California Memories

As I sit here in my dining room listening to the 35 mph, sub-zero winds rattling the windows, it's hard to believe that just 4 days ago I was hanging out in sunny California, but here are the pictures to prove it. Boy, am I glad I got the chance to enjoy a few days of warm, sunny weather in the middle of our lingering Minnesota winter.

Here's a picture from our lunch at Castagnola's fine restaurant in San Franciso where we met the West Coast bloggers: Mary C (Mary's Corner of the World) and Heidi (aka Red - MMATM). The fun thing about meeting fellow bloggers is that you already feel like you know them and there's not that awkward (for me anyway) "getting to know you" stage. We just all sat down and started yakking like we had known each other for ages (well, at least a year anyway!)

Back row: Brother Phil, Brother Dave, Me and Dave (Mary's spousal unit & Heidi's dad)

Front row: Mary and Heidi

After a delicious dinner, we headed down to Pier 39 to check out all of the usual San Francisco sights. It was a lovely Saturday afternoon and there were thousands of tourists also enjoying the day. (don't forget you can enlarge any of these pictures just by clicking on them)

Can't miss the sea lions -- what a life!

A larger container ship. I don't know if it was heading in to unload or out to sea, but I was amazed to see something like this. It was HUGE! And some of those containers were stacked 7 high. Wow!!

I'm sure you all recognize Alcatraz Island. I like the seagull on the left. :-)

Here's the TransAmerica Tower. If anyone knows what the building is right behind it, be sure to let me know in the comments. We never did find out.

Here's another view from the pier area. We drove in to the city on this bridge.

This was my third visit to San Francisco and I finally got the chance to walk around Chinatown. I didn't have my camera along, so here's a scene from nice postcard that I bought.

Someday I would like to have at least 4 days to spend in San Francisco. There are so many neat things to see and do. And I still haven't had the chance to ride a cable car, so there's another reason to go back.

Brother Phil had a birthday during our California visit, so we were able to celebrate with him when we got back from San Francisco on Saturday night. Here's Phil with his son Charlie. (We got back pretty late, so it was way past Charlie's bedtime, but he made it through the presents, cake and ice cream.)

Phil has a great yard with lots of different plants and trees. He had these beautiful camellias blooming at one end of his house. This was the red one (covered with blossoms and many more buds)

The pink camellia was also blooming. There weren't as many blossoms, but they were certainly just as beautiful.

There were daffodils blooming in the backyard.

He also has a pool and hot tub in the backyard. And how about those palm trees? That's certainly a backyard sight we'd never see here in Minnesota!

Sunset over the Tisdale Bypass

(of all the pictures I took on this trip, I think this one is my favorite! Aren't those colors amazing?)

Thanks again Phil for your hospitality and for driving us around to see all the birds and California tourist spots. It was a trip I'll never forget.