Anniversary Trip to San Diego — Monsters

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This is another post about our anniversary trip to San Diego. Our first day there, we walked around Balboa Park and visited several museums. My favorite by far was the Museum of Man, which specializes in anthropology. One exhibit, directed at kids, dealt with monsters and folklore. In an area decked out to look like a kid’s bedroom, a sign warned visitors not to look under the bed. Of course we did. We had to. Two red lights glowed back, suggesting eyes. Placards described monsters and traditional defenses against them. For example, if you are menaced by a vampire, throw a handful of small seeds like rice on the ground. The vampire will be compelled to stop and count them all, giving you plenty of time to get away. There was also a section on how real like things, like a mammoth skull with its large void in the forehead, may have given rise to the legend of the cyclops. At the exit of the exhibit, a set of monster wings was painted on the wall. The blue in the wings matched the blue in my dearly beloved’s shirt. With a little “Oh, please, please, please” on my part, the following picture was made. He’s a good sport.