Wednesday 23 September
... and we're off!...
Siobhan did her last bits of work stuff as we enjoyed bacon butties in the exec lounge - her colleagues then arranged for her to be cut off so that she couldn't access work emails!
So the holiday started as the phone call ended...
The Manchester to Atlanta flight was 8½ hours and then we transferred for a 5 hour flight to San Francisco. Beautiful clear skies and views! We sailed through the airports with no queues and arrived in a glorious sunset. What a welcome!
Bags were dumped and we set off for a short walk around. We thought that the G G bridge was lit up at night so we walked towards it but it was Bay Bridge which was so we had walked in completely the wrong direction - but a lovely walk anyway! We tried the local dish of chowder bread bowls (delicious!) and then managed a small beer before bed.
Thursday 24 September
We took the tourist bus to see the sights. Hot already at 9am. The weather forecast said 24 degrees but the temperature reached over 30 during the day. Unseasonably hot they tell us. We'd arrived in a heat wave!
Some beautiful buildings...
Forbes island - where Siobhan's dad had booked us a meal. Tiny little man made island now a restaurant. Almost within touching distance from the Pier but a boat trip is needed to reach it!
We had to try an ice cream and have a look at the seals on Pier 39...
Shopping at Fisherman's Wharf
Alcatraz - quite amazing. All the hustle and bustle around the island and a huge complex of cells in a building on top - and all the support facilities in little buildings all over. Whole families lived there!
Evening walk - towards the lights on Bay Bridge!
Friday 25 September
Pancakes for breakfast. I was peering into the machine to watch them - much to Siobhan's amusement - luckily she didn't have her camera to take a photo of me taking photos!
We ate them with sugar free syrup - not sure how that works but it made us feel a bit better!
We then got back on the tourist bus as far as the Golden Gate bridge then changed to a trolley to go to Sausalito.
We had a very relaxed walk around and did little more than eat or drink!
We took the trolley back from Susalito then we walked halfway across the Golden Gate bridge - very high, very busy with cars, bikes and pedestrians, very noisy and very hot!
Views through the morning mist
Over the bridge - again...
Back on the tour coach to go back into San Francisco centre - forgetting that it went over the bridge first - so we crossed it, or part crossed it three times in nearly as many hours!
And then the bus broke down on the motorway so we had to wait for the next one - standing at the roadside!
A quick change and we were off to catch the little boat out to Forbes island...
Several of the seals have moved onto a little jetty away from the main group and seem to repel all boarders! We had to pass them to get to the boat.
Cute but smelly!
Short little trip and we were there.
Fascinating place! Siobhan climbed up to the lighthouse ... and I stayed with my feet on the ground!
Fantastic meal in a wonderfully quirky place - big thank you Mr H (or Mr T!!)! xx
Stayed at: Holiday Inn, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
Saturday 26 September
My morning routine: up, throw clothes on, take the lift downstairs and bring back one coffee and one tea (coffee percolator in room is not good for tea!!) "Take the key" said Siobhan. I don't - so she has to get out of bed to let me in if she wants her cup of tea. Method in my madness!
Then up and off for breakfast.
We took the bus to Haight Ashbury - the hippy neighbourhood where it all began in SF in the sixties.
Full of all sorts of interesting shops and people - loads of ageing hippies!
We found the house where Jimi Hendrix lived briefly - there is some association with Janis Joplin and their pictures were painted on the walls at the sides to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the summer of love. But as the summer of love was 1967 they may be a little early!
And loads of colourful graffiti
Sunday 27 September
Time to pack, pick up the hire car and head to Monterey.
We left SF to the sounds on the radio of James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel and Cream - very appropriate...
As we were following the coast road we had to stop several times for photos. The scenery was stunning - and the low lying mist made it all seem slightly eerie.
The skies cleared from time to time but it was not as hot or bright as it has been - so it was perfect for driving.
We stopped at Pigeon Point light house where we saw some seals in the water - and a perfect 22° halo around the sun! Amazing!
Lots of pumpkins - another photo call..
And we laughed ourselves stupid when I misread Watsonville as What's On Ville.
Little things...
We booked into the hotel and went for a walk while our room was being sorted. It was quite overcast but humid and warm.
We found another Ghirardelli shop so we popped in to see if they were giving out free chocolate - and they were!!
After chilling out for a while we went out to look for the moon as there was to be a red supermoon and an eclipse - only seen once every 30 years or so I think.
The sky was cloud covered with no stars showing so we settled down on a little public balcony overlooking the sea to wait.
Some girls were sitting at the next table with pizza and wine so we found out where they'd ordered it from and did the same! We were then able to eat and drink as we waited...
Eventually the cloud cleared and Siobhan was able to take a picture of the partial eclipse. Brilliant shot!...
Just as well as it was only visible for a couple of minutes ad by the time Siobhan went to take a second shot it had nearly disappeared again behind the cloud.
Though it did reappear briefly later.
A spectacular day of sky watching!
Stayed at: Holiday Inn, Cannery Row, Monterey
Travelled: 125 miiles
Monday 28 September
Bit overcast today.
The breakfast station was just outside our door so we threw clothes on over our nighties, fetched breakfast and ate it in bed!
That was actually Siobhan's second attempt at dressing - the first time was back to front!!
We set off on the 17 mile scenic drive. After an hour we had travelled about 4 miles, stopped 3 times - and hadn't even reached the start of the route!
The sun came out a little bit very intermittently but we still got fantastic pictures - the photos really speak for themselves...
At one of our very first stops we saw what we thought was a pod of dolphins moving through the water. We shrieked and whooped - much to the amusement of a man nearby who said it was seals. We said we that we were still happy to see them so he remarked that it was nice to see that they had provoked such a reaction.
Then immediately after we DID see three dolphins cutting through the water and swimming with the seals. Cue more oohing and aahing...
My cairn..
Siobhan took some incredible photos..
More scenery...
We had planned a picnic in Garrapatta park but drove past the entrance - but that did mean that we saw a couple of amazing bridges and more wonderful scenery!
So we ate and then settled down to look at the cloudy sky with no real hopes of seeing a sunset.
And we watched the sea - and saw a dolphin leap out just below us. We both saw it at the same time and both jumped up in our seats and gave a sort of strangled gurgle as we couldn't speak for excitement! We watched it swim away diving up and down in the waves.
The waiter said that there had been a hump backed whale in the bay that morning and we looked and looked but he'd definitely gone.
Then this happened!...
It was beautiful!.. and I found some other settings on my camera...
We had the added entertainment of a wedding taking place on a little balcony at the side of us.
A Chinese couple were getting married. They took endless photos of every combination of themselves with their wedding guests. And then they spent over an hour getting photographed on the rocks by the bay. Then the sunset started to happen - and they went!! Strange.
Travelled: 68 miles
Stayed at: Holiday Inn, Cannery Row, Monterey
Tuesday 29 September
We were waiting for the Pier to open so that we could go on our whale watching trip so Siobhan decided to set up her selfie stick. She needs practice!..
But we finally got on the boat.
Whale watching in Monterey bay. Nearly an hour to get out into the bay (the photos make it seem much closer) but well worth it for such a spectacle.
About 30 whales in the area on both sides of the boat. Very special.
Great day!
And then a drive to Oakhurst - except that we went to Oakdale by mistake! Another 2½ hour drive got us to where we wanted to be so we arrived in the dark.
We cracked open a bottle of wine (luckily we had an emergency one with us) and sat on the balcony with cheese and biscuits. Not a bad end to another fabulous day!
... and we're off!...
Siobhan did her last bits of work stuff as we enjoyed bacon butties in the exec lounge - her colleagues then arranged for her to be cut off so that she couldn't access work emails!So the holiday started as the phone call ended...
The Manchester to Atlanta flight was 8½ hours and then we transferred for a 5 hour flight to San Francisco. Beautiful clear skies and views! We sailed through the airports with no queues and arrived in a glorious sunset. What a welcome!
Bags were dumped and we set off for a short walk around. We thought that the G G bridge was lit up at night so we walked towards it but it was Bay Bridge which was so we had walked in completely the wrong direction - but a lovely walk anyway! We tried the local dish of chowder bread bowls (delicious!) and then managed a small beer before bed.
Stayed at: Holiday Inn, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
We took the tourist bus to see the sights. Hot already at 9am. The weather forecast said 24 degrees but the temperature reached over 30 during the day. Unseasonably hot they tell us. We'd arrived in a heat wave!
Some beautiful buildings...
Forbes island - where Siobhan's dad had booked us a meal. Tiny little man made island now a restaurant. Almost within touching distance from the Pier but a boat trip is needed to reach it!
We had to try an ice cream and have a look at the seals on Pier 39...Shopping at Fisherman's Wharf
Alcatraz - quite amazing. All the hustle and bustle around the island and a huge complex of cells in a building on top - and all the support facilities in little buildings all over. Whole families lived there!
Views from the inside! Absolutely stunning - though the prisoners probably didn't appreciate them!
Evening walk - towards the lights on Bay Bridge!
Stayed at: Holiday Inn, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
Pancakes for breakfast. I was peering into the machine to watch them - much to Siobhan's amusement - luckily she didn't have her camera to take a photo of me taking photos!
We ate them with sugar free syrup - not sure how that works but it made us feel a bit better!
We then got back on the tourist bus as far as the Golden Gate bridge then changed to a trolley to go to Sausalito.
We had a very relaxed walk around and did little more than eat or drink!
We took the trolley back from Susalito then we walked halfway across the Golden Gate bridge - very high, very busy with cars, bikes and pedestrians, very noisy and very hot!
Views through the morning mist
Over the bridge - again...
Back on the tour coach to go back into San Francisco centre - forgetting that it went over the bridge first - so we crossed it, or part crossed it three times in nearly as many hours!And then the bus broke down on the motorway so we had to wait for the next one - standing at the roadside!
A quick change and we were off to catch the little boat out to Forbes island...
Several of the seals have moved onto a little jetty away from the main group and seem to repel all boarders! We had to pass them to get to the boat.Cute but smelly!
Short little trip and we were there.
Fantastic meal in a wonderfully quirky place - big thank you Mr H (or Mr T!!)! xx
Stayed at: Holiday Inn, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
Saturday 26 September
My morning routine: up, throw clothes on, take the lift downstairs and bring back one coffee and one tea (coffee percolator in room is not good for tea!!) "Take the key" said Siobhan. I don't - so she has to get out of bed to let me in if she wants her cup of tea. Method in my madness!
Then up and off for breakfast.
We took the bus to Haight Ashbury - the hippy neighbourhood where it all began in SF in the sixties.
Full of all sorts of interesting shops and people - loads of ageing hippies!
We found the house where Jimi Hendrix lived briefly - there is some association with Janis Joplin and their pictures were painted on the walls at the sides to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the summer of love. But as the summer of love was 1967 they may be a little early!
And loads of colourful graffiti
Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead images are everywhere - they are to SF what the Beatles are to Liverpool
We then went to Lombard Street - with its infamous bends.
We got off the bus a couple of blocks higher and walked down a steep hill towards it - 208 steps!
The cars were all parked at nearly 45 degrees!
Then we walked up the side of all the bends - I lost count of the number of steps as I kept stopping to take pictures but there were A LOT and we were going UP!
Then it was time for a steep walk down to the Buena Vista bar for an Irish coffee - we'd earned it.
We then popped into Ghirardelli Square around the corner - famous for its chocolate. As we walked into the main store we were given a chocolate... so we walked through, out and round again for another one. Very funny (well we thought so)
Then it was back to the hotel to find something long sleeved to wear to combat the brisk breeze which seems to get up later in the evening.
Then back out for a burger.
... and then back to Ghirardelli's for an ice cream sundae dessert.
And a quick walk down to the Pier to catch the sunset.
The sunsets have been magnificent as they seem to be on both sides of the sky at the same time. Then it all meets briefly and quickly fades - all within about 15 minutes - so you have to be quick.
Stayed at: Holiday Inn, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
Sunday 27 September
Time to pack, pick up the hire car and head to Monterey.
We left SF to the sounds on the radio of James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel and Cream - very appropriate...
As we were following the coast road we had to stop several times for photos. The scenery was stunning - and the low lying mist made it all seem slightly eerie.
The skies cleared from time to time but it was not as hot or bright as it has been - so it was perfect for driving.
And we laughed ourselves stupid when I misread Watsonville as What's On Ville.
Little things...
We booked into the hotel and went for a walk while our room was being sorted. It was quite overcast but humid and warm.
We found another Ghirardelli shop so we popped in to see if they were giving out free chocolate - and they were!!
After chilling out for a while we went out to look for the moon as there was to be a red supermoon and an eclipse - only seen once every 30 years or so I think.
The sky was cloud covered with no stars showing so we settled down on a little public balcony overlooking the sea to wait.
Some girls were sitting at the next table with pizza and wine so we found out where they'd ordered it from and did the same! We were then able to eat and drink as we waited...
Eventually the cloud cleared and Siobhan was able to take a picture of the partial eclipse. Brilliant shot!...
Just as well as it was only visible for a couple of minutes ad by the time Siobhan went to take a second shot it had nearly disappeared again behind the cloud.
Though it did reappear briefly later.
One of Barbara's shots and a great montage taken from Dallas which had more or less the same view as we did - but clearer skies.
Stayed at: Holiday Inn, Cannery Row, Monterey
Travelled: 125 miiles
Monday 28 September
Bit overcast today.
The breakfast station was just outside our door so we threw clothes on over our nighties, fetched breakfast and ate it in bed!
That was actually Siobhan's second attempt at dressing - the first time was back to front!!
We set off on the 17 mile scenic drive. After an hour we had travelled about 4 miles, stopped 3 times - and hadn't even reached the start of the route!
The sun came out a little bit very intermittently but we still got fantastic pictures - the photos really speak for themselves...
Then immediately after we DID see three dolphins cutting through the water and swimming with the seals. Cue more oohing and aahing...
Siobhan took some incredible photos..
More scenery...
We found a little restaurant just outside the park and thought we might go to look at the view and have a drink. The picnic was soon forgotten as we looked at the menu...
So we ate and then settled down to look at the cloudy sky with no real hopes of seeing a sunset.
And we watched the sea - and saw a dolphin leap out just below us. We both saw it at the same time and both jumped up in our seats and gave a sort of strangled gurgle as we couldn't speak for excitement! We watched it swim away diving up and down in the waves.
The waiter said that there had been a hump backed whale in the bay that morning and we looked and looked but he'd definitely gone.
Then this happened!...
It was beautiful!.. and I found some other settings on my camera...A Chinese couple were getting married. They took endless photos of every combination of themselves with their wedding guests. And then they spent over an hour getting photographed on the rocks by the bay. Then the sunset started to happen - and they went!! Strange.
Travelled: 68 miles
Stayed at: Holiday Inn, Cannery Row, Monterey
Tuesday 29 September
We were waiting for the Pier to open so that we could go on our whale watching trip so Siobhan decided to set up her selfie stick. She needs practice!..
Whale watching in Monterey bay. Nearly an hour to get out into the bay (the photos make it seem much closer) but well worth it for such a spectacle.
About 30 whales in the area on both sides of the boat. Very special.
And then a drive to Oakhurst - except that we went to Oakdale by mistake! Another 2½ hour drive got us to where we wanted to be so we arrived in the dark.We cracked open a bottle of wine (luckily we had an emergency one with us) and sat on the balcony with cheese and biscuits. Not a bad end to another fabulous day!
This was the sign on the wall outside...
Travelled: 254 miles
Travelled: 254 miles
Stayed at: Narrow Gauge Inn, Oakhurst
Looking amazing so far! Go Team Wendy & Siobhan: Keep the adventure rolling. XX
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