So here goes:
Before we had Violet Femme and Purple Homme for a visit, we explored the delights of Northern California for a long weekend. We really managed to cram a lot of adventures into 4 days. We started on a Thursday evening - late - flying in after a day of work. Thank goodness for Magie (our friendly GPS) as finding hotels late at night in a new city is never fun. Friday morning was an early start to beat the peak hour traffic - (although anyone who has driven in San Fran knows peak hour goes from about 6.30 am through until well after 9.00!) and
headed straight for Yosemite National Park. This was amazing!As you drive into the National Park, you are met with an enormous rock face known as El Capitan - one of the worlds largest monoliths. If you look really closely (don't bother, we didn't buy a 10 mega pixel camera 'til June 08) you can see a couple of groups of climbers - this rock is considered a climbing mecca.
We managed a couple of short walks in and around the National Park. Our favorite was up to a waterfall - that for the life of me I can't remember
the name - I think it was Bridalveil Falls. The down side of writing a blog nearly 12 months after the fact. It was pretty and for that reason - I have included photos! We climbed to the top of this water fall. At which time Swamp Boy required a bit of a nap....
Anyway - I did note above that we crammed a lot into a weekend! Next stop was a historic town, about half way between Yosmite and the Napa Valley - Jamestown. It was well worth the visit. This is an old railway town close that also claims to be close to the "Mother Load".I will admit when Swamp Boy booked us into an Inn here I was a little skeptical. But it was an absolute gem of a town and was well worth the stay (great food and coffee too!). Check it out if your in the area: http://www.jamestown-ca.com/
After the mandatory early morning coffee we headed for the Napa and Sonoma Valleys for a spot of wine tasting and also an opportunity for me to catch up with a friend from Australia - ERT and her now fiance. We were not disappointed and can't wait for our return to this area. Next time we'll be on bicycles as that definitely seemed to be the way to go. I will however have to have a practice on some hills before I get there as this here swamp land seems to be short on those!
Very Tuscan!
Of course we had to do a little tasting while we toured. We tried a couple of obscure local wineries as well as a couple of the big name brands. We found that with the big wineries their concept of wine tasting was not what we were used to. They would make you pay for starters, then they would pour you a dinner sized glass. Upon questioning this at a very large winery the bar tender stopped serving Swamp Boy. Heaven help designated drivers!
Next stop was the rugged coast line north of San Fran! Some parts of this drive felt like we were on the Great Ocean Road. Complete with valleys of eucalypts. We had to open all oft the windows just to enhale the aroma!
It was then down through Sausalito, across the Goldern Gate Bridge and into San Francsisco. As
it was Swamp Boy's first visit we managed to do some of the must do tourist activities - Goldern Gate Ferry tour, Fishermans Wharf, Chinatown rode a cable car and visited Lombard Street with it's 16 switchbacks. Another city that will definately require a return trip.
So much to see - too little time. But we made it, exhausted, content and on our way home!
1 comment:
"You guys do look like the trip was tons of fun. What a neat adventure. So now that you are moving to Texas, are you going to have new names?
Renee
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