In 2008 Marielle, Ethan and myself took a trip to Arizona and Utah.  This trip was done in haste during spring break.  In fact, it was done around midnight saturday after table tennis practice.  Within two hours I had booked the hotels and noted the spots we would be visiting.  This year I wanted to go on another trip.  The trip was planned on having early morning and late afternoon / early evening for shooting landscapes.  Driving will be limited to middle of the day when the light is harshest and no photography will be done during this time.  Hotels were booked, a guide was hired for Antelope Canyon.  Like last year, my wife Joyce was unable to come due to work. 

Ah, San Diego.  What a great place for a tournament:  very nice gym, a lot of parking, good weather, nice folks.  What's there not to like about San Diego.  I have a love hate relationship with the Balboa Park Activity Center.  As a player, the Balboa Park Activity Center is the best there is.  As a photographer, the indoor lighting is inadequate..  Plus the presence of natural skews the digital sensor when using automatic white balance.  I had to keep adjusting the white balance all day to get the proper skin color. It's like going to your mother in law.  You like it because food is great.  You hate it because you feel better without her presence.

Fred Martin was a big man.  Fred also had a big heart.  This tournament was all about Fred and keeping alive his memory among us table tennis players.  There was a table in the entry way set up with numerous photographs of Fred and some of the medals he won at the Fireman's Olympics.  Fred was a long time member of the Long Beach Table Tennis Club. 

Tournaments held at the Santa Monica City College have been a fixture in the Southern California table tennis scene.  I remember going to these tournaments in the mid 90's.  I recall watching several promising young players like Edward Chang and MinHee Hwang, Shelley and Stacey Lee.  I dont think these few I mentioned are active in table tennis, though I've heard several occassions MinHee took up golfing.  Stacey is a famous model up in the Bay Area.

Today was too hot to do some yard work even though I should be shredding some tree branches that lay near the easement to the road.  It's time to write another blog entry about the Glendale Friendship Games held last March 1.  Glendale is an enclave where most Armenians reside in Southern California.  The Friendship Games was held at the Homenetmen Ararat facility in Glendale, CA.  The nondescript building is on abusy thorough fare that is next to a police station.  From what I understand, this facility was built through contributions from the Armenian community.  It provides a lot of activies both cultural and athletics.  Basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, chess, table tennis and cultural dance are some of the activities offered.

This is the  first major tournament in the Bay Area.  It is always met some great expectations. I always look forward to make it back to the Bay Area.  I went to Santa Clara for my Ag degree.  The weather is great and the landscapes is some of the best around.  Berkeley is a haven for good restaurants.  Being in Berkeley brings back good memories.  I took my wife for our first date in nearby Piedmont to Fenton's Creamery famous for their crab sandwiches.