The Presidio in San Diego

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This is the last blog entry I am publishing today, dear friends. If you haven't guessed by now, I can only post blog entries when I am somewhere I can actually get on line. I usually just update my journal on my laptop and then work on the travelblog site when I can find an internet location. Then I end up posting several blog entries all at once. Please don't feel pressured to read everything in one sitting. Open my entries at your convenience. I hope you are all enjoying this journal of our trip.


One day we drove down the hill from Alpine to do some shopping and visited the San Diego Presidio Site while we were there. ‘Presidio’ is the Spanish word for military garrison.


Soldiers, sailors, Indians and Franciscan missionaries from New Spain first occupied the land at Presidio Hill on May 17, 1769, as a military outpost. Two months later, Father Junipero Serra established the first San Diego mission on the same hill. It wasn’t officially proclaimed a Spanish Presidio until January 1, 1774, and following that event, the Presidio was occupied by a succession of Mexican forces. It was abandoned in 1837 after San Diego became a Pueblo (Spanish for town or village).


As we approached the parking lot, we all admired the beautiful purple groundcover that spilled down the hill to the roadway. There were manicured lawns and lovely gardens with pathways and staircases that meandered their way up to the building, while the American, Californian and Mexican flags waved at the base of the hill. The entire site is kept up by the San Diego Historical Society.
Sadly the Presidio building itself was temporarily closed to the public, and the interior could only be toured by making a special appointment. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of the park as we climbed the stairs to the main structure. The edifice was beautifully designed using white plaster, magnificent arches, stately columns, covered walkways, ceramic floors and Spanish-tiled roofs. A memorial tablet, placed October 22, 1950, recognized George White Marston, a local philanthropist. Piece by piece, over many years, he acquired the Presidio acreage, restored the building, planted the trees and shrubs, nurtured their growth with tireless devotion, and when the hillside blossomed into beauty, he presented Presidio Park to the city he loved, in memory of Father Junipero Serra. The main doorway was restored with tiles from the water conduit that was built about 1800 by priests and Indians of the San Diego mission.


We had an absolutely wonderful visit to an amazingly beautiful and historic location. The building and grounds were remarkable and I wish I could have sat and just painted the scene before me. So failing that, I took lots of pictures and someday I’ll hopefully be able to reproduce this special site onto canvas. Our next San Diego adventure will include Torrey Pines National Park, La Jolla, and Seaport Village.

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Photos

The Presidio
Old World charm exudes from this beautiful structure. The white adobe plaster, graceful arches, and Spanish-tiled roofs make this site an artist's dream.

A Purple Waterfall
This beautiful groundcover extended its way to the roadside as a welcome to visitors.

"Les Touristas"
Janice Wehausen and Laurie Schwark in deep conversation as they climb the pathway to the Presidio.

Imposing Structure
The domed watch/bell tower is distinctly Spanish in its architecture.

Approaching the Presidio
Reaching the top of the pathway, this is the view that awaited us. I still just want to sit down with my paints and get to work.

A Portico With A View
How I would love to be able to sit under a portico like this at home. It is breezy and cool, being shaded from the sun.

Historical Wine Press
Diana and Nathanael pose in front of a wine press, circa 1770, that was a gift from the Spanish island of Mallorca, Father Junipero Serra's birthplace. It was presented for San Diego's bicentennial in 1969.

Nathanael
Here he is, posing in a window that overlook the drop-off down the east side of the hill. The views were super.

A Final View
Here is a view of the Presidio from the hill behind it. When looking down on the building, we could see the many different coloured tiles employed in constructing the roof.