which is a park across from the San Diego Airport. Turns out there are two parts and we went on the wrong one...
At the end of that particular lot, we saw this really spectacular tiled bench. Another review of the map online pointed us in the right direction...
to the farther more Northern end of Spanish landing.
As young children, our parents used to take us here on picnics. We would sit on these woven mats (called 'banigs' in Tagalog) and snack on fried chicken, corn, rice, and other assorted snacks.
Currently, Spanish Landing is now the location of a unique look into the recreation of the San Salvador, the galleon used by Portuguese explorer Joao Rodrigues Cabrilho (Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo), the first known European to visit San Diego in 1542. The ship is expected to be finished by this year, but most likely will be delayed to next year due to budget cuts and lack of staffing. We originally wanted to check out the build site last month but it rained on MLK day.
The ship is to be a full sized and fully functional historical replica of Cabrillo's flagship, the first European vessel to reach America's west coast.
To view the ship and visit the accompanying exhibits, there is a fee to enter the site (which I didn't recall reading about in the article, dammit), $5 bones. Once you enter, you will see various stations and tents filled with historical information. There were a few hands on items as well asuch as the barrels with examples of knots and lengths of knotted ropes where you could practice that same knot. In the distance is the ship with scaffolding.
The day we went, there was a small group of children on a field trip. They were also fortunate to have a costumed docent give them the tour and explain history in a very colorful manner. I really liked his rop sandals! Very authentic looking!
One of the tents had replicas of artifacts such as the armor, chain mail and crude surgical instruments.
Quite interesting these were, as we would find out later from the costumed gentleman.
The names of these tools say it all.
Especially this ominous one. There was also a "bone chipper" tool!
Detail of the chain mail....this was pretty heavy too!
Below, a replica of a monolith with ancient Kumeyaay drawings that could possibly depict the ships' expedition to San Diego.
Visitors were invited to "stamp" their initials onto pieces of wood that will later be incorpated into the ship.
There were metal stamps which you pounded with a big mallet. Bert had fun with this!
One of the knot tying stations...
The blacksmith...
View of the ship's progress...
A display showing some of the types of wood used for the San Salvador. They couldn't use the exact same woods but used some woods indigenous to our region as well.
A little farther down the exhibit is an area dedicated to the Kumeyaay's, a tribe native to San Diego. TC's school does Kumeyaay Day every year for the 4th graders where they learn to make acorn mash, and build a hut like the one seen below. In the foreground is a tule raft, made from a type of reed.
This was the woodworking area (behind the hut). I thought it interesting to see this area below the road (Harbor Drive).
View of San Diego Bay while inside the hut. You can see the Coronado Bridge from here...
A display of Kumeyaay items in the hut - arrowheads,seeds, shells, dried fish, tools, and jewelry.
Now this was our favorite part of our visit. TC and I overhead the docent giving a rather animated lecture about how sailors back then had to live in primite conditions. He demonstrated the use of some of those surgical tools. I think it's safe to say that once you mention anything gory or gruesome, you will have the kids' attention in an instant! He talked about infection, cutting open wounds, using leeches, and amputation!
Here he is showing how this tool would spread open a wound...
The blacksmith also came over to demonstrate how this tool would be used to cauterize a wound. The kids were oohing and aahing at the hissing sound as the rod hit the small piece of wood as the docent cheerfully said, "See how hot that is kids? Imagine the smell of burning meat! Your flesh!". Wow, if only all teachers could be this interesting!!!
A few last looks at the ship before heading off for lunch...
See the waterline?
The main build site is fenced off from the main walkways in Spanish Landing, but passerbys can still see the ship from the other side of the fence.
The San Salvador Build Site
1492 North Harbor Dr.
San Diego, CA 92102
(619) 234-9513
Open 11 am to 4 pm daily
More info about the San Salvador:
www.sdmaritime.org
Buying a ticket also gives you access to other exhibits from the San Diego Maritime Museum located along Harbor Drive (Star of India, the USS Berkeley, etc). It was quite a unique and educational way to spend a few hours. Our lunch was already posted and we ended up going to Mission Hills for dessert at Gelato Vero.
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