OLD TOWN FIELD TRIP

Tyler and I went to old town San Diego with his first grade class. We were given a tour of old town by a lady who tried to help the class understand what life would have been like in the mid 1800’s here in San Diego. Here’s what I learned:

1. It took 6 months to sail from New York to San Diego. I just flew to Texas, went on a 6000 mile round trip tour of Mexico and Central America, and flew back to San Diego in less than 10 days. Who decided I got to live in 2007 and not 1907? Times have changed.
2. Usually when I go on these things it’s just me and 5 moms. This time, it was me and 2 other dads and 5 moms. I tried to talk to one of them. I don’t think either of them said 2 words the entire trip. Evidently, men on field trips operate under the same rule as men in front of urinals and men in elevators. You are not allowed to speak to anyone. Eye contact is bad. Grunts are ok.
3. Old Town has pretty plants. All of which are protected. The red dye they used for paint or coloring clothes comes from the “guts” of a white fungus that grows on cactus plants. It’s really weird.
4. Soldiers used to carry women on their shoulders from the boat to shore so their skirts didn’t get wet. I opened the door all week and waited for my wife to walk first on my ship and waited for her food to come before I ate and looked after her as best I could this last week. However, never once did I carry her ashore. None of the Mexican army offered either. Evidently, chivalry is dead.
5. Teachers (who were always women) of the one room school house were not allowed to get married or eat ice cream but they could beat the children with a stick. Why would you starve a woman of enjoyable food, tell her she can’t have sex, and then when she’s good and pissed at the world… give her a stick and tell her to teach your kids? I must be missing something.

Here’s some more pics.