Driving up the 101 Highway, I feel comforted by the familiar salty smell in the air, the bright blue sky and sea, and the heat of the sun, unblocked by the palm trees framing both sides of the road. I have always loved this road, and it feels personal to me, although I know it is shared with the rest of California. There have been many instances where I have sacrificed being late for work so I could drive it. I feel it embodies much of San Diego, the long straight road symbolizing the cultural connection between our city, Mexico, and the rest of California. The vivid green poles denoting the bike paths lining the street reveal the city’s recent attempt to make the city more publicly accessible, fighting the quick, widespread growth that prevented any thorough planning initially. The pedestrians carrying big surfboards within the paths demonstrate their trust in the people who are here. On the side of the highway, looking out to the beach, exists numerous restaurants and stores that all seem to be beach-related. People come in and out of these private social areas wearing shorts, flip-flops, damp t-shirts, and oversized sunglasses. Very few social restrictions or limitations exist, as San Diego is a place of peaceful inhibition. On the opposite side, the beach provides a public space for significant social interaction. Different types of people bond over the mediocre surf, hot weather, or anything else they might share. It is not unusual to ask a stranger to watch your bag for you, something I’ve recently learned is unheard of anywhere else.
While the beach does characterize much of San Diego, there are distinguished parts separate from the beach. The city of San Diego is vast, and if you get off the 101 and take the 56 east or the 5 south, the city feels very different. For example, if you take the 5 south, you will see the stunning Mormon church, pass UCSD, and La Jolla Cove, home of my favorite animal: seals. Taking the 5 will bring you to downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Many of them replace the beach with farmers’ markets for their public spaces. They fill multiple streets and occur so frequently that there is one for every day of the week. And while the people near the beach seem more environmentally charged, downtown seems more concerned with social matters, physically manifesting their beliefs through rainbow-colored crosswalks and beautiful murals. Taking the 56 east will give you a less attractive view, one comprised solely of arid land. However, you’ll find a new facet of the city. Single-story houses with big brown yards populate much of the area, with the occasional ranches and shopping centers filling the rest of the space. Beyond the drier heat, there’s a different type of tension in the air, too. People seem to have a more economical and conservative approach to their beliefs, reflected once again in the lack of investment in functional public spaces and transportation in the area.
(Taken from iStock)
People who have never visited often think San Diego is a suburb of Los Angeles; San Diego is the relaxed, slower-paced, friendly younger brother of what seems to be the more challenging and intense sibling. The assertion is not necessarily untrue, but it discounts all the unique neighborhoods and people that make up the city. Before living in Ithaca, I never knew what a privilege it was to live in an area of such diversity and where any activity is available every day of the year. The city has much work to successfully unite these neighborhoods beyond private vehicles. Hopefully, this can be accomplished, and the cultural infusion that already makes San Diego such an interesting and exciting city will only increase.
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