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Fisch on Tour
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Fisch on Tour

Sabbatical 2023 June to December in Western Canada and the US Read more
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  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    All these streets had houses once...

    Salton Sea - a dying lake & communi

    November 22, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    This lake came to be in 1905 through a broken dam and water flowing into a basin 70 m below sea level for two years. A new vacation dreamland for Southern California, beach towns sprang up around the lake. It also became a birds’ paradise, But evaporation, poisonous runoff from the heavily irrigated farmland around, and lack of freshwater inflow increase the salinity to more than twice of the ocean and its a poisonous soup today. The beach towns died, maybe 10% of people remain.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Hiking to a palm oasis
    There is water in the stream!Landscape at The SlotSqueezing through the slotDesert landscapes

    Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

    November 24, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    I spent Thanksgiving in a very nice campground in Ocotillo Wells and explore the state park. All the animals sculptures are in the town of Borrego Springs, a very nice and surprisingly green place in the middle of the desert. There was a lot of rain the week before, and that also makes the desert much greener than it usually is.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Reconstructed Mission Church
    On the left the San Diego River.., what's left of itEstudillo House, old Spanish ranchRelocated victorian houses to save them from demolition

    San Diego Day 1 - Oldtown

    November 25, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    A mixture between open air museum and amusement park, Oldtown protects historical buildings in the first town side below the first Mission Church. Apart from that, it’s Fiesta Mexicana : tons of Mexican restaurants and souvenir shops. Well, the border is not even 10 miles away. Of course I had Mexican food for dinner 😉Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    The Kiss celebrating the end of WWII
    The "Island" with the BridgeBridgeView from the Bridge to the flight deckFlight DeckWhere chairs are is actually an aircraft elevator!Air squadron ready roomCombat information centerBunks of the enlisted menMore aircraft on the hangar deck

    San Diego Day 2 - The Midway

    November 26, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    The 1945 aircraft carrier Midway served until 1991 and was even the Flagship in Desert Storm - with 1950s technology! The many volunteers, often high-ranking officers, understandably proud of the ship. Very impressive to be able to visit the ship today, next to visiting the actual below deck areas. there are a lot of historical aircraft. I spent 4,5 hours on the ship and could’ve stayed longer.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    The Midway again
    DowntownCoronado BridgeNavy Ships in the sunset

    San Diego Day 2 - Harbor Cruise

    November 26, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    I needed to end my visit to the Midway in order to catch my harbor cruise going up and down San Diego Bay with an amazing sunset. A lot of the bay is taken up by navy installations, both shipyards, docks, and the Naval Airport.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Guests at Shelter Island
    Cabrillo Monument, but the cool thing...... is the amazing view onto the bay from the lighthouseMision San Diego de AlcalaThe HMS Surprise reconstructed frigateSan Francisco bay steam ferryFerry splendorSubmarine DolphinStar of India, apparently the oldest still actively sailing ship in the world

    San Diego Day 3

    November 27, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Today I travel into the history of San Diego and the settlement of Alta California. Starting with a walk on 1950s playground Shelter Island, back to 1542 when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo become the first European to set foot onto California, forward again to 1769 when the first Spanish Mission and with it settlement was founded, finishing at the Maritime Museum with historic ships and reconstructions spending five centuries.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Rattlesnakes
    Emerald MonitorGila Monster from US SouthwestBlack-breasted Leaf TurtleVery endangered Chinese crocodileGharialThe grizzly bear just took a bathCheetahRed PandaA Takin, a Chinese goat antelopeCritically endangered Amur LeopardBontebokSouthern GerenukGiant AnteaterPuma / cougar / mountain lionAndean Bear

    San Diego Day 4 - the Zoo

    November 28, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    San Diego has the biggest and best zoo in North America and I spent the entire day there, managing to see about half. The place is really huge and has animals that I didn’t know existed. Here’s a small selection.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler

    San Diego Day 5 - Downtown

    November 29, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    I finally make it to downtown in daylight, walking around the financial district and the old part called Gaslamp Quarter. Up the hill is Balboa Park, where the zoo is also located, now the largest concentration of museums outside the Smithsonian, in turn off the century exhibition buildings. And no, you are not in Spain, it just celebrates the Spanish and Mexican history.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    La Jolla Cove - sea lions right on the beach!cormorants showing off to find a mate

    San Diego Day 5 - Sea Creatures

    November 29, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Still in San Diego, but I’m starting to make my way north along the coast to La Jolla. I visit the Birch Aquarium to take a look at the critters, swimming off the coast of California (the zoo does not have an aquarium). And in La Jolla Cove there are other sea-dwelling in creatures up close and personal!Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler

    Mission San Juan Capistrano

    November 30, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    This morning it was raining heavily, therefore I didn’t leave before 10. Today’s plan was to circumnavigate the entire Los Angeles region, I’ll not visit it this trip. Just to the south of it, however, I stopped at the 1776 Spanish mission San Juan Capistrano - a piece of Europe in California. The church was destroyed by an earthquake in 1812.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    View from my Campground
    Ventura HarborBeach opposite the harborVentura Pier from 1872This town also started as a misdion: San BuenaventuraDowntown

    Ventura

    December 1, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    SoCal Lifestyle (Southern California)! Waking up with a view of the waves, walks along the beach, watching the surfers, admiring yachts, lunch on the terrace, yeah! That’s what I thought it would be like, what surprised me is how absolutely nice the downtown areas of Ventura and Santa Barbara (see next footprint) are. Pedestrian zones, outdoor cafés, you could be in Europe!Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Santa Barbara Mission
    The Presidio - Spanish Fort, largely reconstructedOldest standing house in CaliforniaDowntownThis is what a mall looks like hereCounty CourthouseView from the Courthouse towerBeach and pierView from my campspot!

    Santa Barbara

    December 1, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Super nice town! At some point, they decided to adopt a Mexican Spanish look all over town, and that together with the incredibly green streets at the impressive backdrop of mountains, on one side, and the ocean on the other, makes this town very attractive. Add to that the Spanish historical buildings (sorry another mission and the Presidio), pier and nice downtown… well, I could live here!Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Vats for cooking tallow from beef fatCandle makingOil pressPottery shopQuartersCorporal's roomToiletsInfirmary

    Mission La Purisima

    December 2, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    After the morning in Santa Barbara, I drive to the small town of Lompoc. The old Spanish mission here has been reconstructed, including a lot of its farm and workshop buildings. Most of the missions served as nucleus for thriving tones today from San Diego to Los Angeles and San Jose.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Oso Flaco Lake
    Oso Flaco BeachMonarch ButterfliesButterflies hanging in the treePismo BeachPismo PierPort San Luis PierSea Lion DockAvilaMorro Bay salt marsh where I spent the night

    A day on the Coast

    December 3, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Great birdwatching today at a lake and the piers. Seaside towns, piers, piers, beach, more beach… I also visit a Monarch Butterfly Grove. These large butterflies migrate between the north Pacific coast and Mexico. They spent the winter either in Mexico or in Southern California. There are about 200 sites in California, about 16,000 of the butterflies are in this grove.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    InlandCalifornia poppiesStonehenge

    Montagna de Oro SP

    December 4, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Just south of Morro Bay is this state park that protects a wild and wonderful part of the coast. It’s named mountain of gold for the many California gold poppies blooming in spring. A few were also flowering now. I hike about 12 kilometers up and down the coast. The day was unfortunately a bit cloudy at first.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Bird sanctuaryAll those things in the water are sleeping otters!Central Valley: wine, vegetables and oil...

    Morro Bay

    December 5, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Definitely the most charming and diverse town I’ve been to yet. Situated in a big lagoon or bay, it has everything: marshes with tons of birds, calm waters, LOTS of sea otters, a rocky coast, and a wide beach. My favorite so far! The afternoon I spent driving to Monterey, 2,5 hours through the Central Valley. Famous Big Sur will have to wait, the coastal road 1 is still closed due to a landslide last winter.Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Fisherman's WharfFisherman's WharfFisherman's WharfOld whaling stationCannery Row

    Monterey

    December 6, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Monterey and surrounds are definitely wealthy. The town, however, celebrates its past as the sardine capital of the world and the its canneries. Fisherman’s wharf and Cannery Row are extremely touristy nowadays, but next to the glamour old industrial ruins await. And history - Monterey was the first capital of CaliforniaRead more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler

    Monterey Bay Aquarium

    December 6, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Despite the sun on the previous pictures, the day was predominantly rainy, perfect to go visit the world-famous aquarium. This is indeed the best zoo or aquarium I’ve ever been to in terms of explanation, presentation, and animals shown. I also like that the focus is clearly on the entire environment, like including birds in the shoreline exhibit. If you ever make it here, this is a must see!Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Not only birds at the beachKissing Rocks

    Pacific Grove

    December 7, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    The rich town next to Monterey with a very nice oceanfront walk. I take the boat, the bike along the coast, and spent some time walking around downtown as well as another stop in downtown Monterey. It’s my last day at the coast, and my last day of “fun”, the next three days I will spend driving north to Vancouver and will predominately see the Interstate. Next stop: airport….Read more

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler

    Joshua Tree NP Day 1

    March 3, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 9 °C

    Driving back from Los Angeles to Joshua tree national park today, with shopping stops, etc. I arrive, fairly late at night. Enough to get a glimpse of the fantastic landscape.

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Keys Ranch
    Boulder wonderlandWall Street MineShark RockMy view from the campsite

    Joshua Tree NP Day 2

    March 4, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    I spent two days in this fantastic national park, known for the Joshua trees, and not known for the fantastic granite formations everywhere. And old mines!

  • bettinadownunderFisch on TourTraveler
    Keys View looking to Palm Springs
    Lost Horse MineSplit RockSkull RockFace RockArch RockHeart RockCholla Cactus GardenOcotilloView from my campsite this night

    Joshua Tree NP Day 3

    March 5, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Today I do two long hikes, to lost horse, mine and split rock. I’ve then drove south through the park, transitioning from the Mohave desert into the hotter and dryer Colorado desert. From Joshua Trees to Ocotillo plants…Read more

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