During the last week of March, Claudia and I returned to my hometown of San Diego for the first time since 14 years ago! We visited some of my family and old friends, wandered around a few of my favorite places, drove through the neighborhood where I grew up, and of course ate a lot of delicious fish tacos.

Although it's been nearly 30 years since I lived in San Diego, there's something about it that is still rooted in my soul. The sound of the waves, smell of the ocean, coastal breeze, soft light, hazy clouds, Spanish missionary architecture, and countless other little details still feel like home to me.

One thing I kind of forgot about is just how beautiful the city is - specifically, the lush landscaping with all the exotic trees, plants, and cacti that were planted since the early 1900s. Some entire neighborhoods look like botanical gardens! We also visited the wonderful San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, where trees and plants from all over the world are displayed. In San Diego's mild Mediterranean climate, as long as there's water just about anything can be grown there!

It felt great to be back, even if I'm just another tourist now.