R&R 2016 - California - The Passport Stamp Collector Blog

The first stop on our Rest and Relaxation (R&R) leave related to our assignment to Saudi Arabia was in California. We visited Yosemite National Park, Napa Valley, San Francisco, and Palo Alto. As you might imagine, it was like visiting an entirely different world.

Yosemite National Park
2 Jul Hetch Hetchy, Tioga pass to Tuolumne Meadows. Cori loved Olmstead turnout.

3 Jul, Yosemite. Our younger daughter loved crossing the streams. Both of them liked the waterfalls. Kacey got out at Glacier Point to take some photos of Half Dome at sunset. Amazing. Everyone was exhausted from hiking.

4 july, stopped into Benicia, which was having a town festival for the 4th of July. 100% Americana. Drove to napa.

Napa Valley
Greg last visited during his USA Road Trip
Did laundry and got in-out;
5july Old faithful geyser - 4-horned sheep. Our younger daughter kissed a goat kid.

Castello DE amarosa - Our older daughter on the grape juice: "after a swirl, it's a little sweet."
Lunch at El capitan T aquaria in Santa rosa. Non-alcoholic sangria.
(photo needed)

San Francisco
Drove into SF, stopping by Muir woods first.

had dinner at Nanking house. Almost no line (just a 2 person group). Sesame chicken and pork chops great. Kacey's friend Rob met us there. Leaving, a line of people stretched across the whole face of restaurant. Walked around Chinatown to find the Golden Gate bakery (which was closed for vacation), but we found an open bakery, and Greg got his butterfly puff (aka a palmier) and also a walnut cookie for the girls. Girls were crawling on the streets of Chinatown. Ew!

COLD!

6 July - returning to San Francisco to see
pier 39 sea lions ,

Palo Alto

drove to Palo alto, met up w Dea (link to Egypt trip, day 1?)

Palo alto junior zoo/junior museum
Walked around Stanford a little
Dinner on University drive (pizza&wing place)
Popped into Beem/ telepresence, met by "robots" with a guy from San Diego and a woman from CO. Girls controlled a robot in Kansas city, after hours. Parked the robot too.When we left, the robot bumped the door to make sure it was locked.
Dessert at Cream, make your own ice cream sandwich w cookies. I had rocky road on w. Chocolate macadamia, girls had mint chocolate chip on sugar cookies. Kacey got a coffee, we walked down to a fountain where the girls played until they were tired and we got cold. Said our goodbyes, but are looking at doing this again in a couple of years (link to next visit-NYC?)