San Francisco

So Mark and I took our first couples trip since we have had our children. We decided to go to San Francisco. We went over the conference weekend. We left on Saturday October 2, 2010 and flew to Las Vegas. We had about a 45 minute layover. Then the next leg of our trip took us to Oakland. We got off the plane and headed out to the Air Bart, which then to us to the B.A.R.T (Bay Area Rapid Transit). We took this from Oakland under the bay bridge into San Francisco. We got off the B.A.R.T at the Embarcadero exit. We then walked the Bay line from Pier 1 to Pier 45 1/2. We followed the bay around to Fisherman's Wharf. We stayed at the Raddison right on the wharf. It was so pretty. We got to the hotel at about noon. We got our bags checked in and then decided to head out and explore the city. We first went to the Cable Car lines. We rode the cable cars from Gharadelli square into China Town. While in China town we wondered around and looked in all the shops. While in China town we decided to stop and have lunch. We ate at a little restaurant. Mark wanted to try everything on the menu, he did and like almost everything that he ate. While in China Town we purchased some things for the kids. They all got an authentic chines outfin, they are using them for p.j.s. When walking through china town we just started heading back to the hotel and ended up walking back to fisherman's wharf. While walking we noticed all of the building. It was intresting to us that there was a firestation between two houses. They are all cramped together.

When we got back to the hotel we decided to go to the room and decide what we were going to do next. We left and walked the Wharf, we decided to get jackets and go on the Bay tour out to the Bridge and back. It was a very cool ride, the fog was rolling in and it was completly covering the Golden Gate Bridge. On our way back we walked and walked the Wharf. We wnet to a little Italian place for dinner. There Mark ate frog legs, he said that they were good I just took his work for it. I had soup and salad (I am not the advetures type.) We went back to the hotel and turned in for the night.

On Sunday we went on a tour of Alcatrez. On our way to pier 33 to catch the boat we stopped at Boden Bakery and ate breakfast. On Alcatrez we took the self guided tour it was so cool. I did not know how much history could be on one island. We did the tour and wandered the island for a couple of hours. After we got back from the tour we went to Gharidelli square and walked around. While out on the walk we went out to the middle of pier 45 and there were people fishing for crab off the side of the pier. Mark made friends with one of them and talked with him and tried to learn the secrets of the trade. He even got to help throw the ones back that were to little. All in all I think that he was in heaven. While he was making friends and fishing I was taking in the sights, and taking pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge. On our way back to the hotel we did all of our shopping that we were going to bring home. It was a ton of walking in and out of every shop. I can say that I had a blast.

So here we are the last day of our trip. Today was a beatiful day, there were no clouds in the sky. We took the bus our to the bridge and walked out about 1/4 of the way. By then I needed to come back it was starting to bother me being up so high.( Since I do not do well with heights, I am suprised that I made it that far.) We got some awsome pictures and headed back to the bus stop. When back we headed our for lunch/dinner. We ate at the Crab Resteraunt. When done we took our bags and headed for the B.A.R.T Station. When we got to the station we bought our tickets and headed in to Oakland. We made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. We then found out that our flight had been delayed by about 20 min. Well by the time that we got to the gate our plane had been delayed by an hour. When we finally boarded we were headed for Salt Lake, I turned to Mark while on the plane and told him "You know when you spend to much time thinking about your kids when you take an empty bag on vacation with you, and you bring it home packed full of stuff for your kids. I have to say all and all we had a great time and think. I think that we may make it a tradition to do a couples long weekend every now and then.

Hope you could feel a little of our vacation even if you couldn't be with us.

Till next time. (Enjoy the photos.)