Sweet Endings

Yesterday was our long trip home. We checked out of our hotel around 9:00 and drove toward the Oakland Bay Bridge. It was fun to be able to drive on this double decker bridge which is quite a bit longer than the Golden Gate Bridge. It even has an exit to Treasure Island while you are in the middle of the bridge still driving over the bay. On our way to the bridge, we drove up several steep hills and renamed the Little Red Car, to The Little Red Car That Could. We weren't sure we'd make it, but it always got us to the top of each hill (barely).

It was about an hour drive northeast to Fairfield, California, the home of the Jelly Belly Factory. We stopped for breakfast at the slowest Denny's I've ever been to, but eventually we were parking and walking (well, I was still hobbling) into the visitor center. The line was long, but I wasn't going to turn back now. It was about a 45-minute wait for our 45-minute tour of the working factory. We walked above the factory looking through glass windows and watching different videos explaining the history and process. We got to see people working in the different stages: mixing, flavoring, coloring, molding, polishing, sorting, packaging, and shipping. We saw conveyer belts, robots, and billions of jelly beans. We also got to taste a jelly bean in the three stages of it's formation. It was fun and educational.

Marilyn in Jelly Bellies

One other interesting tidbit of the tour was the art gallery. There were dozens of portraits of famous people all completed in the style of mosaics, but with Jelly Bellies instead of tile. It was pretty impressive. President Reagan was featured a lot in the portraits. After all, he was the president that put Jelly Belly on the map.

It was time to start the trip back home. So we strapped ourselves in and headed south. This time we took the quicker, but more boring trip down the I-5. On the trip we listened to the audiobook Ender's Game so that helped to pass the time and we finished it about an hour away from home. We pulled into the driveway at 11:45 p.m. exhausted and happy to sleep in our own beds once again.

It was a fun trip for me. I got to vacation one more time with my three sons. I thought last year would be the last time we got to do this, so this trip was an added bonus. I got to see many parts of Northern California that I've been wanting to see. I got to learn something new. I even got to purchase some license plates that I was missing (including a California one). Yep. I'm pretty happy.

Escape from Alcatraz

On Wednesday morning when I stepped out of bed I winced from the pain shooting through the heel and arch of my foot. This was not good. It loosened up a little bit the more I walked, and I hobbled around our hotel room. I moved much slower than normal on this day, but I was determined to finish our trip to San Francisco if it killed me (or crippled me whichever came first).

Our first destination was a tour to Angel Island and then on to Alcatraz. Angel Island is a lovely island right behind Alcatraz. It has a lot of history including being the "Ellis Island" of the west. We had an interesting tram ride and enjoying the scenery and narration of the tour. But our real interest was in Alcatraz. The self guided audio tour was well done as we walked through the cell blocks listening to testimonies from prisoners and guards alike. I can't believe how small a 5' by 9' foot cell is!

Regulation #5 from the Alcatraz rule book given to every prisoner on arrival states, "You are entitled to food, clothing, shelter, and medical attention. Anything else that you get is a privilege." The boys bought this plaque to hang in our "ballroom" (a room with many license plates and old time tins). They knew I'd like it. Many of the rules at Alcatraz make fine rules for raising boys too. I do add one more entitlement to the regulation (for boys that is) which is...love.

Back at the hotel courtesy of Muni 8BX and Muni 30 Jefferson Loop (make sure the bus says Jefferson Loop!), we regrouped and piled into the car for a trip over the Golden Gate to Muir Woods. We arrived so late in the day that admission was free, and setting sun shining through the trees was gorgeous. I love Muir Woods. It was a complete contrast from Alcatraz and a great way to cap off a day of whirlwind activity. And thanks to my aching foot, I had to walk slowly and softly through this serene valley of ancient redwoods. It was a reverent experience.

Our stomachs were starting to growl and we stopped in Sausalito for a late dinner. The food was good at Taste of Rome, but the service was impressive. This small cafe was a combination coffee shop, pizza place, wine bar, and restaurant. It was crowded when we walked in, always a good sign. There was one guy at the counter who welcomed us and pointed us to the only open table at the end of the counter and gave us some menus. The entire time we were there, the line at the counter was non-stop. People were ordering food, paying bills, and chatting all with this one guy. He was a total rock star. I was completely impressed with his multi-tasking skills, and his efficient use of space and time all the while keeping a smile and great attitude. Our food came quickly and we left full and satisfied.

We drive home today after a quick detour to Fairfield, California for a visit to the Jelly Belly Factory. We have to have at least one factory tour on this trip, you know!

 

The Streets of San Francisco

It was not the day I had originally planned, but in the end it all turned out okay.

We started the morning by finding a Honda service place. It was fortuitous that there was one almost across the street from our hotel. So after a quick explanation of what the problem and a recommendation on where to eat breakfast, we headed out to explore the city by foot and mass transportation.

Breakfast was yummy with homemade scones, banana pancakes, homemade granola, and freshly squeezed cantalope juice. The Home Plate was a popular local restaurant just a block down the street. As we have found with everything in San Francisco, it was a tight squeeze inside a small space. But the service was excellent and Joe especially liked all of the baseball memorabilia adorning the walls.

Next was a nice walk to the waterfront. We walked by Fort Mason and Ghiradelli Square. Our mission was to purchase a 3-day Muni pass so that we could ride the buses, cable cars, and other modes of transportation around the city. We purchased our tickets and then stood in line for about 40 minutes waiting to ride one of the cable cars. It was worth the wait. We hung on as we rode up and down the hills on Hyde Street through Chinatown and almost to the end of the line where there were shops. It looked kind of like Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego.

Once we disembarked, we had to figure out how to get back to where we started or better yet how to get to Fisherman's Wharf. Of course our first attempt was to try to catch the a cable car on the same street going the opposite direction. But after the fifth one told us no room and "wait for the next one", we decided to try to find a bus. We had a map with what seemed like hundred different bus lines criss-crossing through the streets. We were pretty disoriented, so quickly found a Starbucks where I could download an app with a trip planner for SF on to my phone. 

After several more attempts we eventually made it to Fisherman's Wharf which sure smells a lot like fish! We found an old-fashioned penny arcade called Musee Mecanique. We all played several of the antique games, and it was really a lot of fun!  Of course some of those "antique" games, I clearly remember playing in my youth. You know, relics like Pong, Ms. Pacman, and Centipede.

By now it was getting pretty late in the day and we hadn't heard about the condition of my little red car. So after a phone call, I was informed that they'd need another day to figure out what the problem was. This did not make me happy since I had already postponed my plans to use the car to visit places outside of the city. and we only had one more day. One more bus trip and we arrived back at the Honda Service place to get a jacket out of the car. We were surprised when the service adviser told us the car was "fixed" or more accurately, they couldn't figure out what the problem was, but it had fixed itself when they "reset" the computer. They didn't charge me for the diagnostic and I got my car back which made me a much happier customer than I had been on the phone.

That evening, Joe headed on a bus in one direction to attend the Padres vs. the Giants baseball game and Zach, David and I headed in the opposite direction on a different bus for a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. The Pads lost, but Joe had fun attending the game at AT&T Park and eating garlic fries. The sun was setting, the wind was blowing, and the temperature was dropping, but we made it across the 1.7 mile span of the Golden Gate and back. The view was incredible and the noise of the cars rushing by was deafening. I loved it!

After the bridge, the three of us ate dinner at a restaurant in Ghiradelli Square and David topped off the evening with a Ghiradelli chocolate brownie sundae. I was starting to feel like we had this mass transit thing nailed until our trip back to the home via Muni 30. Needless to say, we rode the bus quite a bit longer than necessary, but with the help of our bus driver and several bus riders, we found our way back to our beds. My feet hurt from all of walking and chasing buses, but my heart was happy that we had accomplished several things on my "to do list" leaving only Alcatraz and Muir Woods for the following day.

Spending the Day in Monterey

Yesterday, as we walked through the massive Monterey Bay Aquarium, I kept thinking to myself, "I wish we had come here when my sons were younger." We've been to several aquariums and this one is definitely the most expensive and the most designed for kids. In some ways it was a hybrid of a children's museum and an aquarium. Every exhibit had a ton of hands on activities for young ones to learn about the ocean and it's inhabitants. There were many touch pools and an assortment of crawling, climbing, and exploring equipment everywhere you walked. It was a child's sensory paradise.

My favorite exhibit was the Seahorse Exhibit. It was fascinating. I already knew some of the unusual facts about seahorses like how the males are the ones who get pregnant and carry the eggs around in a little pouch. But I was totally impressed with the beauty and mystery of these intriguing animals. There were so many types and sizes, and I loved watching them swim around almost like they were floating on air. They would wrap their tails around coral just like a monkey uses his tail to hold onto a tree. I think the most amazing thing was watching a video of the mating dance of a female and male seahorse. They were so graceful as they danced in unison, twirling around each other and nodding their heads to each other. Everyone who walked through would stop and just stare at this video. It was really enchanting.

We also saw many other things...translucent jellyfish, a kelp forest, sharks, sea turtles, sea birds, and more! One thing the aquarium did that was very effective was the choice of music in each exhibit. It really set the mood and enriched the experience overall.


After our visit to the aquarium, we decided to eat dinner in Cannery Row. David is a big fan of the movie Forrest Gump, so we decided to try Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company. Of course no one (except Zach) in our family even likes seafood, but it was a fun experience and I'm sure the waiter wondered what was wrong with us when three of the four of us ordered something other than shrimp. The food was very good (even the non-fish stuff). Zach really like his crab stuffed shrimp and even got Joe to try some of it. The waiter quizzed David on trivia facts about the movie and the atmosphere overall was a lot of fun.

We still had about two hours of driving until we reached our hotel, so we said farewell to Monterey and headed north. We ended the night watching Forrest Gump. It just happened to be on T.V.


Our one unexpected event so far is that my little red car is having some trouble on this trip. So this morning we are dropping it off at the mechanic and exploring the city. As Forrest's mama would say, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."


Hopefully, all will be well with the car and we'll be able to flex with our change of plans. It's time to hit the streets of San Francisco!

Road Trippin'

When the summer started, I had a number of people ask if the boys and I were going on another road trip. We had so much fun last summer on our trip to Mississippi, but I hadn't really planned to go on another trip so soon. But the more people asked, the more I started to get the itch to hit the road again.

Joe was able to get a few days off of work, and with a little planning, we hit the road for a short trip to San Francisco. I've been to San Francisco two or three times, but we've never actually stayed long enough to do much, so here we are for two days and three nights of exploring and experiencing Golden Gate city.


We left on Sunday evening after Joe got off work and headed out. Our destination was Newbury Park in Ventura county. We left at 7:30 p.m. thinking we'd miss most of the traffic. Turns out everyone in San Diego county had the same thought. We finally arrived and Marc & Jackie (my brother- and sister-in-law) graciously put us up for the night.

We were up early and on the road at 8:00 a.m. Our time with Marc and family was very short, but we hope to go up another time for a longer visit. Monterey was our next stop. We took the scenic route along Highway 1. It was beautiful.

We spent the afternoon in Monterey and visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was a fun afternoon and I'll share more about it in my next blog post. After another two hours in the car, we are checked into our motel on Lombard Street, ready for bed, and looking forward to the next few days.

  

The Biggest Ball of Twine

I have a friend who teases me about my love of museums, factory tours and local oddities. When we went on our road trip and this most recent trip to Florida, he kept asking if we were going to visit the biggest ball of twine. What can I say? I love learning about new things.

It became a reality to me when Matt and I were first married and we were driving to visit our friends in Idaho. We stopped in Las Vegas the first night. Matt wanted to eat at a famous buffet and see a show, but the highlight of the city for me was the marshmallow factory tour. Yep, that's right. In Henderson, Nevada right outside of Las Vegas there were several factories and I toured them all. It was awesome! It was then we realized vacation for Matt meant entertainment, but for me, it meant education. Not surprising, since I am an educator and a life long learner.

The boys at Jamestown - 2003

Over the years, we've taken road trips, and gone on vacations to different places. Each place we visit, it is not an option; we must go and learn something. Sometimes it's a major museum. Other times, it is a national park or landmark. And every once in a while, it's a hidden treasure like the marshmallow factory. 

I have a few memories from childhood that include touring ruins in the Mediterranean, seeing a National Forest on Adak where the trees stopped growing, and hiking through tundra and seeing bomb shelters. But the one I remember best is when I was eleven years old and my dad had retired from the Navy. We were driving across country and we stopped in Virginia at the Luray Caverns. Of all the times, my parents had driven from place to place, this is the only time we actually stopped and did a tourist thing. Usually, we drove straight to the next destination. But this one time, my dad insisted we stop, and I saw my first stalactites and stalagmites.I still have the postcard booklet purchased so many years ago at the gift shop.

Gettysburg - 2003

My husband and sons know how much I love learning, so they each tolerate, accept or encourage my obsession to some degree. Whether it's taking me to Bodies - The Exhibition for Mother's Day or enduring a side trip 50 miles off the main road to visit the Little House on the Prairie, my family has patiently put up with me and some have even enjoyed themselves on our adventures.

The experience has also been shared with my friends. During a short cruise with my two dear friends, we spent a day on Catalina Island. We walked through the shops, admired the beautiful scenery, and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the community. When we came upon a museum and of course, I wanted to go in, my friends announced, "We are going to go get some coffee. Come find us when you are done." So while they sipped their hot drinks, I learned that the Chicago Cubs used to have spring training on Catalina Island and so much more.

White Sands, New Mexico - 2011

It's no wonder that I chose Epcot as the theme park to visit when we were in Florida. When given the opportunity, I'm a sucker for learning. I'm grateful for the experiences that have been deposited in my memory bank. I feel so wealthy!

Now, I haven't ever seen the biggest ball of twine (and I really don't want to), but there are still many more things to learn and experience. Anyone up for a trip to the museum?

It's a Small World After All

Yesterday, the boys and I went to Epcot. My sister had mentioned that she wanted to take my nephew to Sea World, but since Shamu is one of our neighbors in San Diego, the boys and I wanted to do something different. So we woke up early, borrowed my dad's car and made the two hour trek to Orlando and the wonderful place called Disney World.


The last time we were in Florida (13 years ago), we spent four days in Disney World and had a great time. We only had one day this year, so we decided to return to Epcot since it was the one theme park that was different than anything we have in California. Both Joe and Zach remember a little of our last visit, but David who was only four years old doesn't have any memories of our previous trip. I was curious to see how much the park had changed.

France

Epcot is an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow. That little tidbit of information comes from Joe. He is the king of trivia and regularly shared his knowledge with us throughout the day. We had a fun time exploring the two main areas of the park: World Showcase and Future World.

Morroco

World Showcase was very similar to what I remembered. It didn't seem like it had changed much at all. Even the movies in some of the countries were outdated. It became really obvious when we saw anything with technology. The computer monitors were monster-sized and looked like they were from the 90s. Still, it was fun to meet people from different countries and to learn about the history and culture of 11 places around the world. 

Germany

When we were in France, we took pictures of us wearing berets, and then decided that we needed to take a picture of David wearing a hat in all of the remaining countries. So as we entered each country, we looked for a traditional head covering that David or someone could model. 

Japan

Joe and David enjoyed a refreshing Japanese soda with an intriguing lid and method to open it. The lid was actually a marble that was pushed down into the soda bottle. It rolled around and stayed in the bottom of the bottle while they drank. We were so fascinated with it, that both boys saved their bottles to take home. And the rest of the day, they would shake the bottles and it sounded like they were shaking a can of spray paint.


We were making good progress around the lagoon, until it started raining. We huddled in an alcove eating our lunch and watching the rain come down. Joe bought me a rain poncho, and right on cue, the rain stopped and we resumed our journey.

Norway

After the World Showcase, we spent the rest of the day and evening in Future World. This part of Epcot was more updated with some fun simulator rides and interesting exhibits. The boys designed their own simulator rides while I experienced the effects of high winds on houses. 

China

One of the most enjoyable activities was in Innoventions. We each had our photos taken while running in place, jumping, and doing a victory dance. Then our images were loaded into a video game, and we got to play a game with our own images as the player in the game. We even e-mailed a link to the game so that we could play it over and over.

Mexico

We made it home and the crawled into bed around 1:30 a.m. All in all it was a fun day, and I'm glad we went. I always enjoy the time with my very grown up sons, and when I get to learn something too that's just the icing on the cake!