San Diego Part 1
by Adrian Yong

As part of my job, I was drafted to attend a work related professional conference at San Diego. Never been to San Diego myself, I was excited about the trip.

Hilton San Diego Bayfront (my hotel)

If you guys plan to visit, I suggest not to stay at the Hilton. It is a cash sink hole basically. Everything is expensive and high speed internet does not comes with it after paying close to $300 per night.

Omni Hotel (Left) and Petco Park (Official site of San Diego Padres)

Scene of the pier next to the hotel

Gaslamp Quarter Historical District

Gaslamp Quater was one of the early establishments of the City of San Diego and its famous former resident includes infamous cowboy Wyatt Earp.

While I was strolling at Gaslamp Quarter Historical District, I saw a Chinese Museum. Out my curiosity, I decided to check it out. Note: Chinatown used to be in the Gaslamp Quarter area. As part of re-development of the area, the Chinese community moved out to other parts of San Diego.

Wrong image that I have in mind

Somehow I have the pre-notion of the image of the early Chinese settlers dressing like the cowboys in Jackie Chan's movie Shanghai Noon. Needless to say, I was wrong. Ops....!

Old model of Chinatown

I did not know there is no Chinatown in San Diego currently. I was told by the staff of the museum there is an area with lots of Chinese restaurants but no Chinatown.

Model of Chinese fishing village

Laundry Ticket Book

Apparently, there was a huge establishment of laundry business catering to the Navy base back in World War II. Except from San Diego Chinese Historical Museum "With scores of war ships stationed here, and hundreds of thousands of uniforms that needed washing, a new breed of Chinese laundry was born (i.e. Wong Lee Laundry, New Life Laundry, Welcome Laundry, and Eagle Laundry). Over the years, they cleaned and pressed shiploads of Navy uniforms and were even known to work shifts around-the-clock". The area is no longer filled with launderers.

Coronado Island

After touring the Gaslamp area, I decided to take the ferry boat to cross to Coronado Island where the famous haunted Hotel Del Coronado awaits me.

Downtown San Diego taken from Coronado Island

It was not kidding when the hotel concierge told me it was a mile walk to the other side of the island to reach the Hotel Del Coronado. I suppose it is my "catch up" workout for years of neglected exercise.

Anyway, till then stay tune for the next part of my journey of San Diego....!