Blogs from Union Square, San Francisco, California, United States, North America

Contd..... Chapter 2. Two days driving about 700 miles to get to Yosemite and what a drive it was - we climbed up to the Tioga Pass and this was a high mountain road( 56 miles)looking down into deep valleys....but the road was wide, well maintained and not scarey to drive ( have been on worse roads in France!!)we were above the snow line and you could see why this road had only been opened 2 days earlier. We passed by meadows, rushing mountain rivers and streams, waterfalls - these mountains are massive white granite with smoothed tops - quite stunning...and beautiful rock. Hodgon Meadows campsite ( I had booked it ages ago - and you need to because otherwise you don't get a site) was on the Western side of the park so we had ... read more

Bon, aujourd'hui, j'ai pris un 'conge' : c'est-a-dire que je suis restee relaxe en ville. Avec le planning de FOU que je m'etais fait depuis 6 mois, j'avais 'des choses a faire', c'est psychologique je sais, mais j'avais besoin de me desobeir a moi-meme. Bref, Fanny est partie de son cote car elle filait pour etre relaxe, mais sur le bord de la mer. J'ai commence mon matin comme tous les autres : dehors a respirer l'air frais de 7 a 8h. Ensuite, dejeune au resto David's ou j'ai le dejeuner inclut avec ma chambre d'hotel. On est LOINS des dejeuners d'hotel constitues de ti-muffins pre-emballes et de cafe dans un thermos, avec une banane trop mure (toute picotee). Ce matin, j'ai resiste a la tentation de prendre le meme plat (Mediterranean Breakfast) et j'ai pris ... read more

Aujourd'hui, je me suis levee tot et je suis allee au Trader Joe's pour me prendre un lunch car nous allons au Parc! J'ai reussi a ne pas manquer mon bus de 10h :) Nous sommes restees longtemps dans le parc, mais on ne l'a pas fait en entier car il est trop grand. Nous avons quand-meme marche jusqu'a environ 13h, au gros soleil tapant de 28 degres. Next : Haight & Ashbury. Sur cette rue principale du quartier des hippies, il y a des tonnes de boutiques de musique, livres et fripperies. J'ai trouve des t-shirts vraiment cool dont un aux couleurs fluo psychadeliques des annees 60. On a repris le bus de 15h, et arrivees a l'hotel, une douche etait de mise! On est ensuite allees dans un pub irlandais. Le menus etait typiquement ... read more

Premier jour complet a San Francisco... Etant donne qu il y a des tonnes de choses a faire dans cette magnifique ville, j ai finalement decide de faire tout (ou presque) : j ai opte pour une passe illimitee qu ils appelent hop-and-hop. Le concept est fantastique pour les touristes exaltes comme moi! (ou juste TRES motives) Et assez simple : le bus rouge sur 2 etages fait 4 ralays qui couvrent toute la ville et les principales attractions. Donc, de 9h am a 18h, je peux embarquer et debarquer ou je veux, et repprendre le prochain bus pour continuer mon circuit personalise! Genial!!!! Donc, aujourd hui, je suis allee voir le Civic Center, le Golden Gate Park, Haight, puis l autre circuit m a faire voir le Ferry Building et La Petite Italie, et Chinatown. ... read more

Le depart de Quebec s est bien deroule! Aucune attente a l aeroprt! L avion a eu 1h de retard au depart de Chicago, donc je suis arrive tard a l hotel (vers 18h). Mais j ai tout de meme pu me promener un peu autour de mon hotel. Je n ai pas pris de photo, surtout parce que j avais les bras pleins de baggages! Demain, je ferai une longue journee, et les photos seront nombreuses!... read more

Here is the list you have been waiting for, "The Essential Tao of Travel" by Paul Theroux. 1. Leave home. 2. Go alone. 3. Travel light. 4. Bring a map. 5. Go by land (not sure I agree with this) 6. Walk across a national frontier. 7. Keep a journal. 8. Read a novel that has no relation to the place you're in (Grisham and Crichton) 9. If you must bring a cell phone, avoid using it. 10. Make a friend. Here is an observation. Nobody writes about their airline flight. Some have tried to write about a trip on a cruise ship, however boring that might me. As for the bus, perhaps there have been a few, like the Merry Pranksters trip, described in Tom Wolfe's The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. But the train trip ... read more

This morning we set off bright and early to ride the famous cable cars of San Fran (so to avoid the queues which can be up to an hour or longer later in the day). They were really cool and the girls and I stood at the back so we could see the streets of the city including Lombard street (the crookedest street in the world). We then headed to the airport and flew to Vegas by Virgin America. Even thought it is a domestic flight they suggest you get there 90-120 mins before due to all the security checks. We made it in plenty of time and even managed to head to the yoga room and the girls and I did our own little yoga session. VEGAS!!!! Well it is everything you imagine but BIGGER!! ... read more

San Fran was cold...about 16 to 18 degrees most of the day with a cold wind blowing almost constantly. A perfect day in some respects to take a trip across the bay to the Rock: Alcrataz. The tour itself was very well done in terms of facilities. It also was well received by all of the grls including Greta. The audio tour was particularly useful and I even think Greta took in some of what was being said. She was keen to understand that it was a jail and was also keen to relate it to the Monopoly game. Madi as expected probably got the most out of it from the kids perspective but I also think Lola understood what the place was all about. The pictures on the day's blog relate to the Alcatraz tour. ... read more