Hi guys! Since the WEEKLY editions haven’t exactly been going up according to schedule, I decided I should at least let you know what’s going on with a “LATELY” update.
Everything has just been a little bit hectic since I returned from Bologna, but still in a good way! However, I do feel a bit conflicted about leaving my blog on the back burner.
Right after I got back from my short trip to Italy I started a new part-time job, which took a little bit of getting used to. Then, less than two weeks later, I managed to join my parents on their trip to California (like an annoying daughterly parasite). Sadly enough, my brother and sister are both busy with school, so they had to stay behind.
Long story short: It’s been a long 8 years, but I’m back in the USA for some California days!
San Diego
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After a long flight to LAX and a few days of settling in, the first stop on our list of destinations was San Diego! We got on the trolley and started off at the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, which was entertaining enough, though heavily commercialized. We also had a look around Little Italy and the Gaslamp Quarter, but I must say La Jolla’s coastline and Balboa Park were much more enjoyable. I spotted some seals chillin’ on the rocks, watched the surfers catch some waves, and got my skirt really wet.
Escondido
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The city of Escondido is located very close to San Diego. We managed to visit the late Nikki de Saint Phalle’s “Queen Califia’s Magical Circle” in the Kit Carson park area. The sculpture garden is currently only open on the second Saturday of each month, so we were incredibly lucky to be in the area at the right time. I loved it and took lots of photos, so I’ll tell you more about it in another blog post.
Anza-Borrego
After spending a few days in the San Diego area, we got back on the road and decided to pass through the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park on our way to the Coachella Valley. I was so fascinated to see a true desert landscape for the first time ever.
We only had a little bit of time to spend within the park’s borders, but this view of the “Slot” was more than satisfying enough. We drove about 15 min away from the highway (route 78) via a dirt road to get to the canyon. All I could hear was myself breathing. Insanely quiet!
Palm Springs
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After a long day of driving through the desert, we arrived in Palm Springs! We will stay here for a few more days before eventually flying back home. My parents had been to Palm Springs once before and liked the vibe, so they decided to return.
Yesterday, we drove by the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm, which is the oldest wind farm in the United States. The Coachella Valley is one of the windiest places in California, as the wind has to pass between the mountains towards the more open desert plains. The very first turbines went up in 1980, some of which are still in use. It was interesting to see varying types of turbines stemming from different decades, revealing an evolution in design. The farm now has around 2700 turbines that power about 300,000 homes; 3 times the amount of energy needed to power Palm Springs.
Today we went up the mountains with the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and tomorrow we will probably drive to Joshua Tree Park, so I’ll be exploring California for a little while longer. Talk to you soon!
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