Going For Purple Belt In Karate

After starting karate lessons in May, Troy and Teo tested for purple belt this past Friday afternoon.

The videos below show how it went.

Summary:  they get their belts on July 31.

Karate - Testing for Purple Belt

Hotel Del Coronado

 One of the crown jewels of the San Diego area is the Hotel Del Coronado.  A gorgeous building sitting right on the ocean in Coronado, it attracts quite an international clientele.

We didn't realize that Mary had not been there before, so we made sure to spend some time there this month.  Here are Teo, Troy, Dave and Mary relaxing on the lawn between the hotel and the ocean.

Constructed with mostly Chinese laborers from San Francisco and Oakland, it opened in 1888, a few years after a group of investors purchased all of Coronado for $110,000.   An investor who purchased the hotel in the 1960s intended to tear it down and redevelop the land - lucky for San Diego he quickly changed his mind.

 Teo attempting to make a grass angel.

 I believe the Hotel Del just put in that artificial turf - I think it was real grass during our visit last summer.

 Troy

 My wife, Mary and Ron in the courtyard at the Hotel Del Coronado.

 Another photo in the courtyard.

 My beautiful wife.

David.

 I had never noticed what appears to be a rather large penthouse atop the older section of the Hotel Del before.

 I bet that would be a great place to stay.  We've always rented one of their regular rooms.

 The boys were ready for a bit of gelato, so we found shop and queued up.

 Debating whether the cow is ride-able.  Decision: no.  Once Troy touched it, he figured out it was plastic and very tipsy.

 A garden at the hotel.

 There was also a Tesla display out front - that surprised me as I don't recall seeing displays there before.

 As we ate dinner, the lights on the turret came on.

Coronado - Walking Along The Beach

 When we arrived in Coronado, one of the first things we did was to walk the beach.  Here is the crew that came along that day:  David with Teo on his shoulders, Mary, Troy, Ron, and my wife.

 David letting the boys enjoy the view for a few minutes.  For some reason we had never walked south of the Hotel Del before, so this part of the adventure was new to all of us.

 Teo with his dad.

 Mary, Troy, Ron, and Teo.

Walking back towards the Hotel Del.

 Once Dave and the boys went to the beach for a bit, the rest of us explored the walk north of the Hotel Del - something we've done often.

Coronado - The Views

 As always, the views in Coronado are spectacular.  The land in the distance is Mexico.

 A better look at Mexico.

 The land in the distance is Point Loma.

 Another look towards Point Loma.

Coronado - Playing In The Sand

 Troy and Teo were anxious to spend a little time at the beach, so Dave took them down while the rest of us explored the hotel a bit.

 When we wandered down to the beach, we thought we'd never find them because there were so many people on the long beach.  However, Troy and Teo had chosen to wear fluorescent green and orange, so my wife spotted them almost immediately!

Coronado - Sheerwater Restaurant

 We had dinner at the Sheerwater Restaurant at the Hotel Del.  It is one of my favorite places to eat in San Diego.  Here is Teo, Troy and David right after we sat down.

The restaurant has a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean and Point Loma.

 Mary and Ron enjoying the evening.

 My wife preparing to order.

 Troy using a coloring book.

 Teo and Troy.

 Teo and Troy.

 Mary and Ron.

After dinner, it became a little chilly so they turned the heater on.  Teo is enjoying the flame.

And thus ends our day in Coronado.