A highlight of the trip was meeting up with my cousin Daryl and wife Lorraine for dinner. We had a great dinner and it was really nice to be able to catch up with them.
The weather was classic San Fran -- cool and foggy, as you can see by this shot of the Golden Gate bridge. But it cleared up enough for us to enjoy some time in Golden Gate park. The Japanese Garden is a nice quiet spot to relax. We rented a paddleboat and got some great views of the wildlife -- ducks, turtles, and this night heron.
While Rochelle was attending her conference meetings, I had a chance to check out the Palace of Fine Arts. Built for the 1915 Pan-Pacific Exhibition, it stands alone today, a somewhat eerie (if you go on a quiet day) reminder of the past. I also had a chance to get out of the city and see some more wildlife, like these harbor seals hanging out on the beach.
After the conference, we headed south and stayed in Paso Robles. Although I got sick during this part of the trip, we managed to hit a few of the area's wineries. And we spent a morning at the Hearst Castle, touring the gardens, guest houses and wine cellar. Here are shots of the indoor and outdoor pools, where guests from Henry Ford to Clark Gable lounged in the extravagant surroundings.
Our last stop was Pacific Grove, which sits right next to Monterey. By this time, I was really under the weather, but we still managed to hit the wharf and see some of the local residents, like this sea otter and pelican.
San Fran still remains one of our favorite places to visit ... such a mix of great sights, outstanding restaurants, and wonderful wildlife. Pretty close to heaven, indeed!
PS -- Daryl, I hope I included enough bird pics for you (inside joke)!
Title quote by English author Ashleigh Brilliant
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