My Top Ten San Diego Hikes: #6, El Capitan Open Space Reserve

First, let me start the post with a review of My Top Ten San Diego Hikes:

#10 - Lake Hodges

#9- Palomar Mountain State Park

#8 - Cuyamaca Rancho State Park 

#7 - Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Now, moving on to the number 6 in my list, which is El Capitan Open Space Reserve

@ El Cajon Summit, El Capitan Open Space Reserve

Where The San Diego Spring Wildflowers Are: 2013

 Wildflowers - growing in the wild without anyone planting or seeding them, without anyone nourishing them but nature. Their blossoms are sending a beautiful message, "we all are in very good hands, taken care of lovingly by our Maker".

The four pictures below are some of my favorite spring wildflower shots around San Diego since 2008.  Spring wildflower blooms are very much dependent on precipitation and weather timing. 

2008 Spring Wildflowers, Tooth Rock Mountain Trail

Sea Otters

My Top Ten San Diego Hikes, #7 - Anza Borrego Desert State Park

" The first time I knew you 
Tears ran down my face 
you taught me how to look at Earth's geologic past 
that will prepare us for what is to come....."  

Those were the words that spoke to me the first time I saw Borrego badlands, remnants of what was once underneath the sea. If this desert state park were any closer to San Diego proper, this place would move up in the list of My Top Ten San Diego hikes. Sadly however, this desert State Park is the farthest among the places in My Top Ten list, being in the northeasternmost of San Diego County.

Me on the Snowy Slopes of Cuyamaca that Borders The Dry Anza Borrego Desert

To The Sea, to the sea - Song of a Hopeful Immigrant

"When anxious, uneasy and bad thoughts come, I go to the sea, and the sea drowns them out with its great wide sounds, cleanses me with its noise, and imposes a rhythm upon everything in me that is bewildered and confused."- Rainer Maria Rilke

Eleven years ago, during my second day visiting the US West Coast, while sitting on top of the cliff and watching the crashing waves pound the shore, I thought to myself: "I wish I can live here. Here where I do not have to take a vacation to experience the ocean. Here where I do not have to travel far to enjoy the washing of the waves after a day's work. For work and the ocean are intertwined."

Though I came from a country of many beautiful islands, and many beautiful beaches, but somehow.... work and the ocean were not that close to each other. Work was always in the city. To experience pristine beaches, I had to be away from the city. I had to take a few days vacation to be enjoying the sea. Enjoying pristine and quiet beaches was luxury. I had to spend both money and time to be enjoying the sea fully.

During my first meeting with the rugged West Coast, as I continued to hear the waves pounding, the longing to be with the sea everyday was also heavily pounding my heart. Silently, I prayed.....

"God, would it be selfish of me to ask you to help me explore life here? I love you....so much. But, I do not know whether it is wrong for me to desire to live here.  Please know, I will accept whatever path you will make for me....please grant me courage and strength to explore life here...." - 

I will stop there, for that was a very long conversation with God. Probably, very few Filipino tourists in America would spend their time all day at the beach alone because we take pride in our country having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. However, I did on that day. I had a full day of quietly reflecting by the ocean, talking my heart out to our Lord. A few days after that, I met an "outdoorsy California guy" who later in my life added fuel to my "California Dreaming". I did not know then if I should take it as a sign of "prayers being slowly worked on".

My first visit was short as I only was an accidental tourist that time, no plans of exploring a life in America. However, eight months after my first meeting of the rugged Pacific ocean in the US West Coast, I submitted a letter of application for 6 months leave of absence to the Vice President of the University I worked for. Asked why, my simple response: " I want to give it a try to find a job in America." 

Almost a year later since that day I asked God to give me the courage and strength to explore a life in America, I went back with some strong hopes of finding a job. One of my former students advised me to talk to an immigration lawyer. He told me that if I wanted to work in America for good and legally, I should probably stick with my profession. He said that immigration law would prohibit me from getting work visa or green card by employment if I seek unprofessional jobs, or some other "easy to get under the table" jobs because they are hard to justify as a "need". Heeding the advise of my student, I went to see the immigration law firm he referred. He said that they were  the same immigration law firm that processed his H1B or work visa and then his green card successfully.

Cactus Dish Garden

My Cactus Dish Garden

I accidentally tipped a serving dish that it got broken on the side. Instead of throwing it away, I decided to make a dish garden. I love the results.