Location: San Diego, California, USA

Remember how I mentioned last night that the taco place doesn’t close until 4 AM? It turns out the taco place doesn’t close until 4 AM because people party until 4 AM and then… guess what! They want tacos. AT 4 AM!! Absolute shenanery! Right outside the window! Tacos! Garrett slept like a baby.

Being tired can be part of the adventure though! Sleep when you’re dead, right? With only a few days in the city I really wanted to put in a full touristing day, but I didn’t actually know what that would include given that my to-do list is one singular item and is slated for tomorrow. We snapped some photos of the hostels ‘must-see’ wall and dove right in. Another food recommendation from the front desk had us eating the local favourite at Breakfast Republic: chilaquiles and cinnamon coffee (think tortilla chips in enchilada sauce with eggs, refried beans and Mexican rice).

We wandered the Gaslamp Quarter, pointing and ‘oooing and ahhing’ at beautiful old hotels and stone architecture, when we found ourselves at the 1851 Davis Horton House, the oldest house in the city. Somehow this ‘old house thing’ ended up being the flavour of the day because we went to not one, not two, but three (!) creaky old houses. One of them, The Whaley House, is apparently super haunted. The craziest part is not even the supposed ghosts, but that the dude who bought the land knew at the time that it was being used as an execution ground. He saw it and was like ‘this is IT! The perfect place to raise my family!’ THE ARCHWAY IN THEIR LIVINGROOM WAS THE GALLOWS.

Some people, I tell ya.

‘How do you end up in 3 old houses in one day’ you ask? Well! We were following the list from the hostel that eventually led us to the Old Town, which was like walking into a desert version of an old cruise ship town, but built for Mexican cowboys. It was the very first European settlement in California, made up of squat white Adobe buildings (sun dried clay), colourful tiles and terracotta roofs.

The two nights of very little sleep were starting to catch up with me, so we settled into a restaurant in the middle of the old town for some fresh fajitas and a rest. 3 little old ladies were flurrying around a brick oven with steaming metal tops, flumphing down fresh hand pressed tortillas. They scowled at everyone until money was dropped into their fishbowl tip jar. Perfection.

We made it about 30 feet from the restaurant before we sat down in the shade of a massive pepper tree to play a round of crib. Need. More. Rest. I lowered myself to the grass, groaning all the way down and fighting against sleep. Now is not the time, body! Up we go! No sitting for you!

We meandered through markets and shops, slowly, so slowly, making our way down to the water front. Old town desert melted into concrete city, which in turn shifted to mom and pop shops and pizzerias in Little Italy. We walked along the pier, the sun beating down on us as we passed by ancient sailing ships and an aircraft carrier turned war museum.

We’ve eaten nothing but Mexican food since we arrived and while it’s been such a yummy treat, I have been hankering for some really good seafood. I had this idea that we’d grab dinner on the beach but everything nearby was super touristy and overpriced. We backtracked into Little Italy and found Ironside, a giant open warehouse turned oyster and seafood bar. Someone described it as ‘NYC’s Grand Central Station but inside the hull of the Titanic’. What an image! Take me there immediately!

The front of the place is roll up iron garage doors and windows edged in brass. Old luggage is piled up near the rafters. A massive white octopus hangs over the oyster bar. Little oil lamps flicker in the dark spaces and octopus arms slink out of the walls to cradle diffused light orbs. The chef has 2 Michelin stars from another restaurant, so we know this is going to be good.

I ordered raw rockfish ceviche, Garrett ordered octopus a la plancha, and we shared the surprise of the evening: Japanese sweet potatoes on scallion spread in chili oil.

I am absolutely not at all exaggerating when I say this was in the top 5 meals I’ve ever had. Anywhere. Ever. I will dream of the yams.

I was lamenting to Garrett how I couldn’t believe I had to go back to regular food after that meal, when I saw it… my favourite ice cream chain in the world! Salt & Straw. Right next door!!! Like it was sent straight to me to remind me that something other than Ironside existed. Like a reward for not sleeping the day away! The lineup was literally wrapped around the block, but we waited in it anyway, content to digest and visit.

Earlier on today we thought we’d catch a show or do an escape room tonight, but ice cream took us right to 10 pm, which means we’ve been up and at it for 14 hours and both of us are extremely ready to crash. I started to peter-out like 8 hours ago!

Thank god the shower in our room has a seat in it… I think I’ll just go park my butt right there for awhile!

Sav