Sunny Jim Cave - La Jolla

While Visiting the Deanes in SD we took a trip to the Sunny Jim Cave in La Jolla. It's a steep cave that leads to a place where you can get a nice little peak at the ocean and kayakers paddling by. But at Four dollars a piece the stairs weren't the only things that were steep.

La Jolla it's self was a lovely town to walk around and sightsee, and though Carl Strauss is starting to get some big name recognition, there beer is still quite good.

Las Posada

We celebrated Christmas this year by having our semi-annual Ugly Christmas Party and by going to participate in Las Posada on Olvera Street. Interestingly enough, this was the first year I had ever heard of Las Posada. A couple friends of mine had recently left their Reformerd faith for the Roman Catholic version and shared with me their desire to observe Las Posada Celebration. Then a few weeks later, our friends the Waltons invited us to join them in L.A. for the commemeration. Apparently, while Amy's family lived Guatamala for several years as teachers they participated in Las Posada. Anyhow, if you know me then you know I love finding new (or old) ways to liven up my religious holy days. So, of course we accepted the invitation and made our way to the heart of Los Angeles. It was an enjoyable evening, the only negative is that it was too crowded. Next year, another city.

For those of you that don't know what Las Posada is, here is the Wikipedia link: Las Posada

The Nativity at the Gazebo o Olevra Street.

At the Church Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles... I think the flowers are for Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The Procession

Angels

Loma Linda Tour

Over the summer my daughter was in the hospital to have reconstructive skull surgery. During that time, there were times when I needed to get away from a cramped hospital room, so I would venture out and about. The Hospital is located on the campus of Loma Linda University. During one of my walks I found a self-guided tour map and thought this would be right up my alley.


First National Back of Loma Linda opened 1929...I think it's a Barber shop now

Someone should school these university on guided tours! I would walk to one site that was the old ampitheater and think, “Ok it must be around here somewhere, oh wait I’m standing on it! The Parking Lot.” Or fumbling around to find the Asylum building to see the place where they once housed rett butlers ( that’s right my one flew over the cuckoo’s nest reference slipped in there) only to find it torn down and is now a dorm for a new bunch of crazies…first year med students! Most of these examples might be a little off kilter(since I'm writing so long since I went I this tou), but the point is don’t send a person off on a wild goose chase to find history only to be shown parking lots and dormitories.


Bruden Hall

Not that the tour was all bad, on the Saturday evening I was there, the local congregation on campus had a choir and ensemble for families to listen to while sitting on the lawn area. It was right next to the hospital, so it’s a great way for depressed vistors to come and meditate.

Local Seventh Day Adventist Church Next to Hospital

Also, the statue of the good Samaritan caught my eye while driving back and forth to the hospital and was the monument that lead me on the self-guided tour. It’s a contemplative life-size piece in the middle of a court yard that sums up why the Seventh-Day Adventist started Loma Linda.

Good Samaritian

One intriguing piece was not placed on the self-guided tour (though it should be). While looking up interesting tidbits on the school and city, I came across a museum and thought if I had the chance I would go. So while exploring, I unexpectedly found the building; The museum of Embryology in the Shyrcok building. I went inside and snapped a few pictures before someone rushed out and quickly told me that no pictures of any kind were permitted. They then asked if I would like to go to the museum and if so I needed to set an appointment. So, I did for an hour later. When I came back in they politely asked that I remove all the pictures from my camera that I had taken out of consideration for the fetus and their families. I submitted to their request. The secretary then took me to a far off room and unlocked the door, she told me the amount of time I had (it’s been awhile, I think it was a half hour) to look around and then asked me to turn off the light and lock the door when I had finished.

The room was like any basic classroom with seat in the center, a podium, and screen to show slide shows. Against the walls of the room were cases and within those cases were what looked like someone’s science fair project mixed with old carnival freak shows ( I don't mean that to be offensive, it's really the only way for a layman to describe the scene) that never made it out of the womb. I didn’t understand the science aspect, but I was intrigued by the fetuses that had formed so misshapen; Siamese twins, Cyclops, and a host of other tragedies lined the shelves. Oh yeah, and there was a giant skeleton (If I remember correctly he was around 8 feet tall). The science fair project showed most of the different things that could go wrong in utero. I think if you have children you might walk away with a great appreciation of the miracle of birth, atleast I did with my one year old daughter just having gone through skull surgery.

Lastly, on a different topic altogether, I was surprised that in the Hospital Cafeteria they didn’t serve Coke or Pepsi fountain sodas. They only offered Sprite, Orange, or Caffeine Free Coke. I think their coffee was all caffeine free as well. This led me to more research and I found that Adventist don’t do caffeine, so since the hospital is run by the seventh day Adventist church it’s out with the Caffeine. Which I suppose is better for your body, so I understood but was still a little annoyed. What is more interesting about the town is they had their own meal named after them by Bakers. Apparently they were the first crazed health food vegetarians. So Bakers had (at one time anyway) a meal called, what else, The Loma Linda Meal. Most restaurants in the city have some sort of vegetarian dish to offer, or so I read. I suppose when Adventist starts the town and they are still a strong part of the community it’s best to cater to your clientele.