My first impressions of San Diego.... (Chula Vista, Vista: living, cost of living, dangerous)

[carlos123]

Originally Posted by Encinitan

It sounds like you've settled into some of the sketchiest areas of town. Run-down abandoned buildings, graffiti all over, people speaking Spanish and in wheel chairs. Are you sure you are in San Diego, and not about 20 miles to the south?

Interesting how some of you are discussing exaggerations of what I did say and then implying that I did not tell things as they really are in view of the exaggerations . I mean feel free to continue the discussion of what I did not say. I'll just watch....mostly, with the exception of the following comments.

Run-down abandoned buildings? Haven't seen the abandoned part anywhere. That I know of. Run-down? You bet. Roof tiles missing or crooked. Pieces of plaster missing from some walls. Mismatched paint on walls. Cracks in driveways and sidewalks. House numbers on curves faded away to almost nothing. Garbage strewn about, unkept lawns or no grass at all, dirty and I mean dirty windows, some broken windows, scratched glass, filthy bathrooms, and other such assorted things. I saw worse than that even. Eventually...if I work up the nerve to go back into some of the worst sections I saw...I will take some photos to round out the otherwise overwhelmingly positive views of San Diego that are so often associated with the city.

Graffiti all over? Nope. I've seen graffiti but all over? That's definitely an exaggeration. San Diego is not busting full with graffiti.

People speaking Spanish? You make it sound like I have come upon parts of San Diego where people speak nothing but Spanish. What I did say was that I had met some people that did not speak English among the many, many people that I had met up to that point. That's not to say that there are not parts where a great many speak mainly Spanish...just that even in those parts...most speak English just fine.

I was in National City and Chula Vista when I wrote what I did. I had also gone South on the trolley to the Mexican border. I could be wrong but I think National City and Chula Vista are parts of San Diego. Even if they are not...they are close enough and associated enough with San Diego in the minds of people new to this area, like me, to flavor one's experience of San Diego. It's pretty hard to tell, indeed nearly impossible unless one looks on a map, where these parts end and San Diego proper actually begins. There's even a part of San Diego that is right by the Mexican border from what I have been told.

It'd be nice if some of you would stop with the exaggerations, assumptions, and twisting of what I have said. Just hoping .

Incidentally...though I am rather new to San Diego...I believe it's not an exaggeration for me to say that I have probably been all over this city and the sorrounding areas such that I have seen parts close-up, more than many (please note that I am not saying all) San Diegans of long standing have seen as they just passed by on the highway on their way to work. Not to mention that I have talked to more people in my two weeks here than many talk to in a year or more.

That's not a reference to you in particular Encinitan. Just stating that to give some explanation as to why I have seen parts and things that some may not have.

Anyone ever seen anybody scratch up a mirror? Probably not. But that does not make the scratching any less real for someone who has seen it. It's all over for anyone who cares to notice it. Likewise just because others, perhaps many, have never seen what I have seen in some parts of San Diego...that does not make the things I have seen any less...well...real .

I'll go back to just watching the thread now....

Carlos

[robertpolyglot]

Wow, interesting glancing at the responses. My reaction to San Diego:

Pros: beautiful layout, some cool Spanish colonial style buildings and a superb Mediterranean climate

Cons: besides the creme of that society, which lives in LaJolla and thereabouts, the place is stocked with a lot of hedonistic and not very interesting people. After high school in LA, a lot of the "beautiful people" seemed to have chosen SDSU and USD, etc., to major in marketing or communications, and the beach. All I can say is "no shirt, no shoes, no service...." Then, of course, add the Hispanic and black people who are not doing very well, but at least they're not suffering out in the cold...

[mewzikguy]

Instead of watching this thread, get a job. Also, the scratching of the glass is a gangbanger wanna be thing, all over Southern Cal. Something Canada doesn't have- "All of the good, none of the bad"

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by carlos123

Anyone ever seen anybody scratch up a mirror? Probably not. But that does not make the scratching any less real for someone who has seen it. It's all over for anyone who cares to notice it.

It's all over the country. You're not in Canada anymore.

[cobmw]

It's not in Colorado - mirror scratching I mean (well maybe in central Denver).

Very enjoyable observations about San Diego. Drives some people nuts who are looking to read things into everything the guy says. Funny how just stating the unvarnished truth is so wrong these days. You are supposed to watch the meaning of every word so as not to offend. I say baloney - tell it like it is.

[Encinitan]

It just seems to me that every thread Carlos has posted since he 'arrived' here has had at least some sort of 'gosh, San Diego is really dirty" aspect to it. Not like that in Canada or most other places on teh globe, according to him. Then you find out what part of the city he's hanging around in, and it's like, well no kidding. Telling San Diegans that parts of their city are aging and dirty and have windows that are hard to wash is sort of like a waste of everyone's time. We all know this. What's the point?

[carlos123]

Originally Posted by cobmw

Very enjoyable observations about San Diego. Drives some people nuts who are looking to read things into everything the guy says. Funny how just stating the unvarnished truth is so wrong these days. You are supposed to watch the meaning of every word so as not to offend. I say baloney - tell it like it is.

Can I dare say a hearty Amen to telling it like one sees it, come what may? I mean that is supposedly still one of the freedoms that the US claims to possess.

My interpretation of what I have seen and deductions based on it may on occasion be faulty but what I've seen and what I've experienced...is well...what I've seen and experienced.

I got's to go cash my latest window cleaning check at my bank and then go to my favorite buffet for my daily meal. As for getting a "real" job...not sure why someone would not consider window cleaning a real job but, while I appreciate the input to do that...I think I'll pass for now (if I can make window cleaning work as lucrative for me as it was up north).

While I am not making much at window cleaning just now...adding just one monthly customer a day (sometimes even two), every day for a month will end up resulting in my making a nice income, more than sufficient for my needs. Allowing me the time and the freedom to pursue other things on the side. I'd rather make $20+ an hour in window cleaning than $10 an hour for two hours, working for someone else . Up north I routinely made $25-50 per hour in window cleaning. I believe that is also possible here too if I can get into the right neighborhoods.

Have a great day everyone.

Carlos

[Hobgoblin]

"The unvarnished truth" is very rarely the whole truth. You can tell it like it is and it can all be true but it doesn't give anyone the whole story, nor does it encompass everyone's experience. Having a discussion which includes dissenting points of view is the only way to get the real truth.

And the real truth is, that everyone comes with their own biases, experiences and preferences and there will never be a consensus as to what is "true" and what isn't about any city on the planet.

[Sassberto]

2 people visit NYC

First guy gets off the subway at 138th street in Mott Haven. He sees dumpy buildings, crackheads, trash, and the occasional gangster

Other guy gets off at 81st street, walks to the Metropolitan museum of art. He sees impeccably maintained Italianate brownstones, boutiques, and central park.

Which one saw "the real new york"?

[Mach50]

Carlos123 - you should write an autobiography.