So, M&D agreed to babysit. What's next? Deciding where to go! We tossed back and forth the idea of going to Reno. It's not too far, and there are sights, shows, and lots to do besides throw your money away. We decided, almost at the last minute, that it wasn't worth it. Even with a cheap hotel room and one free dinner, going to Reno would still be pretty expensive. What's closer, cheaper, and doesn't run on schedules?
We decided on San Francisco. I was a little reluctant at first, not knowing where to go or what to do. I didn't even know what area to stay in to be close to the kinds of things we wanted to do. Then I got an idea. I know someone who knows San Francisco. My cousin and her fiance' live there. I figured that they would know where to stay, and help narrow down our to-do and to-see list.
So I first talked to Val just to ask about things to do and where to stay. Being just a few days in advance, the hotel rooms were all much more expensive than the cheap room we could have had in Reno. Val and Buzz had a talk and offered us their guest room. They had some plans for the weekend, but they would offer us advice, driving directions, and a place to stay. So, with plans made, what's left? Laundry and packing!
Friday afternoon the boys were dropped off with clothes, books, and a pile of other stuff that they decided they needed for a whole weekend. E and I got out the door and on the road.
We hit some traffic, and things with Maggie (my Magellan GPS) got a little bit tricky. . . but we got there! After a quick welcome tour and freshening up, we were ready for dinner. We decided to go to a popular local spot. Dinner was on us in exchange for the place to stay, so we took their word on where to go. If either of them ever tell you where to eat dinner, you should listen! Wow. It wasn't a quick bite to eat, but it was great!
The next morning, the plan was to get up and get going early. We didn't quite make it. We got up, showered and dressed, but the idea of breakfast at another great place was too good to pass up. Especially since it would put us exactly where we wanted to be for our first plan of the day. Breakfast was just outside of the Presido. . . So after we were done, that's where we went. We explored the old base, some of the buildings and learned a little about its history. I could have stayed all day. . . but we had somewhere to be. We bought tickets to the Walt Disney Family Museum. It is located on the Presidio, which is why our brunch location was so perfect. E and I both wanted to see and explore the history and artifacts that the museum held. One downside is the "no pictures" rule. And Val had some advice for me . . . to watch the time. It really was easy to get lost in the exhibits! Lots to see, read, watch, and do. We spent much more time inside the exhibits than we meant to, but I think we both could have stayed longer.
We finally left, and . . . got lost! Doesn't everyone? We ended up down by Fisherman's Wharf. We walked a little bit, but I was *cold* out there! It was cloudy, it was windy, and it was cold! E was wearing short sleeves and didn't seem to care, but I couldn't handle it. I saw a sign and ducked in to a shop. I bought a gray fleece jacket. I know, I know. . . what a tourist. But I felt much better!
We walked around, considered renting bikes, and talked about taking a ferry ride. Instead of all that, we took a self-guided tour of the USS Pampanito. It is a WWII-era submarine that is moored and open for tours. You can't see everything, but we saw a lot . . .including the radio room! Usually that is closed, but they were just finishing a test of all of the equipment. It was very small and cramped. Some of the equipment, and the style of the equipment looked familiar, but obviously way out of date. It was exciting getting to see that, and the rest of the sub. We saw equipment, berths, the tiny galley and mess area. I thought it was pretty awesome, though I would much prefer an aircraft carrier over that tiny sub! After the sub, we walked over to Pier 39, but weren't too excited. There were SO many people it was hard to walk. We were getting hungry, but didn't want anything that the pier had to offer. We also wanted to get away from the crowd! We ended up at a diner for dinner. Full, warm, and tired, it was time to go. We had a frightening (and hilarious) encounter with the "bush man" on the way, but eventually made it to the car.
We drove over the golden gate and stopped at a lookout. After taking pictures, it was time to get out of the wind and get going. Time to head back. Before getting back to the house, we stopped at the Cliff House. I had never heard of it before hearing stories from Buzz. We first tried to look at what used to be the baths, but it was getting dark. I didn't think it would be safe to walk all the way down. I wanted to see the Cliff House, though. We looked over the cliffs, took some pictures, and headed inside. We got a table and read about the history of the Cliff House and the baths. After a delicious slice of dessert, it was time to get back to the house. I'd been cold most of the day and I was ready to relax.
We recapped our day for Val and Buzz, and yes, relaxed. E and I also decided to head out early in the morning, so it was definitely time for sleep!
In the morning, we got up and started driving. We had breakfast at a great little spot in Sausalito. The last time I had been to Sausalito, I went by boat. It lost something by car. After breakfast, we started driving north. It was supposed to be a scenic route. Most of it was. Beautiful. We drove around the cliffs, stopped at a beach, and made it to Point Reyes. Well, sort of. We went to the visitor's center. Once we found out that the lighthouse was 45 minutes out, though, we had to decide that we didn't have an hour and a half to spare. We headed towards home. But . . . what would a scenic route be without a detour? Yes, we got lost. Sort of.
Finally, we made it home - to Mom and Dad's. Stories were told about the weekend . . . and at last we got on our way. It was important not to be too late getting home. The next day was the first day of my externship.
So, here's a photo recap of our weekend. . .
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| The Golden Gate Bridge, in the fog . . . walking along a beach just below the Presidio after breakfast. |
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| Me, coming through a hatch on the USS Pampanito. Back then, they really were knee-knockers. I think it was easier for me to get through the hatch than anyone else I saw! |
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| The hatch wasn't so easy for E! Some things just aren't made for tall people! |
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| Alcatraz, across the bay from the pier. |
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| The lone sailor, at the lookout point that we stopped at. |
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| An aircraft carrier with a plane taking off. There was a bronze sculpture like this for each of the services who go to sea. Wish I had taken a clearer picture of the plaque that told the story. Basically, passing this lookout point is the last place where a sailor can still look back as they go out to sea. . . it sounded better on the plaque, but that's pretty close. |
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| Finally! We got someone to take pictures of me and E. None of them turned out really well, but this was the best. And what's behind us? Gray. Fog. In July! Yeah, yeah. That's San Francisco. At least I didn't have to take the dreaded self-portrait holding the camera out in front of us! |
