A CALIFORNIAN ODYSSEY 2010.....A live trip report from the Golden State
Jun 30th, 2010, 07:16 AM
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The relatively late night last evening has resulted in a bit of a sleep in today. Not that it matters too much as today is pretty much all about baseball. We have tickets to the Giants V Red Sox game, starting at 1.10pm, and if the number of Boston fans that we have seen out and about over the last 2 days is any indication, I think it will be close to a sell out.
Kerry has bought me a baseball cap, embroided with the capital B, that I had intended to wear to the game tonight. But, I have since been informed that this is actually a Brooklyn Dodgers cap, and that if I am thought to be showing support for the Dodgers, I am likely to become a target for stray peanuts. The San Francisco people seem too nice to resort to this type of thuggery, but I play safe and decide to support to home side.
Kerry and I enjoyed our Chowder so much yesterday that we decide to repeat the dose, but we want to give the famous Boudin’s Bakery a go. They claim to have been the first to start serving Chowder in Sour Dough, and the kids are fascinated in the rolls displayed in the window shaped like crabs and various other creatures. Sadly the Chowder here did not live up to the hype and tasted as it may have come out of a can. Even the bread wasn’t as fresh and tasty as what Players had served up the day before. It would seem that the original may not always be the best.
We jumped on a tram to head down to AT&T park, home of the Giants. It was still early but we thought we would spend some time exploring the surrounding area. The kids also didn’t want to miss out on the Panda masks that were being handed out to the first 20,000 fans through the gate. It would seem that Pablo Sandoval, the slightly rotund first baseman for the Giants, is affectionately known as the Panda, and the masks were being distributed in his honor. If it had only been 2 weeks later, we could have scored Tim Lincecum bobble heads instead.
The tram is not going all the way to the ball park and we are dispatched near the Ferry building. This ends up being a blessing in disguise as I had forgotten about the Gay Pride march, and our drop off point happens to be only a block away from one of the points that the parade is passing. This color and energy of the various groups that pass us are infectious and before you know it, we are waving little flags that have been handed out and enjoying the atmosphere. The only thing that I found a little off putting were a couple of older men that were walking on the sidewalk completely butt naked. These guys did not appear to be part of the parade and didn’t have bodies that anyone would benefit from seeing unclad, but they just strolled past us and nobody else really even reacted to their presence. Is this normal?
We continued our journey on foot to the stadium and were at the gates about 45 minutes before the opening pitch. This gave us plenty of time to orientate ourselves, find our seats and to be standing, Panda masks in hand, for the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. I almost felt a strange feeling of “National” pride at this point. My own nations citizens could learn from the respect shown to the anthem and flag by both Red Sox and Giants fans alike. The other thing that stood out was the array of food and drink available. The choice was amazing. Taco’s, Crab sandwiches, Hot Dogs with about 7 different types of sausage, Pizza, Burgers, even Chowder. This was on top of the Corn Dogs, Popcorn, Sno-Cones and Peanuts that the vendors walk up and down the seating area with. On top of that, they served about 10 different types of beer including several in those fantastic, pint sized , aluminum bottles. I was in heaven.
The game was a good one with plenty of runs scored early, including a “Splash Hit” home run, that is categorized by the ball actually clearing the stands and ending up in the bay. They show the ball hitting the water on the big screen and then instantly being converged on by several people in canoes and kayak’s that sit there waiting for this moment. That’s a different way to spend a Sunday afternoon.. Our seats are in the “Bleachers” and the crowd here are far more like an Australian Football crowd, with abuse being thrown at the Red Sox outfielders. Joel and I get involved in a chant “What’s the matter with Mcdonald?…. He‘s a Bum ”, and after the Red Sox take a handy lead into the 9th Innings, we are taught all about the famous “Rally Hat” where supporters wanting to assist their team to turn the result around, turn their caps inside out. Caleb did notice that we were about the only ones in our area who were practicing this ritual. I wander if the Giants fans thought the game was past it, or were we being had?
After the game, there was a huge line up of fans trying to get on the tram that would take us directly to our Hotel, so I came up with a ingenious plan, armed with my trusty map, to catch it the opposite way and then intersect with 2 buses, that should actually see us dropped off directly at our front door. Kerry was extremely skeptical, but as she is directionally challenged, had no choice but to put herself and kids in my hands. Luckily my gamble paid off and my Mojo was returned after previous indiscretions‘.
Whilst traveling down Columbus Avenue, we noticed some great looking Italian restaurants around the area known as North Beach. We make a note of their positions and plan on returning after a freshen up and rest. We take off, on foot, at about 7pm and our plan of having Italian for dinner fails when we spot the “Tuk Tuk 2 Cafe”, a tiny little Thai eatery on Union st. This place is a Gem. Just a handful of tables and not very glamorous, but the Crab Fried Rice and Yellow Curry was as good as any we have ever had.
We stroll home through the streets of North Beach and turn the lights out on another thoroughly enjoyable day in San Francisco, a City which is fast becoming a favorite for all of us.
Kerry has bought me a baseball cap, embroided with the capital B, that I had intended to wear to the game tonight. But, I have since been informed that this is actually a Brooklyn Dodgers cap, and that if I am thought to be showing support for the Dodgers, I am likely to become a target for stray peanuts. The San Francisco people seem too nice to resort to this type of thuggery, but I play safe and decide to support to home side.
Kerry and I enjoyed our Chowder so much yesterday that we decide to repeat the dose, but we want to give the famous Boudin’s Bakery a go. They claim to have been the first to start serving Chowder in Sour Dough, and the kids are fascinated in the rolls displayed in the window shaped like crabs and various other creatures. Sadly the Chowder here did not live up to the hype and tasted as it may have come out of a can. Even the bread wasn’t as fresh and tasty as what Players had served up the day before. It would seem that the original may not always be the best.
We jumped on a tram to head down to AT&T park, home of the Giants. It was still early but we thought we would spend some time exploring the surrounding area. The kids also didn’t want to miss out on the Panda masks that were being handed out to the first 20,000 fans through the gate. It would seem that Pablo Sandoval, the slightly rotund first baseman for the Giants, is affectionately known as the Panda, and the masks were being distributed in his honor. If it had only been 2 weeks later, we could have scored Tim Lincecum bobble heads instead.
The tram is not going all the way to the ball park and we are dispatched near the Ferry building. This ends up being a blessing in disguise as I had forgotten about the Gay Pride march, and our drop off point happens to be only a block away from one of the points that the parade is passing. This color and energy of the various groups that pass us are infectious and before you know it, we are waving little flags that have been handed out and enjoying the atmosphere. The only thing that I found a little off putting were a couple of older men that were walking on the sidewalk completely butt naked. These guys did not appear to be part of the parade and didn’t have bodies that anyone would benefit from seeing unclad, but they just strolled past us and nobody else really even reacted to their presence. Is this normal?
We continued our journey on foot to the stadium and were at the gates about 45 minutes before the opening pitch. This gave us plenty of time to orientate ourselves, find our seats and to be standing, Panda masks in hand, for the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. I almost felt a strange feeling of “National” pride at this point. My own nations citizens could learn from the respect shown to the anthem and flag by both Red Sox and Giants fans alike. The other thing that stood out was the array of food and drink available. The choice was amazing. Taco’s, Crab sandwiches, Hot Dogs with about 7 different types of sausage, Pizza, Burgers, even Chowder. This was on top of the Corn Dogs, Popcorn, Sno-Cones and Peanuts that the vendors walk up and down the seating area with. On top of that, they served about 10 different types of beer including several in those fantastic, pint sized , aluminum bottles. I was in heaven.
The game was a good one with plenty of runs scored early, including a “Splash Hit” home run, that is categorized by the ball actually clearing the stands and ending up in the bay. They show the ball hitting the water on the big screen and then instantly being converged on by several people in canoes and kayak’s that sit there waiting for this moment. That’s a different way to spend a Sunday afternoon.. Our seats are in the “Bleachers” and the crowd here are far more like an Australian Football crowd, with abuse being thrown at the Red Sox outfielders. Joel and I get involved in a chant “What’s the matter with Mcdonald?…. He‘s a Bum ”, and after the Red Sox take a handy lead into the 9th Innings, we are taught all about the famous “Rally Hat” where supporters wanting to assist their team to turn the result around, turn their caps inside out. Caleb did notice that we were about the only ones in our area who were practicing this ritual. I wander if the Giants fans thought the game was past it, or were we being had?
After the game, there was a huge line up of fans trying to get on the tram that would take us directly to our Hotel, so I came up with a ingenious plan, armed with my trusty map, to catch it the opposite way and then intersect with 2 buses, that should actually see us dropped off directly at our front door. Kerry was extremely skeptical, but as she is directionally challenged, had no choice but to put herself and kids in my hands. Luckily my gamble paid off and my Mojo was returned after previous indiscretions‘.
Whilst traveling down Columbus Avenue, we noticed some great looking Italian restaurants around the area known as North Beach. We make a note of their positions and plan on returning after a freshen up and rest. We take off, on foot, at about 7pm and our plan of having Italian for dinner fails when we spot the “Tuk Tuk 2 Cafe”, a tiny little Thai eatery on Union st. This place is a Gem. Just a handful of tables and not very glamorous, but the Crab Fried Rice and Yellow Curry was as good as any we have ever had.
We stroll home through the streets of North Beach and turn the lights out on another thoroughly enjoyable day in San Francisco, a City which is fast becoming a favorite for all of us.
Jun 30th, 2010, 07:29 AM
#142
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shanek, sounds like you are having a great trip!
I am curious: are you seeing a lot of homeless people in San Francisco?
"they served about 10 different types of beer" -- did you find these very expensive compared to home?
"The only thing that I found a little off putting were a couple of older men that were walking on the sidewalk completely butt naked. These guys did not appear to be part of the parade and didn’t have bodies that anyone would benefit from seeing unclad, but they just strolled past us and nobody else really even reacted to their presence. Is this normal?" -- no, this is in appropriate
I am curious: are you seeing a lot of homeless people in San Francisco?
"they served about 10 different types of beer" -- did you find these very expensive compared to home?
"The only thing that I found a little off putting were a couple of older men that were walking on the sidewalk completely butt naked. These guys did not appear to be part of the parade and didn’t have bodies that anyone would benefit from seeing unclad, but they just strolled past us and nobody else really even reacted to their presence. Is this normal?" -- no, this is in appropriate
Jun 30th, 2010, 07:37 AM
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Thoroughly enjoying your adventures.
Yes, it is "normal" to see naked men wandering around on Pride weekend. And to see naked people running in the Bay to Breakers race in May. And to see a naked guy lecturing the students in Sproul Plaza at the university in Berkeley (just across the Bay, east of SF). I don't know what it is with some of us Californians and the desire to ditch our clothes at every possible opportunity.
Ah well, it doesn't hurt anybody (well maybe the eyeballs recoil a little bit with some of them). But hey, even not-so-beautiful people are people too, right? So I guess we just chalk it up to the insanity, I mean diversity, of life in the Bay Area.
I think it sounded like the city view was all fogged in when you rode across GG Bridge? Tell me it isn't so. That's my favorite thing to take visitors to do - when it is clear and sunny and the city seems to float on the sparkling Bay. And every time I drive across the bridge I get such enjoyment out of watching the people walking/riding by, who seem amazed at the view. So if you didn't see it at its best, you'll just have to come back!
Yes, it is "normal" to see naked men wandering around on Pride weekend. And to see naked people running in the Bay to Breakers race in May. And to see a naked guy lecturing the students in Sproul Plaza at the university in Berkeley (just across the Bay, east of SF). I don't know what it is with some of us Californians and the desire to ditch our clothes at every possible opportunity.
Ah well, it doesn't hurt anybody (well maybe the eyeballs recoil a little bit with some of them). But hey, even not-so-beautiful people are people too, right? So I guess we just chalk it up to the insanity, I mean diversity, of life in the Bay Area.
I think it sounded like the city view was all fogged in when you rode across GG Bridge? Tell me it isn't so. That's my favorite thing to take visitors to do - when it is clear and sunny and the city seems to float on the sparkling Bay. And every time I drive across the bridge I get such enjoyment out of watching the people walking/riding by, who seem amazed at the view. So if you didn't see it at its best, you'll just have to come back!
Jun 30th, 2010, 07:39 AM
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That's funny - I see that krgystn and I have opposite takes on the naked thing. I don't know where you're from krgystn, but if it's the Bay Area, I guess it just illustrates more of the diversity of opinion here!
Jun 30th, 2010, 07:43 AM
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Yes krgystn, There are many people that appear to be Homeless in San Francisco. What I did notice also, were some young people, early 20's, with a cup placed in front of them and a sign saying "We are very hungry...Anything will help". And there was the amn that I commented on earlier with a sign that said something like "I could lie, but I really just need a beer". Is this type of "homelessness" becoming an occupation for some?
The Beer at the baseball was expensive at $8.25 for a pint, but in the shops it is incredibly cheap. I saw boxes of 24 Millers for $12.99. We call this a "slab" at home and the cheapest full strenghth slab would be $30-$35.
The Beer at the baseball was expensive at $8.25 for a pint, but in the shops it is incredibly cheap. I saw boxes of 24 Millers for $12.99. We call this a "slab" at home and the cheapest full strenghth slab would be $30-$35.
Jun 30th, 2010, 10:41 AM
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Our last full day in San Francisco is set to be another busy one. I have had to readjust my sights somewhat as I am starting to burn out Kerry and the boys, so we will downgrade the schedule a little to include only two major sights and then if we manage to accomplish anything else, I will treat it as a bonus. I know that I am a hard task master, but my zest for travel and desire to see as much as I can, is sometimes hard to control.
First stop is the California Academy of Sciences. This is included in our City Pass tickets and if you consider the $25 entry here, combined with the Alcatraz tour and all your public transport alone, you will get value out of the pass. The Academy building is in the Golden Gate Park, which, by the way, is not near the bridge. We drive there and are again surprised by how easy it is to manage the traffic at 9.30am on a working day. The park is about 15 minutes drive from the hotel and we encounter no traffic jams and very few, if any delays at all. The Park is huge. You could spend a few days just exploring all the attractions here and the gardens are serene and beautiful. Parking along a street near the Academy is easy to find and we are entering shortly before 10am.
It will be impossible to see all that this magnificent museum offers in our time frame so we will have to prioritize. There is a new exhibit called “Extreme Mammals” which is popular and you need to book a session time during peak periods, so we head there first. We are granted immediate entry and we all marvel at this incredible collection of fossils and displays of the most bizarre creatures, past and present. Even Kerry, who would normally rather have her toe nails pulled than visit a museum, is wowed by some of the exhibits. Next is the living rainforest ,contained in a glass dome that has 3 separate levels. We see Piranha, Anaconda and poisoness Frogs, as well as rainforest plants, whilst the most beautiful collection of tropical butterfly gracefully flap around you, some landing on hats and arms.
There is a Planetarium here as well, but this becomes a causality of our tight time frame and we next take the stairs down to the Aquarium. This is twice as interesting as the one at Pier 39, with lots of different marine animals that I have never seen before, and some stunning displays of corals in beautifully laid out tanks. Next it is the African section. This contains an exhibition of cutting edge taxidermist skills in stunningly presented display cases, but the star of the show and possibly the entire Museum, are the African Penguins. We are lucky enough to catch the Keeper presentation and then spend another 15 minutes just watching these entertaining animals interact with each other. They play games and fight and swim, virtually inches from your face due to the huge glass enclosure that contains them. There are many other rooms and sections that we pass through briefly and momentarily visit the Living Roof, before exiting at about 1pm. We need to be at the wharf by 3pm to catch our Alcatraz ferry and I need to get some sustenance into the boys or face a mutiny .
I have been wanting to drive down the crooked section of Lombard street and this presents me with the opportunity, as it is on the way back to Columbus. The boys find this to be a treat and wave to other travelers who line the street, video taping and taking photos of our descent. We park in North Beach and are once again foiled in our attempt to sample some Italian food here as Joel drags us in to a little place called ‘Bugermeister’. We are attended to here by an absolutely delightful young man named Sebastian who has several facial piercing and is wearing more eye shadow than the entire cast of “Next Top Model” in a photo shoot. I am struck by his genuine politeness and we build some rapport with him as his girlfriend is Australian. The burgers here are special. I would go as far to say that if you were to have one burger whilst you are in San Francisco, this is the place. I have the Kobe Philly Cheese Steak, Kerry has the Chicken version of the same, Joel chooses the Californian burger and Caleb goes with Chicken Strips. I don’t know what they do with their fries in this place but after 2 weeks of trying to avoid them, I am so glad that they accompanied my meal as they must be the best I have ever tasted.
We drop the car off and walk down Bay street which lands us right at the Alcatraz ferry landing. The queue to board is already long. What are these people doing standing in line 20 minutes early? They all have tickets, right? It must just be another American tradition. They are taking group photos of everyone as they pass a point in the queue. This is taken against a backdrop of Alcatraz. They sell these for $22 for a pair of 7” x 5”s which strikes me as a bit expensive for a photo of a photo, but many others are happy to pay this and are again prepare to line up for the privilege.
The boat trip takes under 15 minutes and as we disembark, we are briefed on some do’s and don’t’ s by one of the Rangers. Caleb also signs up for the Junior Ranger program, again, and is given his work book. We explore the grounds and then enter the main Cell Block. Here you are each issued with headphones and a MP3 player that contains an audio tour that is commentated by various residents of “The Rock”, on both sides of the law. This gives you a fascinating insight into the history of the prison as it guides you to different cells and give details of it’s occupants, as well as narrations of various breakout attempts.
The tour finishes about 30 minutes before our ferry departs, giving us seemingly plenty of time to explore the gift shop and stroll back to the dock. This is until Caleb informs us that he has several unanswered questions in his workbook that he will need to complete before he receives his Ranger badge. We run around to various locations on the Island to get the appropriate clues required to fill in his blanks, and get to the Ranger station with still about 5 minutes to spare. We assume this will be just a short formality, a signature then a ceremonial handing over of the badge. But this particular Ranger was taking his duty very seriously and he marked off every question, even though we were receiving a final boarding call. Fortunately, we had dotted all the I’s and crossed all the T’s and he received his badge and was sworn in, for a second time, just as they started to lift the gantry to signal the boats departure. We were the last to board, only seconds before it would have been too late and we would have been forced to wait an additional 40 minutes.
I suggested that we just take it easy tonight and go and watch Toy Story 3, but by the time that I had found out the session times, eyes were starting to close. I decided to order some take away from an Indian Restaurant right across the street, but when I returned, all movement had ceased and I had a solitary dinner whilst sipping on Californian Merlot, recounting the fabulous time that we have had in this Grand City by the Bay.
First stop is the California Academy of Sciences. This is included in our City Pass tickets and if you consider the $25 entry here, combined with the Alcatraz tour and all your public transport alone, you will get value out of the pass. The Academy building is in the Golden Gate Park, which, by the way, is not near the bridge. We drive there and are again surprised by how easy it is to manage the traffic at 9.30am on a working day. The park is about 15 minutes drive from the hotel and we encounter no traffic jams and very few, if any delays at all. The Park is huge. You could spend a few days just exploring all the attractions here and the gardens are serene and beautiful. Parking along a street near the Academy is easy to find and we are entering shortly before 10am.
It will be impossible to see all that this magnificent museum offers in our time frame so we will have to prioritize. There is a new exhibit called “Extreme Mammals” which is popular and you need to book a session time during peak periods, so we head there first. We are granted immediate entry and we all marvel at this incredible collection of fossils and displays of the most bizarre creatures, past and present. Even Kerry, who would normally rather have her toe nails pulled than visit a museum, is wowed by some of the exhibits. Next is the living rainforest ,contained in a glass dome that has 3 separate levels. We see Piranha, Anaconda and poisoness Frogs, as well as rainforest plants, whilst the most beautiful collection of tropical butterfly gracefully flap around you, some landing on hats and arms.
There is a Planetarium here as well, but this becomes a causality of our tight time frame and we next take the stairs down to the Aquarium. This is twice as interesting as the one at Pier 39, with lots of different marine animals that I have never seen before, and some stunning displays of corals in beautifully laid out tanks. Next it is the African section. This contains an exhibition of cutting edge taxidermist skills in stunningly presented display cases, but the star of the show and possibly the entire Museum, are the African Penguins. We are lucky enough to catch the Keeper presentation and then spend another 15 minutes just watching these entertaining animals interact with each other. They play games and fight and swim, virtually inches from your face due to the huge glass enclosure that contains them. There are many other rooms and sections that we pass through briefly and momentarily visit the Living Roof, before exiting at about 1pm. We need to be at the wharf by 3pm to catch our Alcatraz ferry and I need to get some sustenance into the boys or face a mutiny .
I have been wanting to drive down the crooked section of Lombard street and this presents me with the opportunity, as it is on the way back to Columbus. The boys find this to be a treat and wave to other travelers who line the street, video taping and taking photos of our descent. We park in North Beach and are once again foiled in our attempt to sample some Italian food here as Joel drags us in to a little place called ‘Bugermeister’. We are attended to here by an absolutely delightful young man named Sebastian who has several facial piercing and is wearing more eye shadow than the entire cast of “Next Top Model” in a photo shoot. I am struck by his genuine politeness and we build some rapport with him as his girlfriend is Australian. The burgers here are special. I would go as far to say that if you were to have one burger whilst you are in San Francisco, this is the place. I have the Kobe Philly Cheese Steak, Kerry has the Chicken version of the same, Joel chooses the Californian burger and Caleb goes with Chicken Strips. I don’t know what they do with their fries in this place but after 2 weeks of trying to avoid them, I am so glad that they accompanied my meal as they must be the best I have ever tasted.
We drop the car off and walk down Bay street which lands us right at the Alcatraz ferry landing. The queue to board is already long. What are these people doing standing in line 20 minutes early? They all have tickets, right? It must just be another American tradition. They are taking group photos of everyone as they pass a point in the queue. This is taken against a backdrop of Alcatraz. They sell these for $22 for a pair of 7” x 5”s which strikes me as a bit expensive for a photo of a photo, but many others are happy to pay this and are again prepare to line up for the privilege.
The boat trip takes under 15 minutes and as we disembark, we are briefed on some do’s and don’t’ s by one of the Rangers. Caleb also signs up for the Junior Ranger program, again, and is given his work book. We explore the grounds and then enter the main Cell Block. Here you are each issued with headphones and a MP3 player that contains an audio tour that is commentated by various residents of “The Rock”, on both sides of the law. This gives you a fascinating insight into the history of the prison as it guides you to different cells and give details of it’s occupants, as well as narrations of various breakout attempts.
The tour finishes about 30 minutes before our ferry departs, giving us seemingly plenty of time to explore the gift shop and stroll back to the dock. This is until Caleb informs us that he has several unanswered questions in his workbook that he will need to complete before he receives his Ranger badge. We run around to various locations on the Island to get the appropriate clues required to fill in his blanks, and get to the Ranger station with still about 5 minutes to spare. We assume this will be just a short formality, a signature then a ceremonial handing over of the badge. But this particular Ranger was taking his duty very seriously and he marked off every question, even though we were receiving a final boarding call. Fortunately, we had dotted all the I’s and crossed all the T’s and he received his badge and was sworn in, for a second time, just as they started to lift the gantry to signal the boats departure. We were the last to board, only seconds before it would have been too late and we would have been forced to wait an additional 40 minutes.
I suggested that we just take it easy tonight and go and watch Toy Story 3, but by the time that I had found out the session times, eyes were starting to close. I decided to order some take away from an Indian Restaurant right across the street, but when I returned, all movement had ceased and I had a solitary dinner whilst sipping on Californian Merlot, recounting the fabulous time that we have had in this Grand City by the Bay.
Jun 30th, 2010, 11:16 AM
#151
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you are the man, Shanek. great reports and thanks for taking us for your journey. i hope my wife and kids will be good sports like your clan when I take them on similar type of trip in a few years (hopefully to Australia 
Jun 30th, 2010, 11:41 AM
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TUESDAY JUNE 29TH
We awake to another absolutely stunning morning. I have not given enough credit to the beautiful sunny days that we have had since Sunday. Sure at times it had been cold, and the trip over to Alcatraz was bordering on frigid, but in the sun it has been very pleasant and it was even warm at the baseball 2 days ago. Don’t come to San Francisco in June without a warm coat, but be sure to pack some shorts and t-shirts as well.
Kerry and Caleb had missed out on riding over the Bridge on Saturday, and Joel and I had been trapped in a fog, so we all decided that we couldn’t leave without walking over this National Monument on such a clear sunny morning. We packed the car and departed at about 10am, drove to the North side of the Bridge and parked at Vista Point. It was great looking back at the City from here and we put on those warm coats and hats and had a really pleasant stroll on the walkway. The cycle traffic was sharing the same, bay side of the bridge on this occasion. It seems that they are only sent over to the Ocean side on weekends to cope with the additional traffic. There was a gateway that closed the other side to any type of entry.
We faced about a 3 ½ hour drive to Kings Beach at North Tahoe today, so whilst we were already on the North side, I suggested that we head down to Sausalito for Brunch. There were only a handful of people around, at 11am on a Tuesday, so parking and getting a nice table on the footpath facing the bay was easy to secure. This, along with our walk on the Bridge, was an ideal way to say goodbye and we all felt a sense of calm and fulfillment, which lead to a really pleasant drive to our next destination.
The drive to Sacramento, is not very scenic, but once you hit the mountains, the views open up and you pass by some very cute and quaint little towns. We manage the trip with only one quick pit stop and reach North Tahoe at about 3.30pm. Our first views of the lake are magical and breathtaking as we are again reminded of the diversity that exists in this stunning part of our planet.
The rest of the day consists pretty much of just checking in and acquainting ourselves with our new surroundings. We had totally nailed the location with our choice of lodging. I had picked Ferrari’s Crown Hotel as it appeared to be the only affordable option that offered absolute lakefront accommodation. The beach at the front is very pleasant and even the balcony in front of our room has stunning glimpses of the lake and the snow capped peaks that border the South bank. The rooms are old but very roomy, ours has 3 double beds, a separate bedroom, 2 tube TV’s and a small kitchenette.
Kerry and I go for a walk to pick up supplies whilst the boys make friends with 2 girls of a similar age and enter into a table tennis tournament with them. This is where we will commence the “vacation” part of our journey, no plans, just see what unfolds. We return with some snacks for dinner and have a quick and easy meal whilst watching the Dodgers play the Giants at AT&T, all pointing to the TV at the various sights that we had seen first hand only days before.
We awake to another absolutely stunning morning. I have not given enough credit to the beautiful sunny days that we have had since Sunday. Sure at times it had been cold, and the trip over to Alcatraz was bordering on frigid, but in the sun it has been very pleasant and it was even warm at the baseball 2 days ago. Don’t come to San Francisco in June without a warm coat, but be sure to pack some shorts and t-shirts as well.
Kerry and Caleb had missed out on riding over the Bridge on Saturday, and Joel and I had been trapped in a fog, so we all decided that we couldn’t leave without walking over this National Monument on such a clear sunny morning. We packed the car and departed at about 10am, drove to the North side of the Bridge and parked at Vista Point. It was great looking back at the City from here and we put on those warm coats and hats and had a really pleasant stroll on the walkway. The cycle traffic was sharing the same, bay side of the bridge on this occasion. It seems that they are only sent over to the Ocean side on weekends to cope with the additional traffic. There was a gateway that closed the other side to any type of entry.
We faced about a 3 ½ hour drive to Kings Beach at North Tahoe today, so whilst we were already on the North side, I suggested that we head down to Sausalito for Brunch. There were only a handful of people around, at 11am on a Tuesday, so parking and getting a nice table on the footpath facing the bay was easy to secure. This, along with our walk on the Bridge, was an ideal way to say goodbye and we all felt a sense of calm and fulfillment, which lead to a really pleasant drive to our next destination.
The drive to Sacramento, is not very scenic, but once you hit the mountains, the views open up and you pass by some very cute and quaint little towns. We manage the trip with only one quick pit stop and reach North Tahoe at about 3.30pm. Our first views of the lake are magical and breathtaking as we are again reminded of the diversity that exists in this stunning part of our planet.
The rest of the day consists pretty much of just checking in and acquainting ourselves with our new surroundings. We had totally nailed the location with our choice of lodging. I had picked Ferrari’s Crown Hotel as it appeared to be the only affordable option that offered absolute lakefront accommodation. The beach at the front is very pleasant and even the balcony in front of our room has stunning glimpses of the lake and the snow capped peaks that border the South bank. The rooms are old but very roomy, ours has 3 double beds, a separate bedroom, 2 tube TV’s and a small kitchenette.
Kerry and I go for a walk to pick up supplies whilst the boys make friends with 2 girls of a similar age and enter into a table tennis tournament with them. This is where we will commence the “vacation” part of our journey, no plans, just see what unfolds. We return with some snacks for dinner and have a quick and easy meal whilst watching the Dodgers play the Giants at AT&T, all pointing to the TV at the various sights that we had seen first hand only days before.
Jun 30th, 2010, 02:08 PM
#155
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YAY! I'm so glad you re-did the bridge so you could all see the view. You now have my permission to leave SF - if you have to. I know you already have left, but just want you to rest assured that you are no longer in violation of the rules due to having missed one of my must-sees. ;->
Enjoy Tahoe.
Enjoy Tahoe.
Jun 30th, 2010, 02:22 PM
#156
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This is great. Now you're close to my neck of the woods. I'm so glad you decided to stay on the north shore rather than the south shore of the lake. It is just so much prettier where you are. Looking forward to the rest.
Jun 30th, 2010, 02:30 PM
#157
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Oh, shanek, I don't want you to leave.
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me neither. I can't say I have ever become attached to a family via the internet. I want to squeeze Caleb. Joel must have the manners of a Saint. And Kerry sounds like the perfect match for Shanek. Who knew a visit to California from the Aussie family would be such a gift. No doubt, you have made everyone who reads your report want to visit Australia.
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me neither. I can't say I have ever become attached to a family via the internet. I want to squeeze Caleb. Joel must have the manners of a Saint. And Kerry sounds like the perfect match for Shanek. Who knew a visit to California from the Aussie family would be such a gift. No doubt, you have made everyone who reads your report want to visit Australia.
Jun 30th, 2010, 03:21 PM
#159
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I dont want to leave either guys. Luckily we still have a fortnight to go.
Thanks for the award. I think my head is starting to swell. If it gets any bigger I will start having trouble reaching the keyboard.
Loving North Tahoe, but more of that later.
Dont be fooled about the kids. They are on a time out and a table tennis ban at the momment for fighting, and not listening to Kerry.
If any of you guys do starting planning a trip to Oz, I will have to swing over to the Australia Forum to assist with your itinerary.
Thanks for the award. I think my head is starting to swell. If it gets any bigger I will start having trouble reaching the keyboard.
Loving North Tahoe, but more of that later.
Dont be fooled about the kids. They are on a time out and a table tennis ban at the momment for fighting, and not listening to Kerry.
If any of you guys do starting planning a trip to Oz, I will have to swing over to the Australia Forum to assist with your itinerary.
