in the most visited destinations. So I will share my San Diego (as well as other places) tour experience in series. I love taking snaps and I always try to hit some nearby places to check out the food. So if you are like me, this post is for you.


When I first moved to San Diego permanently, the first local places that I checked out was the ocean beach area. It has this nice, touristy and hippy vibe. There are few tourist hostels and it is always hustling and bustling with foreigners and Americans traveling from other states.


When I was taking a walk to the beach, one day I noticed a sand merman made by an artist. The next day he made a mermaid for the merman (in a photo below you can see the artist working on them). I did not continue there for the rest of the week, so I don’t know if he added some babies for the couple, LOL.
















 
 
 
  
 Lonely merman 
 
 
  
 
  
 Merman got his mermaid, thanks to the artist 
 
 
  
  


Some more pictures-
















 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


I went to the Ocean Beach Pier Cafe to try some seafood. This is a no-frills place. But the view and food are amazing. I usually share my travel and food pictures on my Instagram




















I loved this ice-cream waffle sandwich place so much. It is called Lighthouse Ice Cream.











I went to a cafe nearby, with a nice view. This place is called Shades Oceanfront Bistro-


20160412_1502192











They also have great lobster soup.






  






















 View this post on Instagram






































 


 #seafood lobster soup with dipped bisuit


A post shared by  TasP (@wonderwomaneer) on 








Another place I did try to go is called Hodads. This place is really popular at Ocean Beach for its burgers. I went on Sunday and I found a long line waiting outside of that place.


There are many other food places including gourmet seafood to local Asian food. I have not tried them all yet.


Forgot the name of this place but it is in Ocean Beach, on the same left lane that Lighthouse Ice Cream shop is. This place has some really good Asian plate combos.






  






















 View this post on Instagram






































 


 #asianfood


A post shared by  TasP (@wonderwomaneer) on 








I hope you have enjoyed this blog post. I will come with more posts later.




Check out my other posts in San Diego:


San Diego, CA-Mission Beach and La Jolla Cove


Cabrillo National Monument & The Rosecrans National Cemetery (San Diego, CA)