San Francisco

 And I visit another huge city that is also pretty difficult to get around in. At least San Francisco has nice green spaces.  I stayed with Pip's family, who live just a block away from Ocean Beach.  I have now officially crossed the coast and had my toes in both oceans.  PS, the Pacific is COLD.  Also close to my temporary place of residence is Golden Gate Park and Land's End.  We went walking in the latter a few times.  It's a great place to get a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, if the weather is cooperating.  Which it did not, pretty much the whole time I was there.  I was hoping to get a sunset picture to go with my sunrise pictures from the east coast, but the fog would have none of it.

I visited an art museum with one of the largest Rodan collections in the world.  I wanted to do this picture Doby Gillis-style, but there were no benches!  What were you thinking, San Francisco?

There was some interesting wildlife, though nothing too different, and of course some big trees. Pip, Annie and I took a trip out to Muir Woods for a hike and some Redwoods scenery.  Pretty park, and it gave me an excuse to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge.  So much traffic, I don't know how people live there.

The major highlight of my stay in San Francisco was the food.  Pip's mom cooked for me a few times, traditional Vietnamese soup (dubbed "crack soup" by my brother Will), clay pot fish and hand made spring rolls.  We also ate with Annie's parents one evening and had fresh from scratch dumplings.  I'd go back just for another meal.