CA trip: San Francisco's a treat

After recovering from my previous night's drive, I got up early to do some hiking in Point Lobos State Reserve. It was a beautiful area along the shoreline. I saw sea lions, harbor seals (or at least a bunch of things that might have been harbor seals and one that for sure was but that I wasn't quick enough to get a picture of), a very personable squirrel, lizards and some very nice plant life. But I'll let the pictures do the talking (follow the CA set to see the photos in order):



After doing that, I had a nice seafood lunch in Monterey and headed north into San Francisco. I met Chief of Staff and another college friend for dinner and got to see Sausalito. I also saw the Golden Gate Bridge without fog, although I was driving over it and didn't stop for pictures. I should also mention that the restaurant we ate in had a retractable roof. We were in an enclosed outdoor seating area and a little while after it got dark, we heard this whirring sound and the roof rolled over the area and suddenly we were in indoor seating! That's right, retractable domes ... not just for sports stadiums anymore.

After that, I met up with Punk Bassist and her fiance for a drink. The next day, I spent a lot of time in Golden Gate Park, which has a TON of stuff to do in it. There's a Japanese tea garden, several botanical gardens, lakes and buffalo. It's quite a park. (For more pictures, follow the picture link above.)

P.B., P.B.'s fiance and I had dinner in the Castro district at an excellent restaurant called Home. The food and atmosphere are ... well, homey. And the cornbread is to die for. I highly recommend it if you're ever in town.

The next morning, I flew back to Virginia, and thus ended my California odyssey.

And now, I'm off to Tennessee for Wedding No. 4. I'll fill you in next week.