We'd really want to go see San Francisco. So when Gelina had to travel there for work, Dave took few days off and we were able to tack on a short vacation as well. We only had a few days, but we packed a lot into a the - seeing the Golden Gate bridge, riding a cable car, touring the Sonoma Valley wineries, exploring Chinatown, boating around the bay, and eating our way through Fisherman’s Wharf. A great trip, but we know we only scratched the surface. A whole area just has so much to offer that we hope to get back soon for a longer trip. This trip is also the first test of our Olympus C5050 digital camera. We actually had it shipped so it was waiting at the hotel for us. It's a remarkable little camera with a sharp, fast lens. It's a significant step up from our trusty 490-D point-n-shoot, and we hope that the improved image quality is visible on the website. |
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 We stayed at the very plush and well-run Omni Hotel right across from the Transamerica tower in the financial district. |
 This is the view from the front of the hotel, looking towards Chinatown.We took a cable car up to the top and walked around the area. |
 We saw a lot of great architecture like this. Hard to believe there's much left between the fires and the earthquakes. |
 Everything in the city is pretty packed, but Chinatown is very serious about how tight they can squeeze things together. |
 Even the china shops are packed to the hilt. We weren't up to trying to maneuver through this one. |
 We were, however, brave enough to run a rental car down Lombard Street, the crookedest street in the US. |
 While Fisherman’s Wharf is San Francisco’s most popular/touristy destination, the seafood is tasty, the bay is beautiful, and the people watching is a hoot. |
 CRABS! Lots-o-crabs! This (and the sourdough) is the single best reason to visit Fisherman’s Wharf. |
 The marina there is very colorful too. We took one of these little boats out for a tour around Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge. |
 Dave and Gelina having a great time - just about to go under the bridge. |
 It was a wonderful day and the view of the bridge was spectacular. This is the way to see it. |
 We circled Alcatraz, but didn't land to tour it. Maybe next time. |
 No problem here, officer. |
 Back in port, this is the fishing boat that brings in a lot of the goodies for Scoma's, one of the best places to eat on the wharf. |
 Vino on the hoof! We drove up to tour some Sonoma Valley wineries. |
 Our first stop was the Viansa Winery - a great little bit of Tuscany just south of Sonoma. |
 Viansa's tasting room is huge, but kind of cold and commercial. They do, however, have a great deli and an excellent Super Tuscan, Sempre Avanti. |
 We grabbed a picnic and headed out to dine in their excellent courtyard. |
 Next up was Buena Vista, where Hungarian wine pioneer Count Agoston Haraszthy (our hero) started California's first fine winery in 1857. |
 The winery grounds are great, with original buildings like this tucked between groves of Redwoods. |
 This is one of Buena Vista's original casks. We ended up taking home several bottles of a limited run of their excellent Zinfandel. |
 Benzinger, our last stop, was undoubtedly the best - best selection, most knowledgeable/friendly staff, and a strong commitment to biodynamic farming (the idea that farming shouldn't actually hurt the land). |