In a previous article I talked about my wonderings in San Diego (California) and described my time in Chiba Sensei's dojo. Always looking for new experiences, I decided to use the little free time I had within my tight conference schedule to train at the San Diego Aikikai. Indeed I could have given in to the relaxation, the sandy beaches and the sun of the Californian coast but instead I decided to take the "Trolley" (tramway that crosses the city form north to south) and put on my keikogi (which due to the infernal heat and the tough training, was starting to look rather miserable) once more.  This time, my choice settled on the Jiai Aikido dojo, affiliated to Saotome Sensei's organisation, the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba. 

The city of San Diego was described in my guide as the eighth American city but its architecture and the area it covers somewhat diminishes this impression of being in a metropolis. Balboa Park and its huge, world renowned zoo are located literally at the heart of the city. It must also be said that for an American city, public transports run quite smoothly and it is therefore easy to get around even when you don't know the place.