Today we had an early departure from Anaheim as we headed to San Diego, "America's Finest City." Our first stop was the world famous San Diego Zoo. The zoo holds more than 3,700 animals including over 650 species. The lush landscape throughout the zoo makes it feel like you are walking through a rainforest!
The students explored through areas known as the Lost Forest, Northern Frontier, Africa Rocks, Elephant Odyssey and the Outback, just to name a few. Possibly the most acclaimed exhibit was the Panda Canyon. The San Diego Zoo is 1 of only 4 zoos in the United States that are privileged to inhabit pandas.
For lunch, we went to a delicious Mexican restaurant called Casa Guadalajara in Old Town San Diego. We sat outside on the beautifully decorated patio and enjoyed tacos, enchiladas, chips, rice and beans. I think that was the most food I've seen the group eat!
Later in the day, we visited the USS Midway which is a retired naval aircraft carrier. This ship was in service from 1945 until 1992 and was the first U.S. aircraft carrier that was too big to transit the Panama Canal! The students took an audio tour of the bunks, officer cabins, and control rooms. They were also free to walk around the flight deck and check out a few airplanes! They quickly realized how difficult, yet exhilarating, life would be on the aircraft carrier. Airplanes would come to a complete stop in less than 340 feet of runway and the flight deck would be cleared in only 45 seconds! Visiting the USS Midway gave the students a better understanding and respect for the Navy, and all of our Armed Forces.
After an eventful day, we settled into our hotel, The Handlery. We soon dispersed for dinner and some relaxation time. Most of the students walked to the Fashion Valley Mall or got pizza delivered to the hotel. We had a much needed, early curfew, to catch up on some sleep and prepare for our next stop, Las Vegas!
