Brisbane, QLD


Monday, July 18, 2011

CALIFORNIAN COUSINS

Before leaving Oz for USA, we made arrangements to meet our cousins who live in California. We haven't seen them in 41 years. Our SIL dropped us at the Hollywood/Highland Metro station and after we struggled to work out the ticket machine we were on our way to Union Station to catch the Amtrac train to San Diego.  It was a scenic two hour ride along the Pacific Coastline.

 We waited outside San Diego Station for Bill's cousin Gigi and husband Fredy to pick us up.

 They have a lovely neat house and garden on a hill overlooking the city. They have been in the same house since they migrated from Switzerland 45 years ago. We had lots of catching up to do and we talked well into the night.

 The next morning Bill was overjoyed to have a traditional Swiss breakfast. The two cousins laughed and joked with one another just like they did as children in Switzerland.

 After breakfast Fredy and Gigi drove us around San Diego on a sightseeing tour. We liked it very much and reminded us of Brisbane. We drove to the top of a hill which overlooked the city.

 There was a controversial war memorial there too. A citizen complained because of the Christian cross being erected on government land. After years of hassling the problem was solved by the government selling the land to a private land holder. The wall around the cross has photos of the fallen soldiers engraved into the stone, it was very impressive.

 Then we drove down to the beachside suburbs. It was a lovely area with great views. The seals and ......

 people share the many little beaches scattered along the coastline.

 All too soon it was time to board the train back to.......

 Los Angeles covered in its smoggy blanket, which they call the "June Gloom"

While we were waiting for Bernie to pick us up at the Hollywood/Highland Station on Hollywood Blvd, we......

 bumped into Marilyn and......

Michael. (Funny, I thought they were both dead.)


22 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures, Marilyn looks very real, strange to see her and Michael indeed. I was here in 2000 so I am looking forward to see photo's.

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  2. Sounds (and looks!) like a GREAT adventure!! So good to see Maz & MJ looking so well ...

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  3. I have always wanted to take the coastline train trip from San Diego up to Seattle. I hear it's great.

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  4. your header is beautiful. love the beach scene and would like very much to see the seals.

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  5. I think it's wonderful that you got to see your cousins while you were over here. I've always heard that San Diego is a beautiful city, and your pictures make me want to visit even more.

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  6. How neat, Diane, to get to spend time with cousins you haven't seen in years and years.... Awesome!!!!!

    I think the "June Gloom" is in that city all 12 months of the year!!!! ha...

    Glad you got to meet Marilyn and Michael... And to think: you just THOUGHT they were dead!!!! ha ha

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  7. I'm glad you had such a wonderful visit with the cousins! And I see you found La Jolla Cove...a favorite place of ours. Thanks for the update on that cross; I did not know about the solution but had assumed it had to be taken down! Our June gloom is mostly gone now...and the "July Fry" has not been too bad so far...

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  8. Wow that must have been nice to meet family after so many years !!

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  9. what a great adventure!
    such an exciting thing to meet yours after so many years!

    beautiful pictures!
    thanks for sharing.

    betty xx

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  10. It must have been nice to see Bill's cousins again! Marilyn Monroe looks so real!

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  11. This was fun! A train ride to visit the Swiss cousins (40 plus years is a long time!) How super to see their lovely home and enjoy a traditional Swiss breakfast. The sightseeing tour was enjoyable, although far too short!
    I loved the little beachy coves. I also thought the view across the city from the hilltop lookout reminded me a little of Brisbane from the lookout. Marilyn and Michael were pretty good lookalikes. I guess one sees a lot of impersonation in LA.

    I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing a lot more, Diane!

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  12. Welcome home! Little Fox is cuter than ever! Visiting with cousins is wonderful. You pick up right where you left off, as if you had never been away from each other. I can't wait to hear more about your adventures across the USA.

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  13. Hi Diane - I enjoyed Bill's ponderings on your journey but I'm looking forward to seeing all your photos too. You clearly had a wonderful trip. And how great to meet up with so many friends and relatives too. Fox is looking so grown-up now.
    (I just found out my grandchild will be a girl - 20 week scan today!)

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  14. Wow, how nice to catch up with cousins after so many years. Sounds like you had a great time. Marilyn M and Michael J look awesome.

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  15. San Diego looks like a lovely city - and I'm wondering what the typical swiss breakfast consisted of - is that a tub of yughurt I see on the table - and imagine seeing Marilyn and Michael right there on the streets of LA!!

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  16. Hi Diane, fun to see that you were in some of our old haunts. La Jolla Cove was a favorite place of ours when we lived in San Diego, and we visited it again last year. Great that you got to meet the cousins after all these years. Loved all the photos. Hope you feel better today.

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  17. A beaut header Diane.
    Looks like a fond reunion indeed! Bet the jaws were sore next morning.
    Lots to see and do. A nice train trip - with water views.

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  18. Goodie I will enjoy this trip. The header image is amazing.

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  19. That is a beautiful shot of the Tetons on your header. The flowers centre really add to the beauty of your photo. The wildflowers were truly special, weren't they!

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  20. Diane, it sounds like you all had another great day. San Diego is a beautiful city. Love the shot of the seals. I have heard a lot of Los Angeles smog. Wonderful photos of Bill's family.

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  21. How nice to have a reunion -- and what a beautiful spot your cousins live in. (I think San Diego has the best climate of anywhere we've ever been -- we stayed there one winter and loved it.)

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