We made plans to fly out on Wednesday afternoon. Unfortunately, due to severe rain and wind in California, our flight had to be delayed by a few hours. However, I was reminded that being stuck at an airport isn't too bad. When we ultimately arrived in San Francisco, we gathered our bags and wits and took a taxi to the hotel. Our taxi driver was insane. Caroline consoled me with wise words of comfort: "just pet your purse, Meggy". Thanks, C! I guess lamb skin has the potential for curing passenger anxiety ;) Our hotel was 2 blocks from Fisherman's Warf - one of my favorite piers to explore in San Francisco. Caroline and I quickly learned that Fisherman's Warf in the winter is considerably different than Fisherman's Warf in the summer. After grabbing a bite to eat on the deserted boardwalk, Caroline nearly stepped on someone's hand. We looked down and realized we were strolling the normally crowded street now completely occupied by homeless men and women making their beds for the night. With a look of determination (and a little apprehension) we rushed back to the comfort of our hotel.
Each morning, Caroline and I savored in a delightful Denny's breakfast and each meal was delicious in my belly. We spent Thursday exploring the shops and restaurants surrounding Fisherman's Warf. We were greeted by the welcoming committee of "San Francisco Birds Inc." and learned pigeons are not afraid of close proximity to humans.
Birds will swarm when presented with food. This we witnessed all in about 3 seconds
I think birds are dirty creatures. If you're willing to eat something out of a garbage can, I just can't take you seriously anymore...
Thursday afternoon, we took a boat ride to Sausalito. Sausalito is a unique, modest town, right off the water. While known for it's wealthy home owners, I loved the simplicity. Besides the houses spotting the large hills, there was only 1 main road, lined with art galleries, boutiques and restaurants. One of the two art galleries we explored housed an oil painting depicting the "Tree of Life". It stopped both Caroline and I in our tracks. It was breathtaking.
It was a tad chilly on the boat ride. Well worth the wind chill though :)
For all us left handed folks out there
Trish's Mini Donut's are my favorite (and only) doughnut's I will eat. They are so delicious!
Friday was our designated shopping day. Our first stop was Union Square. I had never been to Union Square before, but it was fun to explore. I had my first experience with Saks Fifth Avenue and I must say, I will dream of some of the shoes there, though, I will have to work a couple extra jobs in order to even dream of purchasing them. We went to a seven-story Macy's and I insisted on writing a letter to Santa Clause. I still believe that Christmas wishes come true.
After Union Square, we walked to Chinatown. Caroline wanted to sift through a couple stores and I was reminded of my last adventure to San Francisco with Melina and her friend, Seth. They both appreciated Chinatown as much as Caroline did. As the day was nearing its in, our feet began to hurt and our hands were filled with shopping bags. We hailed a cab and rode back to the hotel. For dinner, we went to Boudins, my favorite restaurant in San Francisco. They are known for, in my opinion, the best sourdough bread. Mom, it only made me a tiny bit sick. Well worth it though :) I ordered a steak, garlic potatoes and asparagus. Moment of silence for my meal please...
On Saturday, we rented a car and drove to a stunning lookout point, capturing a breathtaking view of the Golden Gate Bridge, the water and the city. On our drive over, we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and I turned on the Full House theme song. I think Caroline is still mad at me, but I hold NO REGRETS! The lookout point was gorgeous and we were lucky enough to have the fog lift for a few moments of optimum picture taking. Caroline gave me a brief history lesson as we walked up to some World War II bunkers on the main hills overlooking the port.
In the afternoon, we drove to the Muir Woods. Exploring the woods was one of my favorite activities on our vacation...everyone, try to hold your gasps of shock. I had never heard of the Muir Woods prior to the trip, but they were alluring to me. The woods are a quiet place; a sound I had forgotten about. Being surrounded by green foliage and soft creeks reminded me of my childhood in Oregon and I felt close to Heavenly Father. I relished in the moments I could spend away from the hussle-and-bussle of "real life" - no cell phone service, no stressing about work, no to-do lists. We brought lunches with us for the walk. We ate next to a secluded creek and enjoyed the sounds of nature over Lunchables and Peanut Butter M&M's. What more could you ask for?
You really can never be too careful when posing in front of trees. Doing a little "once-over" before turning my back...
Because we had a car, we wanted to utilize our transportation as much as possible. Therefore, after the Muir Woods, we went for a drive through Sonoma and Napa Valley to take a peek at the unique vineyards. I am continually astonished with Heavenly Father's creativity. He has designed such a beautiful world for His children to live in.
The last big thing we did in San Francisco was meander through Ghirardelli Square. I have a love for Ghirardelli Square, as it's where many fond memories were created on my AP Art History trip with my fellow classmates my senior year of High School. I will never forget each of our expressions when we walked in and smelled the scent of warm chocolate.
I'm grateful I could get away and spend time in the lively city of San Francisco with my dear friend, Caroline. I'm grateful that despite our differences, we can and are still valuable to one another. Thanks for giving us a good trip, San Fran! I can't wait for next time.
Loves!
No comments:
Post a Comment