Hobbling in San Diego

 Monday, January 29, 2024

The two-hour time difference had us in bed early the night before...very early...but the night was not a good one. My sore knee was painful and I just couldn't get comfortable. A couple of Tylenol PM tablets around midnight finally did the trick. I was surprised when I woke up and it was past 6:30 am. I had been worried that I would be awake by 4:00 am.

The free hotel breakfast wasn't outstanding, but it did have a nice selection of hot and cold foods. Back in our room after eating we heard revelry being played at the Point Loma Naval Base across the street.

I knew trying to walk much with my sore knee would not be wise so I hung back at the hotel while Bob took off exploring. Throughout his walk he texted photos and videos and I followed his location on my iPhone...so that was sort of like going together, right? I iced my knee and sat on our room balcony enjoying the warm weather.

Following Bob's location via my iPhone...

A few photos Bob took on his walk...

When Bob returned, we ate a "snack lunch" on the balcony. Bob got particularly excited when a loud roar indicated a fighter jet was taking off nearby. Each time he would grab his binoculars and try and identify what type of aircraft it was. He had seen many of the military establishments on his walk and learned a little about the area from stopping and talking to locals that he encountered.

After a siesta, the two of us went downstairs and sat by the pool. We began in the sun but after about 20 minutes it was just too warm so we moved to the opposite side in the shade. Bob played many games of Spider Solitaire and I listened to an audio book that I had downloaded on my phone.

Another couple, Ron and Jean, showed up after we had been there awhile and we had the nicest visit with them. They too were headed to the Koningsdam cruise ship the next day. The time we spent together was what I've missed most about post-pandemic cruising...the social interaction. On our recent cruises we have kept to ourselves and tried to avoid close contact with others as much as possible to avoid catching Covid...or any other type of bugs. You really do meet such interesting people on a cruise!

Military jets continued taking off occasionally during the day. Each time the roar from the engines was so loud that it felt like the building was shaking. Bob called the noise "the sound of freedom."

My knee was feeling a little better after a day of rest and I was ready to get out of the hotel. Around 4:30 pm we walked across the street and meandered along the harbor looking at the boats and seagulls during the golden hour before sunset. 

We ordered dinner at the Point Loma Seafood Market and intended to eat on their rooftop deck but the evening air was just a bit chillier than what we dressed for. Instead we chose an indoor table by the window overlooking the marina.

Bob ordered the clam strip platter and I got a cod sandwich on sour dough bread and we were both happy with our choices. By the time we finished eating it was dark and the lights of the marina twinkled on the water and made for a scenic walk back to the hotel.

Best Western Yacht Harbor Hotel in San Diego

Bob occupied himself watching several movies on TV...all at the same time by flipping back and forth during commercials. 😒 I tried to organize my luggage (which was already a mess after only one day!) and looked forward to being able to get unpacked on the ship. Holland America had just changed their embarkation procedures from having specific assigned boarding times to instructing everyone to show up after noon. I crossed my fingers that the embarkation would go more smoothly than what I was anticipating.