California - Coronado Island

We took the bus to Coronado Island which provides the protection for San Diego Harbour. Its all low rise housing and very pleasant with the Naval Base occupying the north end and beach all along the western side. We got off the bus next to the Coronado Hotel and had to explore it as it was beautiful.

We walked around the inner courtyard and the lobby which had a huge, incongruous, Christmas tree, about 3 stories high. There was an area that described the history of the hotel with pictures from its past and of visiting dignitaries.
On the beach side of the hotel we talked to a man with a falcon who was hired to chase away the seagulls. This was especially needed that day as they were serving a buffet lunch on the beach for a group holding a meeting in the hotel. Would have been a field day for the seagulls.

There were restaurants and bars along the beach side of the hotel and an ice skating rink! It was a lovely warm day so the rink had about an inch of water on the surface. Skaters were quite wet from falling down.

Walking out onto the beach, there was a man building sandcastles. There were 2, both with a Christmas message and both with a bucket for donations. He said that he just did it for fun and came every day to repair them if they needed it or to build new ones.

We walked the road beside the beach. The houses were all beautifully kept but not huge, however I imagine that its an expensive place to live.

Coronado beach

Coronado Beach Lifeguard Station

THe Midway, from the harbor, welcoming troops home.

We took the ferry back to San Diego, impressed again by what a large and busy harbour it was