My Gilded Cage.

My Gilded Cage, that which is San Diego - Part I.

An amazing, naturally beautiful city that is blessed by a moderate climate year round.  This photo was taken at sunrise at the Gaslamp Trolly Stop.  It was cold, about 50ºf - hey, that's what we refer to as cold around here, then again, it is the middle of winter!  

I love taking a walk at dawn, either at Mission Beach if the tide is right, or downtown while the city sleeps.  The key with downtown is the contrasts.  The Gaslamp District is a lot of fun at night; busy, noisy, masses of people eating and drinking, a cacophony of music from the pubs and bars competing with the music of the various street performers on the corners.  If the Convention Center at the end of Fifth Avenue is booked, or there are cruise ships docked at the Embarcadero, or if there are any aircraft carriers docked across the bay at North Island, then the streets are filled with people from all over the world in a mild mannered Mardi Gras that goes on most nights.   But at dawn, almost all of these people are still asleep and the Gaslamp is quiet.

A morning walk downtown would not be complete without seeing the bay someplace.  My favorite spot means a hike up the heart pounding steps of the Convention Center

 - which is worth the effort beyond the obvious aerobic benefits.  This is the vantage point, overlooking the same Trolly Stop later in the morning.  You can see the Omni Hotel on the right, PetCo Park, then the Hard Rock and Hilton hotels.  The trolly line is lined with palm tree's and at the bottom right you can just see the Coaster pulling into the train yard just down the tracks, which it seems to do every morning between 9 and 10, adding a unique touch of city noise to the morning mix with its deep horn and the dull clang from crossing guards bells.

Then, on the far side of the Convention Center, there are parks, Seaport Village, and of course, the bay.  With varied artists featured, the Port of San Diego, which manages the waterfront, does a fantastic job of showcasing art from around the world.  For a year, Bernar Venet's work is featured around the city.  

These iron sculptures are simply called 220.5º Arc X 15 and are located at Embarcadero Marina Park South.  In the background of this visual feast is the Marriott Marina and Hotel and the towering Manchester Grand.  The final two shots are of 97.5º Arc x 9 bathed in the morning sunlight.

JB