And now, to recap. Kathie (who now has her own blog, which you can check out at: http://mcnuttut.blogspot.com/) and I had a wonderful time in California. We talked the entire 14 hours out and the entire 14 hours back. What a drive! We made it the whole way without getting a ticket (not that there weren't moments of "oh, expletive!" as we passed a hiding officer). Gold star for us. Since we were two ladies traveling we were armed with mace at all times. Another gold star.
Our first day in San Francisco we started at the pier. We watched the seals laze around, but the smell was so terrible we couldn't stand it for long. 
Boy, did they stink! After a lengthy walk up and down the pier, we went to a store Brooke had recommended. It was probably our favorite shopping spot. We both walked out with a fistful of earrings. Faboosh! Thanks Brooke (I know you guys are reading this secretly at while Doctor's upstairs). Next we went to the aquarium in Golden Gate Park. If you're in San Francisco, go to this aquarium! They had such beautiful exhibits! Here we saw my favorite animal of the trip. An albino alligator!
We stared at it for five minutes, trying to decide whether or not it was real. Just as I was deciding "no way" it sat up and yawned.
Definitely alive.
Does this guy look like the devil incarnate, or what? After that we walked through their rainforest. You took a spiral staircase through each level of the rainforest. We started at water-level, where we saw gnarly bugs that made us shiver (sharpie-sized centipedes, gross!), plant life, and lots and lots of fish. Then we moved up and enjoyed birds, all sorts of lizards and spiders (eek!), and more beautiful plant life. Next we moved up to the canopy and enjoyed the butterflies. Finally, you take an elevator down below the water so that you get an amazing view of the fish. It was a hot, intensely humid, amazing exhibit. After the Rainforest, we walked through the aquarium. I just love fish! It's a love I share with my dad and looking at fish reminds me of him. We saw a lot of amazing things. Including sea snakes that live in big groups and bury most of their bodies in the sand so they look like sea grass. What a trap. I bet they don't have a very hard time finding food. Some time around then we heard the announcement that the aquarium so we hurried to see what we hadn't yet and made our way out the door. After a quick stop at the outlet mall on the way back, we were back in Cloverdale with Grandpa.
Boy, did they stink! After a lengthy walk up and down the pier, we went to a store Brooke had recommended. It was probably our favorite shopping spot. We both walked out with a fistful of earrings. Faboosh! Thanks Brooke (I know you guys are reading this secretly at while Doctor's upstairs). Next we went to the aquarium in Golden Gate Park. If you're in San Francisco, go to this aquarium! They had such beautiful exhibits! Here we saw my favorite animal of the trip. An albino alligator!
We stared at it for five minutes, trying to decide whether or not it was real. Just as I was deciding "no way" it sat up and yawned.
Definitely alive.
Does this guy look like the devil incarnate, or what? After that we walked through their rainforest. You took a spiral staircase through each level of the rainforest. We started at water-level, where we saw gnarly bugs that made us shiver (sharpie-sized centipedes, gross!), plant life, and lots and lots of fish. Then we moved up and enjoyed birds, all sorts of lizards and spiders (eek!), and more beautiful plant life. Next we moved up to the canopy and enjoyed the butterflies. Finally, you take an elevator down below the water so that you get an amazing view of the fish. It was a hot, intensely humid, amazing exhibit. After the Rainforest, we walked through the aquarium. I just love fish! It's a love I share with my dad and looking at fish reminds me of him. We saw a lot of amazing things. Including sea snakes that live in big groups and bury most of their bodies in the sand so they look like sea grass. What a trap. I bet they don't have a very hard time finding food. Some time around then we heard the announcement that the aquarium so we hurried to see what we hadn't yet and made our way out the door. After a quick stop at the outlet mall on the way back, we were back in Cloverdale with Grandpa.
The next day I woke up with a splitting headache and an unhappy stomach. Poor me. The ocean air did not agree with me, I guess. So I spent the day watching TV and reading Hocus Pocus by Kurt Vonnegut while Kathie spent the day out and about with Grandpa.
The next day we took Grandpa with us to the San Francisco zoo. We saw polar bears, and brown bears, tigers, lions, kangaroos, and monkies with adorable white fu manchu mustaches. We got to see a newborn gorilla.
What an amazing experience seeing these great apes!
We also saw giraffes eating. Wow.
After the zoo Grandpa took us to the Buffet. By the time we got there we were all starving! We had a lovely dinner and then went back home to pack up. We left at four the next morning and talked our way home. Our hubbies were so glad to have us back! We missed our guys like crazy and we were ready to sleep in our own beds.
All in all it was a fantastic trip! We saw incredible things and ate good food. What more could a gal want?
i dig mr. albino gator man.
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