San Diego day 4

Today has just been like a rollercoaster...

An hour ago we just double checked our return flight information, and there was bad news... it seems that American Airlines not only canceled our first flight, they actually canceled the whole trip. So that means the return flight is no more, and we are now technically stuck in San Diego...

While Chris was trying to negotiate with Orbitz/American Airlines about getting our return flight back, I was already in the process of planning for our backup plan: renting a car and drive all the way back to Seattle... imagine that. Fortunately, after a series of finger pointing between Orbitz and AA, they were finally able to give us a return flight for free. Thank God. And thanks Chris.

So now the roller coaster is back up again, and we are watching Harry Potter on TV :)

Today we spent the whole day at the San Diego zoo, which was such an amazing time... even saw the elephant "release" like a water hose, and using the nose to touch the other one's "important position", it was hilarious. The 2nd highlight was the Orangutans and Gorillas, they are so funny... One big black gorilla was playing with a small orangutan, it was so amazing how they are so different yet got along so well with each other (though it led to occasional kicking and wresting). It's just mind boggling how much they resemble humans. All the spectators were commenting and laughing and having a good time.

Drove on the wrong side of the road today.... this may be an excuse, but I really think the road is badly designed. I was on a one-way street, on the left hand lane ready to turn left. Naturally, when you turn left from left hand lane, you will keep left when you turn! But apparently that road was a two-way street, and I was in the wrong side! Luckily there was only a car coming really slowly. But the funniest thing was that I thought he was on the wrong side, so I pressed the horn at him, before I finally realized and turned back to our lane! Even the driver laughed and made a funny gesture ~

Had Mexican Moles tonight. Very expensive ar...

San Diego day 3

Today's talks were much better than yesterday. My best impression was Yale's Mark Gerstein's talk, it had been the best talk of the event so far. But I guess that will be it, because tomorrow we are skipping the uninteresting talks, and going to the zoo instead! Woohoo ~ :)

Late afternoon we drove to Pacific Beach, and caught just in time the sun setting over the Pacific ocean! It was such a beautiful scene, is just indescribable... It's a shame I can't post it at the moment, since I didn't bring the camera cable with me.

After that we went to the Seaport Village by the seaside, with lots of very special shops, selling very special things. There was a kite shop with hundreds of varieties of kites, which was so tempting... My friend eventually couldn't resist and bought one, haha...

We then drove to Little Italy, and ate some Italian food. It was ok la... I think after the steak from yesterday, nothing can ever top that... :)

San Diego day 2

Quite a boring day today, all day listening to Systems Biology talks... But realized just how smart people from Harvard and Stanford really are. Even the bioinformatics grad students at UCSD, they are shockingly good... making us feel we should really do something about it, sigh...

For dinner we went to the La Jolla village, where I had the most delicious steak I've ever eaten in my life, oh my God... La Jolla is just like posh people's heaven.

Good luck with the exam tomorrow, I am sure you will nail it.