ROAD TRIP - San Francisco

First stop, Shingle Springs to visit friends who were married the day before we were back in 1988.  And then onto gorgeous San Francisco.  No matter how many times we go there, it is always so pretty with views everywhere you look of travel icons: Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Fisherman's Wharf, Coit Tower, the Presidio, the Marina District, Chinatown.  Classic and still alive and well.  Sigh.  No place like it.  We checked in and walked down to the wharf where we popped into the tiny Aquarium by the Bay.  There we discovered huge jellyfish, sea nettles actually which blew me away.   So mesmerizing.  Steve's daughter Barbara picked us up later and took us to their new place for a homecooked dinner by her husband Dan.  Steve's son Chris met us there.  I have to say, there is no better music to our ears than listening to the kids laugh.  We realized that our 30 and 35 year old kids are really happy and our hearts left filled with love.  They are smart and funny; connected to the earth and good international citizens of the world. 

Barbara took the next day off to show us some special places:  the tide pools in southern SF where we peered into the rocks to discover sea treasures such as anemones, and hermit crabs while the occasional seal would exit the water to lay on beach a little beyond our tide pools.

We also went to Chinatown for a quickie shopping sojourn where Barbara pointed out the graffiti of a very famous graffiti artist whose work is so valued they put a plexi plate over it to protect it.   Murals and graffiti art are everywhere and it really makes the city feel more full of life.  And beautiful. 

Steve and I had looked at all the art offerings in the city and decided we wanted to go to the Legion of Honor for a special exhibition "Impressionists Paris".  It was mostly works on paper with some paintings and sculpture,  all Paris based work by the Impressionists and included some wonderful prints which I was so happy to see.  We had never been to the Legion of Honor and since my sister had recently been in Paris and was still in France, it was a way to share in the experience a little. 
From there we stopped at the sweetest little pet cemetary in the Presidio.  It had been a beautiful little space but freeway construction which was going on all around it and over it, had necessitated cutting down some huge trees on the property.  But the little cemetary will remain, with its residents from World War II through the present.  As I walked around I became overwhelmed by the loss and the headstones loving comments, I just cried all the way through.
Our last night in the City, the kids took us to a Vietnamese restaurant because Steve wanted crab for dinner.  We had two crabs and tons of other delicious goodies.  I will always trust the kids' recommendations for eating in SF.  It was fabulous.  We left San Francisco wanting to do and see more.  That's the best thing about it.  Leaving your heart there everytime.  We can't wait to go back.