BalBoa Park

Balboa Park is located right beside the San Diego zoo, there's actually a path you can take from the zoo to get into the park, but we didn't have enough time to both the park and the zoo in one day. So Wednesday morning, we came back so we could walk through the park and enjoy The Natural History Museum. The girls loved playing with the dinner toys in the lobby of the museum. 

My favorite part of the museum was right through these doors: 

The room was full of really old books, documenting the different types of animals that are native to San Diego. There was a table dedicated to Laurence Monroe Klauber. He's complied extensive research on rattlesnakes, their habits and what to watch for. It was oddly disturbing, but fascinating at the same time to see the jars of preserved rattlesnakes. I didn't realize there were so many different species and that they are a threat in California. Whenever I think of rattlesnakes I usually think of old western movies and the desert, but I guess that's the beauty of California. It has deserts, mountains and beaches. 

After we finished at the museum, we decided to check out this art fair going on across the street. Sadly, we missed it but we were able to watch a lady blowing glass and see some beautiful buildings.

If there was one thing I said over and over on this trip it was how much I loved the Spanish architecture of the buildings. I'm sure Andrew lost count with how many times I brought this up, but I just love everything from the spires on the churches or the sloping roofs on the houses we passed driving through the streets. The buildings in San Diego left me awestruck. 

I'm not sure why I love these buildings so much. Maybe it's because they reminded me of  a simpler time or it could be that they remind me of the beautiful buildings in The Mask of Zorro and then I probably start thinking about Antonio Banderas. Whatever the reason, I took lots of pictures. 

After a fun, but busy day of walking around Balboa Park we decided to drive and see the temple. We didn't get out and walk around the grounds like we normally do because the girls were sleeping. One thing I've been extremely grateful as of late if my beautiful family and wonderful Houses of God that make it possible for me to be sealed to people I love the most.