Tag Archives: Golden Gate Bridge

An Afternoon at Lands End

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Todd and I opted not to venture into San Francisco during the epic weekend when the city played host to the Blue Angels, the America’s Cup, a 49ers game, a Giants game, the Castro Street Fair, and the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. We’re just not that crazy about crowds. Or traffic. And when you’ve seen the Blue Angels from aboard the Jeremiah O’Brien, as we did last year, you’re kind of spoiled for any other vantage point.

But Monday was a holiday and we were ready to explore. While we have visited the Cliff House and Ocean Beach before, we had never turned right off of Point Lobos Avenue to visit the part of Lands End that includes the memorial of the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco and the ruins of the Sutro Baths. Something for him, something for me. :-)

October is usually one of the most beautiful months at our beaches, and we weren’t disappointed. The views from the trail overlooking the Sutro Baths were breathtaking.

I am used to seeing this area when it is socked in with fog. Fog has it’s own drama, of course, but the bright blue sky really highlighted this gnarled tree and made it look like a sculpture.

After a pick-me-up at the Beach Chalet, we wandered into Golden Gate Park. I love the windmill in the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden (planted now with begonias).

It was just a beautiful day. It’s fun to take the time to appreciate this spectacular place that is close to my home. We even saw a whale frolicking in the waters outside the Golden Gate. (Those pictures I took in my head, not with my camera.)

I forgot how restorative a holiday can be. Sometimes we get so caught up in the day-to-day, we put off experiencing and appreciating the beauty that’s right there, patiently waiting for us.

I’m glad we took the time. It was pretty much perfect.

An Unforgettable Day On The Bay

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I have more to say and share about my visit to Port Townsend, but I can’t resist telling you about Saturday. Todd and I joined some friends for a day aboard the Liberty Ship Jeremiah O’Brien. We sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge and were part of the Parade of Ships that was the ceremonial beginning of Fleet Week. It was a very foggy morning, so the view of the other ships was kind of ghostly. But once we re-entered the bay, the sun came out and the sky was sparkling blue in time for the air show featuring the Blue Angels. Unbelievable.

It almost feels like cheating that something so spectacular happened Close To Home, but it did and we were there. I hope you’ll view the entire gallery (the red and white planes are the Canadian Snowbirds), but here are some of my favorites:

I don’t know how they do it, and I certainly don’t know how they do it upside down:

How cool was that? Walking back along the Embarcadero to BART and home, we saw so many groups of sailors excited to begin their liberty. Welcome to San Francisco, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for your service, and stay safe.