Golden Gate Park

 One day, we went for a bike ride through Golden Gate park.  Everyone that we talked to liked to point out that it is bigger than Central Park.  It is a nice park, but I don't feel like we need to compete with whose park is better.  

They saved some buffalo when they were in danger of being extinct.  

There are two windmills in the park.  They also have a tulip garden, but we missed tulip season.  

The California state flower, California poppy

This is from the AIDS memorial garden

Redwood trees

Alcatraz

 We tried to get tickets to Alcatraz but they were sold out before we had even decided to travel to SF.  Julia called them to find out why we couldn't get tickets, and they told her to keep trying, even the day of. So we kept trying, but I had pretty much given up after a few days.  But then our second to last day, I was working from my bedroom, and she called out, "Can you go at 3:00 today?  There are 8 tickets that just became available."  So we got to go.  I didn't get very many good photos, but here's what I got.  

Here's Alcatraz island from the shore

To get to the prison, we had to walk up this hill...

Or take this little trolley.

There were lots of gardens around and people working in them.  

There were some buildings around because people used to live on the island when it was a military prison.  This was a building where they held dances for the residents of the island.  

I learned that in 1969, a group of American Indians occupied the island and there was an exhibit about it for the 50th anniversary.  You can read more about it here. 

There was also this restored truck that had been part of one of the movies that was filmed there.

Working from "home"

 I have been going into the office a few days a week, but pretty soon, we will have to go back in all the time.  So I decided to go to SF for a week and work from there, instead.  

Here's the Air bnb we rented for the week,

Julia got the better room, so I decided this would be my work space.  I set myself up on that desk and had my work calls in front of the beautiful windows.  

We thought we would do some cooking here, but we only made eggs for breakfast.  It was nice to be able to bring dinner leftovers home and reheat them the following day for lunch a few times.

The first day we rented these little "go cars" and drove through the city.  Believe it or not, we drove these little things on regular streets.  There was a GPS system in the car that gave us directions and pointed out sights in the city.  I would never have chosen to do this, but Julia said that it was the #1 thing to do, according to Trip Advisor so....

Lots of views of the bridge.  I don't remember being very impressed with the bridge the first time I went there 20 years ago, but this time, I was super impressed.  

Notice the "Painted Ladies" in the background of this picture. 

More to come...

Spring break, part 6

As usual, after visiting my parents, I made a stop in Denver to visit my sister and her cute family.  The first night, we went down to the park near their house.  

My first full day, we went for a short hike here.  My little nephew posed for me with the thumbs up sign.  When I commented, he quickly changed it to thumbs-down.  (Typical 5 year old behavior.)

Here I am wearing the same clothes I wore all vacation, apparently!

A little April snow

And of course, treats at the end of the day!

 

Spring break, part 5

 The next stop was Capitol Reef National Park.  

First we stopped at Gifford Homestead where they sell amazing pies and cinnamon rolls.  

After a breakfast of champions,  we hiked up to Cassidy Arch.  

View of Cassidy Arch from the trail

On top of Cassidy Arch.  Can you see me?

Then we drove to a different park of the park...   

and walked through the Narrows

After checking out of our hotel, we saw these Llamas in the parking lot.