San Diego is made for busy days

We headed to Balboa Park today to enjoy the Zoo, ride the train, visit the Model Railway Museum, and go to the science center. Did we leave anything out?











Linda is terrified of heights, flying, and basically all things airborne. So, we took her on the Skyfari. Obviously.





Steve teaching Kellan a new bus dance. He's big on locational dancing. This one goes along with the carousel dance from the other night.





Just for Nic, some photos of the boring old animals! They're great in person, but I've never been big on photos of caged zoo animals. Wildlife photography, yes. Zoo animal photography, no.





This elephant must have come from a circus or something. She kept doing tricks.





Kel and Steve got to feed the giraffes. The photos are awful, but you get the idea. We'll have to try this again while we're here, maybe have better luck with a great capture.






Look at that tongue! That's what was coming out into Kel's hand to eat the biscuits. He and Steve got very gooey.




Steve and Kel riding on the zoo train.








Getting wet in the fountain. It was a hot day.





At the model railway museum.






At the end of the day, we had a snack break by the fountain.





And a cuddle break too...




These two are a match made in heaven. Kel an Uncle Steve playing in the water.





And at the end of a very long and very busy day -- total collapse. It was a good one.

A morning on the bike, an afternoon on the scooter

What better way to spend a lovely warm morning than exploring the neighbourhood by bike?






Boy in motion. Downhill motion. He's having to adjust to this whole new aspect of bike riding -- topography!





Absolute concentration.




Anybody denying the presence of angels out there? Kel's was apparently with him on this morning's ride! There were a lot of hills, after all...




After lunch, we changed pace and rode the scooter to the park. Well, Kel rode and I walked. And then I carried the scooter all the way back up the hill on the way home!




These two are just me messing around with lenses and f stops. Sorry. But not too bad, eh? Despite the sound wall behind him and the scrubby roadside bushes that he's sitting in while taking a rest on our way back up the hill.

The Wild Animal Park

After a wonderful brunch with Nic's brother and family this morning, those of us who were feeling energetic, rather than overly full (Grandma, Kellan, Uncle Steve, Linda, and I), headed off for a day at the Wild Animal Park. It was packed with the holiday crowds, but we had a fun afternoon and then enjoyed the Festival of Lights this evening.





Goofy face. I'm pretty sure that his mouth was full of quesadilla!




Kellan and Grandma.






There's that quesadilla again!




Looking out over the plains of Africa.



Me messing around with the long lens. Rhinos way out there. Ooooh.




Pretend that you didn't see this. Flower picker!




Kellan and Uncle Steve. Related to us like this: Steve is Janet's brother. Janet is Patrick's wife. Patrick is Nic's brother. Nic is Kellan's dad (obviously!). Got it? Look, he's the best darn uncle that any kid could want and so he's our Uncle Steve! However legitimate the title might actually be. They're over from the UK visiting Patrick and Janet for the holidays.






There was a very big question as to which one of the boys was enjoying this carousel ride more. You try to figure it out. Its still a toss up.




Teaching Kel a new carousel dance routine. This is when I wish I'd had the video camera. It got very silly!



Putting on their best sad faces. I said that they couldn't have another ride...



Here they are again. "Please Mummy, pretty please, just one more time?"




And just for fun with the new camera, I was trying out shutter speeds and back flash with the carousel in motion. You can see Kel and Steve in all of these. You might need to click for a larger image to get the full effect. I'm learning.