San Diego to San Fransisco

Jacqui & "Greg Metavoy from NYPD"
Waiters & waitresses on counter singing YMCA
Paul & Vicki
Lacy balconys & trees in Montreal
The beautiful Hotel del Coronado


Took train to San Juan where Bob, Sandy & Rachael met me, (my youngest daughter Shannon had stayed with them on a student exchange program), & we went to their lovely home in San Clemente. It was a great joy to meet them so long after Shannon had been there. I was only there for a short time but we managed to do & see lots of things, like seeing Rodeo drive, the Beverly Wiltshire Hotel etc., scenes from "Pretty Woman". While having lunch at Eddie Debrevets Diner I noticed one of the actors from NYPD, we talked a bit & had photo taken. Saw some local sights, and at Fashion Island Mall, Rachael got me a Bloomingdale's bear, he is beautiful & goes with all the other bears I aquired along the way.

It was then off to Costa Mesa to stay with Ron's sister Cheri & her husband & two delightful children. Had a great time with them too, Cheri & I going to Laguna Beach, and somehow we missed the tornado that was reported in the news that evening.
Great pizza for lunch & I found a Teddy bear supply place, where I was able to get enough supplies to finish a couple of bears.

Next it was on to San Fransisco, Bob (from San Clemente) had put me in contact with an old school friend of his who met me off the train, what wonderful people the Lord kept leading me too. I spent 4 super days with the Strong's, Kevin & Sharon, Sharon sadly passed away in January this year, just as they were getting ready to retire. San Fransisco is so lovely & easy to get around. Kevin is an architect, so he was able to send me to see some beautiful buildings. First day I went on the train under the bay, caught trolleys, went to Fisherman's wharf, ferry around the bay, Alcatraz, under the Golden Gate bridge, shopped & finished the day with a great meal with Kevin & Sharon.

We drove up to Coit Tower so that I could see across the bay to the bridges & the city set out below, what a glorious sight. Of course no trip to SF would be complete without a trip down Lombardi Street, I walked right down , up the hill to Coit tower & then on down again along a brick path that led past these lovely homes clinging to the side of the hill & finally down to Fisherman's wharf.

Saw The Palm Court Hotel, photo following, it is so elegant, the Embacardo Centre, with it's buildings like books on a shelf, & of course the well known "painted ladies", the gorgeous bow fronted houses that we know from movies etc. Just loved the architecture of SF. Saturday Kevin took me to Cal State, his old college, their mascot is a bear so I had to have one of those. We drove around the Haight Ashbury district, the Presido, walked over the Golden Gate & lots of other great places.

For lunch we drove around the bay to Saulsalito, where we walked around the seafront, and up to a restaurant with a magnificent view, luch was excellent. After church next morning Kevin & I set of for the Napa Valley to do some wine tasting, very good.

We drove through pretty little towns, saw a teddy shop, went on a tour of the Bale Grist mill which was very entertaining. On the way to the mill we walked through woods of oak & maple trees, leaves on all the paths & lichen & spanish moss dripping from the trees. It was so beautiful in the valley, the little towns, wineries, the wines & even when the weather closed in, it was still beautiful, the way the clouds clung to the sides of the hills.

I was sad to leave the place & the people, & as it says in the song "I left (a aprt) of my heart in San Fransisco.

Angels exist, only sometimes they don't have wings, and we call them friends.