Two week trip on the West Coast
 

This trip was like a family reunion for us. We are a couple living in India in our early 50's, with our kids in the USA. Daughter is working on the West Coast in San Jose, and son was graduating in Chemical Engineering from University of Delaware. We decided to attend our son's graduation in Newark,DE and for us to then fly down to California (with our son), to spend a few weeks holidaying with our daughter. The four of us were going to be together after 4 long years, and we were quite excited.

Thursday, May 27th :
We took an early morning Lufthansa flight from Mumbai, reaching Frankfurt at 8am local time. After a long and boring layover of 6 hours at Frankfurt airport, we boarded our onward Lufthansa flight to Philadelphia. Had comfortable seats on both flights, and reached Philadelphia at 4:30pm local time. Our son was there to meet us at the airport. We rented a car from Hertz, and drove to Newark,DE. We were tired and jet-lagged. So we just stopped at a food court in a shopping mall, had some quick dinner, went to our hotel at Homestead Studio Suites and crashed out.

Friday, May 28th :
Got up very early, due to the jet lag. Our son drove over at 8:15am and picked us up. We went to Main Street, which is a very nice "touristy" university town street, lined with restaurants. Stopped at Newark Bagels & Deli for a wonderful breakfast of bagels and omelets. Then visited the house where our son had been living for the last two years. Thereafter we visited some members of his department faculty and staff whom we knew personally. Lunched again on Main Street at Iron Hill Brewery, one of our favorites from an earlier trip. Feasted on Pizzas, Hummus and excellent Smoked Porter beer.

Later in the afternoon we went shopping at some nearby malls. Then packed some takeaway food, got dropped at our hotel, and our son departed to finish his packing and winding up.

Saturday, May 29th :
Got up early again. This was our son's graduation day. He arrived before 7am to pick us up. We first stopped at an old fashioned diner on Main Street for breakfast (lovely waffles !), and then proceeded to the University Stadium for the morning ceremonies. It was wonderful seeing our son in his gown and graduation cap. It was a nice function, well conducted, and crisp. Nice weather, and we had a good time.

The morning function was over by 11 am. Again went to Main Street and had coffee at a popular cafe called Brew-haha . Then joined some faculty member friends of the university for lunch at a nice place which was away from the main campus. Had veg-wraps, ravioli, and various assorted stuff, and bid good-bye to our friends.

There was another round of ceremonies in the afternoon, at the basketball stadium, confined to graduates of the School of Engineering. Again a well conducted function. Met with a lot of the close friends of our son, and some more faculty members. Finally, it was all over. We had a special dinner with our son at "Gelato's", a nice Italian restaurant on Main Street. Then returned to the hotel. Our son finished his packing, and joined us. We tasted some wonderful beer that our son had been brewing the last few weeks privately ! Finally, went to bed late, getting up very early thereafter, as we had an early morning flight to catch for San Francisco.

Sunday, May 30th :
Our real vacation started today, for California, Las Vegas and Grand Canyon. We had a very early morning flight at 6am from Philadelphia to San Francisco. So we reached the airport early by 4:30am, returned the rental car, and boarded our flight. It was a long flight, and we got some much needed rest. Reached SFO at 8:30am local time, and met with our daughter who was there at the airport to receive us. Finally the entire family was together after 4 long years !

We drove down to San Jose in her car, and reached her apartment. We inspected every nook and corner of her apartment, had some breakfast at home, and then left for Monterey via Highway 1 by about 11:30am. It was Memorial Day weekend, and I had always wanted to do the lovely drive on Highway 1 with the whole family. There was heavy traffic owing to the Memorial Day holidays, and we finally reached Monterey at about 2pm.

Went straight to Alvarado Street for lunch. It is a nice restaurant street, with loads of eateries on both sides of the street. We stopped at a Mexican place called "Papa Chano's" and had a good Taco meal. Then went to our hotel, which was the Monterey Plaza Spa & Hotel, on Cannery Row. Turned out to be an excellent place. Superb views and location. They told us that our rooms would be ready only by 4pm. So we dumped our luggage, and left for a visit to the Aquarium.

We had to walk through Cannery Row to reach the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was a touristy street, but nice and lively. Lots of colorful shops everywhere. Quite a happening place. Finally, we entered the Aquarium at about 3:45pm. The long holiday weekend had brought with it loads of people, and the Aquarium was rather crowded. We liked the "kelp forest" section, and found the section on Jellyfishes to be the best. I think it is a recent addition to the Aquarium, and it has been done up very well, with the lovely deep blue backgrounds to every exhibit. The large schools of fish swimming together against that blue background was absolutely mesmerizing.

After about 90 minutes in the Aquarium, we left and walked back on Cannery Row, stopping for coffee somewhere. Then returned to our hotel and went to our assigned rooms. The rooms were fabulous - large suites, very spacious and comfortable. We rested for a while, and left the hotel again by 6:30pm.

We drove to Pacific Grove. It took us a while to locate the entrance point to the 17-mile Drive, which we entered at about 7pm. The hotel concierge had recommended a visit between 7pm - 8pm, as according to him, pre-sunset times were the best. Surprisingly, there were very few people at that time on the 17-mile Drive. We did the complete loop, stopping at all the designated points. The Lone Cypress and the Bird Rock were outstanding. Nice rugged coast line, and a very enjoyable drive.

We exited the 17-mile Drive at 8:30pm, and drove to Fisherman's Wharf of Monterey. Walked briefly around the wharf and Marina area. Did not locate a suitable restaurant. We were tired from the early morning flight, and decided to dine at our hotel.

We returned to the Monterey Plaza hotel, and dined at the Schooner Bistro. Lovely restaurant. Had French Onion Soup, Shrimp Tostadas and Mashed Potatoes with Red Wine. Excellent dinner, and some well deserved sleep after 11 pm.

You have captured my attention indiancouple. I can tell this is going to be a fabulous read. Very well written and 'feeling' the reunion of family. I'll be back for more. :)

What a wonderful idea for a trip! I'll look forward to reading the rest.

Lee Ann

Can't wait to read more. It must be so great for your family to be all together again after 4 years.

Looking forward to reading more!

Thanks SOCALOC, ElendilPickle, paula1470 and Toucan2 for the accolades. Will post more installments soon.

Monday, May 31st:
We got up late, and were well rested after a good night's sleep. Had coffee in the room. We checked out of the hotel by 9 am, after loading our luggage in the car. Went back to Alvarado Street for breakfast. We selected the Old Monterey Cafe, which had been highly recommended in our LP guidebook. It turned out to be an extremely busy and popular place. Had an excellent breakfast of Spanish Spicy Omelet with jalapenos, Waffles and coffee.

After breakfast, we drove off to Carmel-by-the sea, reaching there at 10:30 am. We had a leisurely stroll all over Ocean Avenue, which was a very pleasant activity. Lovely feel to this quaint old town. Entered the Carmel Plaza and went through all the cute little shops there. Finally, we departed by 11:30 am.

Next stop was the Pt Lobos State Park, which had been so highly recommended by so many Fodorites. It certainly lived up to its hype. We chose the walking trail to the Sea Lion Point, and walked further on to the Devil's Cauldron. Lots of sea lions basking on the rocks. Excellent weather : cloudy, cool, and no fog (which typically ruins the coastline in May/June). We were lucky to have very clear views, and we loved it.

We continued driving south on Highway 1, stopping for views near the Bigsby bridge (which was a lovely sight). We were tempted to stop ever so often, but we were short on time. We reached the famed "Nepenthe" restaurant at about 2:15pm, where we planned on having lunch. It was an excellent place, far exceeding our expectations. The views from there are to die for ! We had a round of drinks at the bar, but the wait for a restaurant table was too long. So we went downstairs to their Cafe Kevah, where the lines were much shorter, and had lunch of Cheese Quesadillas, fries, and beer. We were ready to move by 4 pm.

We continued driving south on Highway 1 till the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We took the short walking trail to the McWay Falls overlook, the waterfall which falls directly into the Pacific Ocean. It is a short walk, and the views are very rewarding. The vista of the waterfall with the nearby lagoon are very pretty.

From here we started retracing our journey, moving north on Highway 1. A few miles, and we were at Pfeiffer Beach. It is very difficult to find the unmarked exit which leads to this beach. A Fodorite has posted a very detailed description on this board on how to locate this beach, and were it not for his directions, I don't think we would have ever found it. Apparently there are some celebrities living there, who do not like crowds coming in, and they keep removing the signposts that point to the beach ! Anyway, the beach was worth the effort to locate it. Lovely views, excellent rock formations, and the strange purple sand. Very pretty.

At about 6pm, we decided to head back to San Jose. We had planned on visiting the Santa Clara boardwalk on the way, but decided to skip it. There was very heavy traffic going back, and we reached home by 8:30 pm. We had a quick dinner in the house itself, did our laundry, and crashed out in bed.

I hope there's more!

Tuesday, June 1st:
SAN FRANCISCO :
Today and the next two days, we had planned on making day-trips to San Francisco. Our daughter had to go back to work, so it would only be my DW and my son accompanying me everyday. We would of course continue to meet our daughter every evening, as we were staying with her.

We were up before 7 am, had breakfast at home, and left shortly after 8 am. Our daughter dropped us at the Caltrain station, from where we boarded the Caltrain to Millbrae, and changed to the Bart line to Powell St in SFO. We were at our destination by 10:30 am, and the first thing we did was to buy 3-day MUNI passes for the three of us. Excellent value for money.

We first walked over to Union Square, saw the Dewey Monument, and had a round of coffee. Then went inside the Neiman Marcus store and strolled all over. DW got stuck at the cosmetics section, had her face all done up, and bought a load of stuff. Then on to do window shopping in the lovely Maiden's Lane nearby.

We boarded a cable car on Powell St, and rode it to California St, where we got down and took another cable car going east, all the way to the Ferry building. The sight of the Ferry building itself was wonderful, and it was full of excellent eateries. Lovely views of the Bay Bridge and the bay from there. We selected a Mexican restaurant called "Mijito" for lunch, where the cooking was top-notch. Had an excellent meal of Tacos, Quesadillas and Nachos.

We walked through the Embarcadero Center, into the Financial district. Walked past the lovely Transamerica pyramid, the Bank of America building, and went into the Wells Fargo museum, which was quite interesting.

Then we made our way to Chinatown. We started off on Grant Avenue, but diverted ourselves to Waverly Place, and then on to the colorful Ross Lane with very colorful buildings. We walked to Portsmouth Square, where we rested our feet. Lots of Chinese people there, playing cards everywhere. Children playing around, and Chinese ladies walking around with well groomed dogs. Interesting place to people watch.

Then we strolled over to a vegetarian Chinese restaurant called "Lucky Creations". Had Chinese tea, with fried Taro Rolls and Pot Stickers. The "Pot Stickers" were simply divine in taste !

Then we went on a tea-tasting spree, and indulged in a lot of free tea-tasting at various outlets. Ended up buying a lot of flavored Chinese tea. Also had some passionfruit flavored "Bubble Tea" which was a great experience.

We strolled back the length of Grant Avenue, window shopping everywhere. Then we exited Chinatown, walked back to Powell St, and rode a cable car back to the Bart station. We rested awhile there, and rode the Bart to Orinda. We were to dine with a childhood friend of mine, who lived in Orinda. He picked us up from the Bart station, and we had a wonderful meal at his house, which was on top of a hill with fabulous views. We rode the Bart back from Orinda to Fremont, where our daughter was waiting to pick us up, and drive back to San Jose.

Jean, there is a lot more to come ! Glad you are enjoying it, as I am enjoying writing it. However, it will come in installments over the next few days, as I do have to report to work to make a living !

Indiancouple, I am also enjoying your trip report. It is so nice that you are together with your children after 4 years. Will look forward to upcoming posts.

Thanks for reporting on your trip!! I remember when you were planning it and asking for input. It sounds like you had a great time!!

Looking forward to more!

MY

(Apparently there are some celebrities living there, who do not like crowds coming in, and they keep removing the signposts that point to the beach ! )

Indiancouple- it isn't just celebrities who are territorial over CA. 'public' beaches. :)


(Then went inside the Neiman Marcus store and strolled all over. DW got stuck at the cosmetics section, had her face all done up, and bought a load of stuff.)

Darling! I love this

Wonderful read and a fine way to start my day. Thanks Indiancouple!

Thanks Cali, MichelleY and SOCALOC. Cali, we did meet with our kids every now and then, but never managed to meet them together during the last 4 years. This is why this trip was special.
MichelleY, I always get my trip inputs from this forum, and it never fails.

Wednesday, June 2nd:
SAN FRANCISCO :
Got up a little later than usual, again had breakfast at "home", and caught the Caltrain. This time we did not change to the Bart at Millbrae, but rode the Caltrain all the way to SFO. The Caltrain station in SFO is a bit away from downtown, but we easily got a bus going to downtown.

There were long lines at the cable-car station at the Powell St terminus. We had to wait almost 40 minutes before we boarded one. Got down at the crooked portion of Lombard Street. This was a sight we had seen a thousand times on TV, but it still did not fail to delight. Very nice buildings on both sides of the crooked street, and the entire crooked street was beautifully done up with flower beds. Walked up and down the entire length, and found it much better than what I had imagined.

From there, we continued walking all the way to Fisherman's Wharf. First went to Pier 33, to book our Alcatraz tickets. To our dismay, they were all sold out for the day. Walked back to Pier 39 and bought tickets for the Blue & Gold Fleet's "Escape from Rocks" boat cruise. It was a 90 minute cruise starting later in the day (at 3:15 pm).

This gave us enough time to stroll through Fisherman's Wharf. We sat down for lunch at a French crepes restaurant. Absolutely delicious.

Took a bus to Coit Tower nearby, and took the elevator to the top. It was a clear day, and we were rewarded with excellent views of SFO in all directions. Only the Golden Gate bridge was shrouded in fog.

We took the bus back to Fisherman's Wharf, and just managed to board our cruise. As the boat left Pier 39, we could see hordes of sea lions basking on the wooden decks. Then we went under the GG bridge, but alas it was still fogged out. Even from close quarters, hardly anything of the bridge was visible. The boat then took a full circle around Alcatraz island, which was lovely. Nice 90 min cruise, and we were back at Pier 39.

We strolled some more near the relaxing sea lions, and then wandered to Norman's to have a taste of the famed Mitchell's ice-cream. This was followed by a stroll through Ghirardelli Square.

On the return journey, we took the historic "F" tram all the way to the Bart station. Then the Bart all the way to Fremont, where our daughter was again waiting at the train station. We all went to "Sarvana Bhavan" for dinner, a famous south-Indian restaurant in the Bay Area. Had excellent Rasam, and Chilli Onion Masala Dosa. Yum ! Then back to home and into bed.

Thursday, June 3rd:
SAN FRANCISCO :
Our son decided that he would stay home for the day, as he had a lot of stuff to dispose off through emails etc. So today it was to be just DW and myself, on our last day trip to San Francisco. Once again we had breakfast at home, got off at the Caltrain station, and rode it all the way to SFO.

We boarded a bus which took us all the way to the Golden Gate bridge. DW was game for walking right across the bridge to the other end. This is exactly what we did, and it was an enjoyable walk. Too bad the bridge was again shrouded in dense fog. It was about a 35 minute walk one way. Would have been great if the fog had lifted and if we had better views. We then had to walk all the way back, by which time we were quite tired. Had some snacks and rested awhile.

We then took a bus to the Golden Gate Park, and walked to the Japanese Tea Garden, which was absolutely delightful. We then walked on nearby Haight Street, till we spotted a good Mexican restaurant called "El Balaza". Good food. Great burritos.

We boarded a bus to the Bart station, and rode the Bart to Berkeley. I had gone to graduate school at Stanford some 30 years ago, and wound up at Berkeley on many a weekend, and had fond memories of this campus. We walked on Center Avenue and Oxford to enter the UC campus. Strolled around the campus a bit, and exited through Sproul Plaza, and Sather Gate on to Telegraph Street.

Telegraph Street was still colorful, but much subdued from the time I knew it 30 years ago. In those days you had guys roaming around selling you property on the moon, and people doing wonderfully weird things everywhere. Now it was much more mellow, although I did get invited by a young lady to sit down on the pavement and play chess with her (provided I fed her a cup of coffee !!). I was tempted, but passed on the offer. DW shopped for some earrings on the pavement shops. Then we walked over to Shattuck, which also brought back old memories. Located a bar I used to frequent called "Spats", but it was closed as it was still early evening.

Finally, our legs totally tired, we took the Bart back to Fremont. Our daughter again drove us home. Tonight we dined at home itself and went to bed. We had an early flight to catch the next day for Las Vegas.

Friday, June 4th :
LAS VEGAS :
Today we were embarking on a 4 day adventure to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. We were scheduled to start the trip on a Friday, and end it on Monday night. We had hoped that our daughter will be able to take Friday and Monday off from her work and accompany us. Unfortunately, something important came up, and she had to back out. This was disappointing.

Again, we had breakfast at home, and our daughter dropped us off at San Jose airport. We boarded a 9:25 am flight to Las Vegas, landing there at 10:45 am. The flight was full of very noisy passengers, who behaved as if they were already in a casino !

There was a very long line at LV airport for a taxi, but the line moved fairly quickly, and in less than 30 minutes we were on a cab, headed to the MGM Grand where we were booked. Again, long lines for check-in, but once we were through, we got our rooms immediately (did not have to wait until the afternoon ). It was a nice spacious room on the 15th floor, although it did not have a view of the Strip. That did not bother us, as we did not plan on spending much time in the room.

We went out almost immediately, and walked on the Strip towards Bally's. Although one knew what to expect, the actual sight of the huge hotels on either side of the Strip was awesome. And so many more beautiful structures still coming up ! Anyway, we reached Bally's, and took their free shuttle bus going to Rio hotel. We had heard good things about the World Carnival Buffet at Rio on this forum, and that is where we were headed.

We had our first experience of a Las Vegas buffet that afternoon. The spread was simply amazing, and the food was absolutely fantastic ! Our son was really enjoying Las Vegas; we could see the twinkle in his eye all through the morning, and specially at the buffet. We had a king's feast, accompanied by wonderful Mojitos. Ate too much. Could not understand how some people were opting for the All Day Eating Pass, and were staying in the restaurant all day just eating !!

We took the shuttle bus back to Bally's, and went across to Caesar's Palace. Had a long stroll through the Forum Shops. We were totally awed by the ambiance created inside. As we walked all over Caesar's Palace, we also located a Hertz car rental office, and booked a rental car for our Sunday journey to Grand Canyon.

After Caesar's Palace, we selected the neighboring Bellagio for our next afternoon stroll. We had made bookings for the Cirque "O" show for the next day, and had to pick up our tickets also. This was speedily done, and we spent time at the wonderful lobby, with its blown glass flowers and insects. Gorgeous, but somehow I preferred the Caesar's Palace atmosphere.

After exiting Bellagio, we slowly ambled back to our hotel, the MGM Grand. On the way we found a camera shop, which had the very camera that I had been looking for during the past week. I had set my eyes on buying a Canon SLR, and had selected the T2i model, but none of the camera shops in Delaware or San Jose or SFO seemed to have it in stock. Apparently it had become very popular, and Canon could not meet the demand. I was so happy to find it in Las Vegas. Although the prices were a little higher, I still went for it.

We rested in our hotel room for a few hours, as our feet really needed it. We did stop by at the Lion Habitat on our way in, which was so-so as the lions appeared bored and sleepy. When we decided to go out again, we took the 24 hour bus pass, and boarded the bus to downtown Las Vegas, near Fremont Street. We had planned on spending the evening at Fremont Street, and we loved the place at first sight. This was the Las Vegas that I had been to over 30 years ago. The neon lights, the glitzy Golden Nugget, Binion Horseshoe, etc all came back to memory.

We walked up and down Fremont Street, soaking in the atmosphere, the neon lights and the sights of vintage Las Vegas. There was electricity in the air ! Lots of live performances going on at every nook and corner, and open-air bars dispensing drinks everywhere. Had a great Margarita, and gambled for a while in the Golden Nugget. On the hour at 10 pm, the Fremont Street Experience show started. It only lasted a few minutes, but it was simply awesome. We all loved it.

We dined at some fast food place, downing some great pizzas and nachos, and slowly headed back. Took the bus and got off at Treasure Island. We were in time to watch their last "open air free show" of the day at 11:30 pm. The theatrics that went on were quite enjoyable, all the way to the sinking of a ship ! Then we moved with the crowd, which moved on and halted in front of the Mirage hotel. Their last volcano show took place at midnight, and we were just in time for that too. Must say that the volcanoes did not tickle our fancy as much as the Treasure Island show.

Finally, we boarded a bus back to our hotel. The traffic was extremely heavy, although it was well past midnight, and the bus virtually crawled all the way. Roads completely choked with traffic. Reached the hotel well after 1 am and retired to bed. It had been a very enjoyable day.

I love reading your reports. You all do lots of walking which I think is great. Must have very comfortable shoes!! I am enjoying your descriptions of how things have changed since you last saw them 30 years ago. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Thanks paula, glad some people are enjoying reading this.

You are right about our penchant for walking. I think it is the best way to get a feel for a foreign country. You have to jostle with the crowds, watch people at close quarters, to really enjoy and appreciate a foreign land. And we love doing that.

This was my first trip to California and Las Vegas since 1980, and things have really changed in Las Vegas, though not much in SFO. It was a nostalgic trip for me, and the first for DW and our son.

Saturday, June 5th:
LAS VEGAS :
Woke up late at about 10 am (why would one want to wake up early in Las Vegas ??), and slowly got ready. Left the hotel by 11:30 am.

It was Saturday, and all hotels had lined up their Champagne Buffet Brunches. Had heard good things about the Spice Market Buffet Brunch at Planet Hollywood hotel, and that is where we headed. Boarded a bus outside our hotel (our 24 hr pass was still valid), and alighted at the Planet Hollywood hotel. There was a very very long line to enter the buffet, but we braved it.

The buffet spread was excellent, perhaps even better than the previous day's buffet at Rio. Champagne was great, and the food quality and variety was excellent, but the desserts were perhaps not as good as the selection at Rio's World Carnival Buffet.

We waddled out by 2 pm, and took a bus down to the Venetian Hotel. Walked all along the Grand Canal shops, the lobby, the gondolas etc. Very very pretty hotel. Great ambiance. And there was an accordion player in the foyer. The moment he saw us, he burst into singing some old Indian songs, which was delightful !

We had done our quota of walking the previous day, and were determined to ride the bus everywhere. Took a bus to one end of the strip to the Luxor hotel, which looked pretty unique on the outside. Went in, and managed to sneak a ride in the "inclinator" - the elevators which go up at an incline along the walls of the pyramid shaped dome. However, we could not feel the inclined path as we went up or down, so gave it up.

We returned to the MGM Grand by 5pm, and again rested awhile in our room. At 6:30pm, we left for Paris Las Vegas. We had made dinner reservations at the Mon Ami Gabi, a highly recommended restaurant on this forum. We reached much before our dinner time, and decided to indulge in another round of gambling. DW concentrated on the slot machines, and I tried my expertise at the Roulette tables. We both won, and evened out our gambling losses of the previous day !

We sat down for dinner at Mon Ami Gabi at about 8:15pm, being rewarded with excellent seats next to the windows, overlooking the Bellagio fountains.The tequila Smash was superb, as was the food that followed : Market vegetable platter, Lemon Chicken etc. Very well cooked, and subtly flavored. And superb views of the fountains.

After dinner we walked across to the Bellagio, as we had show tickets for the "O" show at 10 pm. Went straight to the "O" theater, and discovered that the seats that we had selected online were in fact one of the best. Balcony seats, first row, right in the center. Excellent viewing. As for the show itself, I don't think I can describe its beauty in words. One of the greatest spectacle that I have ever seen. Our expectations were very high, and the experience far exceeded our expectations. The choreography, the sets, the sheer range of things that were happening on stage at any given instant were jaw-dropping. Highly highly recommend the show to anyone who has not seen it.

We exited the theater at about 11:45 pm. Stopped outside the Bellagio to see the fountain display for one last time. Then slowly walked back to our hotel, stopping at shops to pick up some souvenirs. As with the previous night, it was well past 1 am when we hit the bed.

Las Vegas had been outstanding as an experience, something that we will cherish for a long long time.

(I had gone to graduate school at Stanford some 30 years ago)

So did my DH. I finally went several years ago with DH and couldn't get over how beautiful that campus is. I'm jealous!


(Too bad the bridge was again shrouded in dense fog. It was about a 35 minute walk one way. Would have been great if the fog had lifted and if we had better views.)

It wouldn't have been an 'authentic' visit to SF without fog. :)

(Las Vegas had been outstanding as an experience, something that we will cherish for a long long time.)

I hope the 'electricity' stays with you forever.

Fabulous report indiancouple! I can't help but smile when I read it.

<<<So did my DH. I finally went several years ago with DH and couldn't get over how beautiful that campus is. I'm jealous! >>>

My son went to Stanford as an undergrad. Described by some as "one giant Taco Bell". :-)

(My son went to Stanford as an undergrad. Described by some as "one giant Taco Bell". :-))

What's that saying? 'the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder'
If that's Taco Bell, I went to skid row. LOL

Good to know that many posters here also have a Stanford connection. I agree that the campus is outrageously beautiful. Wonder who dared call it "one giant Taco Bell" ? Must have been someone who played football for UC Berkeley, and lost out to the Stanford team in his senior year !

Report of my nostalgic visit to the Stanford campus coming up soon.

SOCALOC, fog may well be an authentic part of the GG bridge, but when you spend 2 days in such close proximity (one day riding a boat which goes under the bridge, and another day walking over the bridge in both directions), I thought we earned the right to at least see what the entire bridge looked like ! Apparently not. It was on our last day in California, when we were returning from Napa, and driving over the bridge, that we finally got a full view !

It was on our last day in California, when we were returning from Napa, and driving over the bridge, that we finally got a full view !
__________________________________________________ ___________
PERFECT! don't you think?

One more thing I'm jealous of. We had the delightful pleasure of attending an Indian wedding in Fremont. WOW! What a celebration and event that was. Come to think of it- that was same time we toured Stanford. Note to self: the jealous trip. :)

Sunday, June 6th:
GRAND CANYON :
Thus far all the places that we had covered on this trip, were places that I had visited earlier, albeit 30 years ago. Every place was a first for DW and our son. However, I had never been to the Grand Canyon before, and I was as excited as them about the next 2 days.

We got up at our Las Vegas hotel by 8 am today, and checked out by 9:30 am. Took a cab to Caesars Palace, where we picked up our rental car from Hertz. Had requested for a Toyota Corolla, and that is what we got, although the flaming red color that we received was a tad loud. Anyway, we were on our way by 10:30 am, stopping for breakfast on the way.

As we neared the Hoover Dam, the traffic slowed to a crawl and there was a long pile-up of cars ahead. Security check of each vehicle at the Dam and ongoing road construction were jointly responsible. Took a full 45 minutes to navigate through the blockade.

We took several rest stops enroute, including a lunch break, and finally reached the Grand Canyon National Park at around 5 pm. The lady at the park entrance smilingly informed us that park entry was free that day (never found out the reason for the free entry), which was welcome. We had reservations at the Bright Angel Lodge inside the Park, where we went, checked in, and dumped our luggage in the rooms.

We immediately took the Park shuttle bus to "Mohave Point", and got our first glimpse of the canyon. It was my first day out with my newly acquired SLR camera, and I went berserk with the shutter button. The canyon views were simply awesome, and it was a really clear day. Next we took a return bus to "Powell Point", where the picture clicking continued.

From Powell Point we walked to the nearby "Hopi Point", which is a popular place in the park to view the sunset. We were there at 7:15pm, a full 30 minutes before sunset, but found a huge crowd there. Anyway, the sunset views did not disappoint, and we lingered on for another 15 minutes post-sunset, as the lighting and the views kept changing constantly. Finally boarded the bus back to the hotel.

Could see that our son was getting slightly bored. He is more of a "big city" man than a nature lover. He was in his element in SFO and Las Vegas, but his interest waned at Big Sur and now at Grand Canyon. The only thing that perked him up was a mention from me that we planned to take a helicopter ride the next day over the canyon - that fired him up !

We walked over to the El Tovar to have dinner. Their restaurant was nice, and we had excellent Chardonnay wine, with Portobello Stuffed Mushrooms, Penne pasta and some mouth-watering Creme Brulee (excellent stuff !!).

As we walked back to our hotel, we ran into some large elks which had wandered there. We did walk around the rim for a while in the night, seeing the abundant stars in the sky. Retired to bed by 10:30 pm.

SOCALOC, I think we would have still preferred to have a clear view of the GG bridge when we walked over it. We could not stop anywhere when we drove on it, which was too bad.

The funny thing about the GG bridge was the number of telephones all over the bridge, entreating people to not jump off but call the helpline number ! How many people jump off every year ?

As for the Indian wedding, there is no need for you to be jealous of it. Your DH and you can arrange to get married again (to each other I mean !) the Indian way ! Then you will have two anniversaries each year to celebrate. More diamonds as gifts !!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_...ridge#Suicides

According to this article, it's the most popular place to commit suicide in the entire world.

Interesting article sf7307; didn't know that. Strange and eerie fact about the bridge.

We immediately took the Park shuttle bus to "Mohave Point", and got our first glimpse of the canyon. It was my first day out with my newly acquired SLR camera, and I went berserk with the shutter button. The canyon views were simply awesome, and it was a really clear day. Next we took a return bus to "Powell Point", where the picture clicking continued.
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Your dose of enthusiasm is felt. FUN!
And I love the take on your son. Yes- youth craves man made stimulation. :)
As for SF, when I visit - if the sun is out, I feel like I hit the lotto!
And WHY didn't I think of having an Indian wedding for myself?

Socaloc, please do keep the encouragement going, so that I keep mustering the patience to continue and complete this TR !

Monday, June 7th:
GRAND CANYON :
We had set our alarm at 3:30 am, as we wanted to view the sunrise at the canyon. We managed to get up, and leave the hotel by 4am in our car. The plan was to drive to the Visitor's Center, and then take a Shuttle Bus for Yaki Point for sunrise viewing.

Alas the signposts inside the park were not the best, and very soon we were totally lost. We drove around in circles, not being able to find our way to the Visitor's Center. Even a Ranger that we met only ended up confusing us even more. Precious time was lost, and by the time we reached the Visitor Center, it was already 4:30am. We discovered that the next bus to Yaki Point would be after the sunrise !

We opted to watch sunrise from Mather Point, which is supposed to be the next best vantage point, and was within walking distance of the Visitor Center. Surprisingly, there were very few people at the Mather Point overlook at that hour, and the views there were quite spectacular. There is that piece of rock which juts out from a cliff, and there were one or two people who had dared to make their way there, and were waiting, fully prepared with their tripods and gear ! That surely required a lot of courage, and just looking at them made us dizzy.

As the lighting improved, the views changed dramatically, the most beautiful part occurring 15-20 minutes before sunrise. Must have clicked at least a 100 photographs in the interim. Well worth the trouble of getting up so early.

After sunrise, we proceeded on a drive on the Desert View trail, stopping first at Grandview Point. The vistas here were totally different, and perhaps the most dramatic in the entire South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Final stop was at Desertview Point, which was also very rewarding. Then the long drive back, making it to Bright Angel Lodge by 7:30 am.

We got ready, had a quick breakfast at the Bright Angel lodge, and checked out by 8:45 am. We had telephoned and made bookings at Papillon helicopters for 9:30 am for an aerial view of the canyon. Our son was very excited, and we quickly drove to the GC airport. We first had to watch a safety video, and then we were led to the helicopter. Once strapped inside, we were airborne. The next 30 minutes was an experience of a lifetime, which I will not even attempt to describe. The views of the canyon from the top were simply out of the world. I was smiling all through the journey, as I could not believe what I was experiencing.

Once back on terra firma, we started our long drive back to Las Vegas. Stopped for snacks once or twice, and for lunch at a Pizza hut. Made good time, as there was hardly any traffic. Even managed a brief stopover at Hoover Dam on the way. After the Grand Canyon, everything else was anti-climactic. We reached Las Vegas airport by 5 pm, and returned the rental car. Then boarded our 6:50pm flight to San Jose.

Our daughter had also flown out of San Jose in the morning on work, and had reached back to San Jose airport a short while before us. We met up with her at the airport, and drove back to her home. A quiet dinner at home, and off to bed.

What an incredible adventure! From beginning to end.
Loads of laughter as I read your 'journey' to capture the sunrise.
HOW did you get ready, eat breakfast AND check-out in 1 hour and fifteen minutes? :)


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The next 30 minutes was an experience of a lifetime, which I will not even attempt to describe. The views of the canyon from the top were simply out of the world. I was smiling all through the journey, as I could not believe what I was experiencing.
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I have never done this indiancouple. So happy for you! Oh, you described it very well. This definitely sounds like a 'bucket list' experience.


I find it so generous for others to take the time and share these fabulous journeys.

Thank you! Will return.

Wonderful report...it is fun to read how others enjoy the places I love too. I'm gonna have to try that helicoptor ride someday!

Socaloc, you will rank as the most encouraging reader I have ever encountered, for the numerous Trip Reports that I have posted here. I almost look forward to reading your next comment. Many thanks.

Thanks peterboy, and yes the helicopter ride over the canyon is definitely something that everyone should try when they go there. It is a very magical experience.

Tuesday, June 8th:
STANFORD UNIVERSITY :
Today was scheduled as a relatively relaxed day, with only a visit down memory lane planned - to Stanford University, where I had attended grad school in the late 1970's. It had been over 30 years since I had visited that campus, and I was very excited. DW and my son had heard so much about the place from me all these years, that they all looked forward to it to.

Had planned on renting a car for the next 4 days, as we had a Yosemite trip coming up too. Daughter had taken the trouble of doing the formalities with Enterprise in advance. We all woke up late, and had a leisurely breakfast at home. Called up Enterprise, and they sent someone to pick us up at about 10:45am. Completed the paperwork at their office, and we were off. We did not get our requested Corolla, but instead got a KIA Spectra. Had not heard of this car, but it behaved very well over the next few days.

We drove off to Palo Alto, which was not far from San Jose, but the traffic on the freeways in the Bay Area took me by surprise. By now I had just barely become comfortable in driving on the "right" side of the road (we call it the wrong side of the road in India !), and I was a bit unnerved in the dense and very fast moving Bay Area traffic.

There are many ways to enter Stanford University, but my personal favorite has always been the Palm Drive. I used to always find the sight of entering the university campus from there quite spectacular, and I was determined to introduce Stanford to my family in that fashion. So I ignored the Stanford exit on the freeway, and took another exit which landed me on University Avenue in Palo Alto (which later becomes Palm Drive as you enter the campus). The drive down University Avenue itself is quite pleasant, with loads of hip restaurants in one section, and ritzy houses all over. A very far cry from the sleepy Palo Alto I knew of the 70's ! And as University Avenue came to an end, we went below an underpass, and emerged on Palm Drive.

It is really a very pretty drive, with identical sized palm trees lining both sides, lovely buildings in the background behind the trees, and the magnificent Memorial Church straight ahead. I used to ride a bicycle down this street 30 years ago; it was the first time I was driving a car here. Must say the bicycle ride was always better, as you could enjoy the sights for much longer !

We luckily found parking near the Visitor's Center, and I emptied a load of quarters into the parking machine, enough to last me the entire day. We briefly entered the Visitor Center to pick up some maps, as I was sure I would have some difficulty recognizing some portions of the campus. The Visitor Center itself did not exist during my days here, neither did the plush Alumni Center across the road, where we went next. Then on to the Graduate School of Business, which was of particular interest to my son (as he hopes to do an MBA sometime in the future).

The first major "sightseeing" spot was the Memorial Church. It had looked very pretty 30 years ago, and it looked even prettier now. Manicured lawns all around, and beautiful sculptures in the lawns. The sights of the university campus in all directions are particularly attractive from the church, and the inside of the church is as gorgeous.

We then slowly made our way towards the heart of the campus, headed to the Tressidor Union Cafeteria, where we planned to have lunch. The tall Hoover Building kept coming into view all the time, and it looked majestic. The academic session was about to get over in another 2-3 days, and the cafeteria was packed, which was nice as it seemed full of life. Had a nice lunch (wow this cafeteria has really grown !).

After lunch we strolled over to the Old Union building nearby. I had forgotten how pretty it was. DW kept commenting that the campus feels like a luxury resort and not a university ! Clicked loads of pictures at the Old Union and the Bookstore across. By far the most attractive portion of the campus.

Then we walked over to the International Center, which had been my surrogate home during my student days here. I had difficulty locating the International House, as so many buildings had come up near it. But once I found it, I was overwhelmed with nostalgia. It looked exactly the same. On so many evenings I would just land up at this place, sit around the library, gossip with international students from across the globe.....and here I was again. During my student days here, every Sunday there would be an international dinner, cooked by students of a particular country by rotation. I had twice been part of teams that had cooked Indian dinners here. I just had to go into the kitchen and dining hall to have one last look.

Continued our stroll around campus, passing by the Law School, Meyer library, the lovely stone-structured Quads, and over to the Chemical Engineering building, where I had spent my days. I must confess that as I entered the gazebo where our classes had been held, I was misty-eyed. There was a very helpful lady who was in an administrative position who ventured forth to help us, and when she realized that I was an alumnus, she took me down memory lane by showing me old photographs of professors and feeding me with up to date news about the department.

Some more strolling through the newly constructed Engineering Quads, and then a final stopover at the Bookstore to purchase memorabilia. I must say I went completely berserk shopping that day, as I just had to buy one of everything ! I could not say if I would ever visit this campus again, and I wanted my complete fill this time. Then we walked back to our car, and drove once around the campus on the circular Campus Drive, stopping briefly at Mirielees Apartments (where I had lived) for photo ops. Then back on to the freeway and return to San Jose. I apologize to the readers of this Trip Report for being too detailed and sentimental in this portion of the report, but that is how the emotions went.

Our daughter had come home early from work that day, and was waiting for us. We relaxed for a while, and then drove with her all the way back to Palo Alto, to have dinner on University Avenue. Incidentally, forgot to mention, she had made it clear before the start of the trip that she was going to pick up the tab at all restaurants whenever she was with us ! I had resisted, but she had held firm. Not only had she hosted all the meals we had together in this trip, she had even insisted on paying for our Monterey hotel rooms earlier. Must say it is a great experience to be "taken care" of by one's kids. I had quite enjoyed the feeling all through.

We selected a Mediterranean restaurant, and had a lovely meal of Falafel, Hummus, Baba Gnouche etc. Walked around University Ave a bit, and drove back home. Hit the bed by midnight.

"stopping briefly at Mirielees Apartments (where I had lived)"

Guess what - my son live in Mirielees too! (I think when he was a sophomore)

sf7307, it is indeed a small world !

(DW kept commenting that the campus feels like a luxury resort and not a university ! )

That is exactly how I felt!
I read this to DH. He thoroughly enjoyed it. And would have done Palm Drive too. We also went berserk shopping. Even bought the pup a dog collar.


(I must confess that as I entered the gazebo where our classes had been held, I was misty-eyed.)

(I apologize to the readers of this Trip Report for being too detailed and sentimental in this portion of the report, but that is how the emotions went.)


Are you kidding? That's what being ALIVE is! I feel alive just reading it. Here's another thing I'm jealous of - DH and your writing skills. Must be a Stanford thing. :)

And such a lovely daughter you have.

Fabulous read again!