The end of July our family took a trip to San Diego as an end of the summer get-away. Here we are at Sea World waiting for the Shamu Show to start.
And the show begins with this nearly six ton Killer Whale leaping for the treat in his mouth.
It was amazing to see such a powerful animal doing flips for the trainers.
We sat in the "Soak Zone," but Hannah and Caleb went down to the pools edge to make sure they got wet on this hot, sunny day.
Seals at Sea World.
The flamingoes were amazing with their long legs and necks.
Sweet Hannah ready for a day hiking around Sea World.
Lisa and Caleb all smiles after leaving the penguin exhibit.
Dad and his girl.
The Wild Arctic exhibit was our favorite, especially the amazing polar bears.
A close-up of this amazing animal.
Hannah and Caleb in a model of a polar bear den.
Of course we had to see the dolphin show while at Sea World. It is amazing how high they can jump.
There are only three performing pilot whales in the world; here are two of them.
Riding the dolphins. Looks like fun!
The dolphin performance tank and show were very impressive.
Bob at Sea World on a fun family trip.
Kids in the bunk beds of our hotel room in San Diego. They had a blast!
After a good night's sleep we headed off to our next adventure, a day at the amazing San Diego Zoo.
Two years earlier we had visited the San Diego Safari Park and decided back then that we had to come see the other great facility operated by the Zoological Society of San Diego. Like the San Diego Safari Park, the San Diego Zoo is amazing.
This a view of the entrance area of the park as seen from their gondola lift called the Skyfari that takes you from one side of the park to the other.
Caleb and Hannah enjoying the ride (except when Dad rocked the gondola).
View from above of the gorillas.
Some of the beautiful deer at the zoo.
A Spiral-Horned Antelope.
Lisa and Hannah enjoying the view from the gondola as we ride back across the 100 acres the Zoo covers.
Beautiful, richly colored ducks along the stream. One thing so enjoyable about the San Diego Zoo was the variety of animals and plants. It was like spending a day in the jungle (safely).
Hannah and Caleb taking a break at the Discovery Outpost, an area designed specifically for kids including an amazing insect house.
A beautiful Macaw in the Discovery Outpost.
Hannah's favorite zoo animal, the Okapi. Related to the giraffe, it has a long black tongue to reach up and grab leaves high in the trees.
The giant panda was a real treat to see.
And more "giant" than we expected. They are huge!
By this point in the trip we were glad to ride the moving escalator that takes you from the lower section of the Zoo up to some of the higher exhibits including the African Odyssey.
And the majestic African elephant.
The Koalas in the "Outback" were so cute.
A baby giraffe framed between the legs of his Dad.
On our last day in San Diego, we made a trip out to Point Loma to visit the Cabrillo National Monument.
This is a statue of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo who was the first European to set foot on the West Coast of the United States.
The Old Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument. It was one of the first lighthouses on the West Coast.
Caleb at the bottom of the spiral staircase that leads to the light in the Old Point Loma Lighthouse.
Bob enjoying a few days off work in the open air.
The New Point Loma Lighthouse as seen from the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse was replaced because it was located too high on the hill where fog and low clouds often obscured the light beam.
The wild coast of Point Loma and the Cabrillo National Monument set against the urban backdrop of San Diego.
Our stop at the Cabrillo National Monument was a perfect ending to our San Diego trip.