The other day I joined about 15 women on a trip to Balboa Park. It always amazaes me. You think you've seen it all and you discover a new museum, a new cafe, a new fact about the history of the park. This group was a garden group, so we visited both the Friendship Garden and then after lunch, toured part of the park with Ranger Kim, who showed us lots of plants, gave us some new historical information, and told us about Kate Sessions, the famous horticulturist.
If you visit Balboa Park on Tuesday, many of the museums are free. You have to go online and get the schedule for the exact dates, but on a rotating schedule they are all free on some Tuesday of the month. We started our day with a tour of the Friendship Garden, or Japanese Garden. It's a very lovely place to visit now, very peaceful, but they have ambitious plans for expansion. It is now less than three acres in all, but when they complete their expansion it will be over 11 acres. I don't know if I'll be around to see it, as it hasn't even started yet.
For lunch we all did our own thing. Some went to The Prado, some went to the cafe next to the Museum of Art, some brought their own sack lunch, and I went to the Tea Garden. This is a cafe adjacent to the Friendship Garden. It is self serve, and they call it fusion food. Rice bowls, sushi, salads, noodle soups and sandwiches. The sandwiches were especially good. We sat out in the shaded patio, listening to new age music in the background, and talking about how lucky we were to live in San Diego.
After lunch we met Ranger Kim for a one hour talk and walk around part of the park. We learned about Kate Sessions' influence on Balboa Park, then we toured the Botanical Garden. Lots of information. Kim was a wonderful tour guide.
So here's a place we can all discover again and again. There is so much to see, learn, and enjoy at Balboa Park and it's practically free. What a wonderful way to spend the day. I've been to many of the great parks in the world, and this is probably my favorite. Lucky us.
If you visit Balboa Park on Tuesday, many of the museums are free. You have to go online and get the schedule for the exact dates, but on a rotating schedule they are all free on some Tuesday of the month. We started our day with a tour of the Friendship Garden, or Japanese Garden. It's a very lovely place to visit now, very peaceful, but they have ambitious plans for expansion. It is now less than three acres in all, but when they complete their expansion it will be over 11 acres. I don't know if I'll be around to see it, as it hasn't even started yet.
For lunch we all did our own thing. Some went to The Prado, some went to the cafe next to the Museum of Art, some brought their own sack lunch, and I went to the Tea Garden. This is a cafe adjacent to the Friendship Garden. It is self serve, and they call it fusion food. Rice bowls, sushi, salads, noodle soups and sandwiches. The sandwiches were especially good. We sat out in the shaded patio, listening to new age music in the background, and talking about how lucky we were to live in San Diego.
After lunch we met Ranger Kim for a one hour talk and walk around part of the park. We learned about Kate Sessions' influence on Balboa Park, then we toured the Botanical Garden. Lots of information. Kim was a wonderful tour guide.
So here's a place we can all discover again and again. There is so much to see, learn, and enjoy at Balboa Park and it's practically free. What a wonderful way to spend the day. I've been to many of the great parks in the world, and this is probably my favorite. Lucky us.
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