Things I didn't know about San Diego until I moved here

1. May Gray/June Gloom
Who would think that what are beautiful spring and summer months everywhere else are dull, overcast and cooler here?

2. Tijuana
Tijuana, or "TJ" as it is called, is really not that fun. It is dirty and repetitive as a tourist destination. I mean it is souvenirs, pharmacy, dentist, liquor store repeat infinity. And the bull fight rings are in great disrepair as well. To top if off you face sometimes a 3 hour wait to get back into the US after you are all done. Just not as fun or 'neat' as you would think. Notice I didn't even mention the violence......

3. Tourists
I guess I really have to believe that tourism is the #3 industry in San Diego. When I lived on Chelsea St in La Jolla I could never park at my own house, streets were filled with non resident bikers, joggers and such. You can't surf anywhere here on a weekend without being within arms reach of someone. I try to stay as far away as possible from 'touristy' stuff during the summer months, especially on the weekends.

Don't bother eating anywhere in the Gas Lamp district either. It is entirely there to fleece conference and cruise goers.

4. Wages
I was actually told by a HR woman during a telephone interview, "We pay you in sunshine," in her best cheery voice. What kind of crap is that? I may like the sun but it sure doesn't feed me or power my motorcycle. In the bay area I made $48 a hour and $23 a hour carrying the pager. It was easy to make $130,000 in a year as a nuclear medicine technologist. Here in San Diego the best I could get was $31 a hour and $7 a hour to carry the pager. That is about 75 grand a year. Crap. And all the left-over Navy techs do all the call, weekend and per Diem to make up for their miserable enlisted wages.

To top it off, my profession is very insular here so you really have to know someone, you get no where if no one knows you. And then one of the hospitals here runs a tech school pumping out new grads each year.

5. Pizza
First, I do have to say that SD has the best Mexican food of anywhere I have ever been. Whenever I leave the US all I can think about is getting some good Mexican food when I come back. But if you want a good pizza, SD is a wasteland with the infrequent oasis.

6. Public Land
You drive around and see all this open land, but you sure can't do anything on it. Over regulation at work.

7. Motorcycles
The desert and off roading rule here. If you ride on the street everyone assumes you are an immature squid from Camp Pendleton who is going to be a statistic soon. You can't park your bike on the sidewalk without security getting involved. Almost no one lane splits. Very few parking lots have motorcycle designated parking. Just the accommodation for motorcycle enthusiasts here is really lacking. I think it is due to the huge poseur presence, it makes it hard to be taken seriously.

8. Condos
You mean to tell me this two bedroom apartment from the 80's is now a "condo" and it is going to cost me $400,000? (or $800,000 like ones I looked at in LJ)

Personally, these were all contradictions to what my mental image of San Diego was and it quite surprised me. I have now lived in California more than any other state as an adult, in spite of that though I can still see some of these things as an outsider. All very interesting things I never knew about America's Finest City until I lived here.