The San Francisco Treat

The idea of going to SFC appealed to me because I like to travel, I had read a little of the guide book and knew about the Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Street and that it was the birth place of Lee jeans. But really that was the extent of my knowledge of the place. I intended to be very dependent on Susie and Sarah for tour guiding. We all know what happens to the best laid plans...

We picked Sus up at the airport in Las Vegas and headed west for 9 hours. It turned out not to be a long trip as we all had lots to talk about, naps to take, Harry Potter on CD and music galore. It was by far one of the best road trips ever and I have been on quite a few. After settling into the Hostel (quite a deal by the way) we found some food and decided to call it a night after the long car ride. Sarah and I were sharing what was comparable to a twin and a half bed (I like to think the same size as beds at Shrute Farms!) so I noticed when she half rolled on me to get up around 3 and was sick. Very sick. She was still sick the next day so Susie and braved the big city on our own.

We had a good time, took a tour of Boudin's sourdough bread company, who knew sourdough bread can really only be made in SFC? I didn't. Or that Cosmopolitans and popsicles originated there! There is so much history in the city, it was incredible. We also saw Pier 39 which is famous for sea lions. Susie said we were going to see sea lions. I was not sure exactly what to expect but by golly there were hundreds of them, loud and stinky and adorable! They moved into the pier after the earthquake and never left, now it is a huge tourist attraction.

Monday we visited Alcatraz for an incredible tour and lots of souveniers for my kids. Sarah was feeling better so she got to go on the tour too but she got sick again in the afternoon so it was back to bed while Sus and trekked all over Union district. I know we all see the hills on TV but let me just tell you, they are not enhanced for dramatic effect, they are amazing and incredibly difficult to walk up!

Tuesday Sarah was feeling more like her old self so we took her to the Exploratorium, a hands on science museum and across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was very cold so we did not walk it like we had planned. I think we got the better end of the deal judging by the way the bikers and walkers look. I was the designated driver with Sarah out of commission so I drove us down Lombard Street and I parallel parked on one of those crazy hills, no small feat for me. Just the parallel parking is challenge most of the time :-)

Wednesday we loaded Sarah up with motion sickness medicine, and headed back to Vegas early in the morning. That evening we checked into the luxurious Bellagion Hotel and Casino for two nights of fun for Sarah's 30th birthday. We started the fun immediately and never stopped. We shopped, ate, drank, danced and celebrated the big day in style!

Friday morning, Sus caught her flight home and we headed out, stopping in Lake Havaseu to see the London Bridge before making the last leg of the trip home.

On our shopping excursion I bought a Macbook so I can say goodbye to the desktop that drives me crazy and only half works. So now I am a Mac and Sarah is a PC, we want to do a commercial!

All too soon we had to return to our regular lives, but it is never boring!