Day 16!

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Today was one of thost busy days where you do lots and lots but at the end of the day have done surprisingly little. Disembarking a cruise ship is always time consuming as you have to clear customs and INS, get your baggage inspected, etc. At around 9 o'clock we were off the ship and on a cab to Oakland. Once here we took a nap first thing. Afterwards, we made our way down to the train station to catch a local train back over to San Francisco. All along the way we ate lunch and did some shopping. We finally ended up at The Stinking Rose which is a great Italian place on Columbus Street in San Francisco. Their claim to fame is that they cook with gargantuan amounts of garlic. We're talking garlic levels which will give you a personal garlicky aroma for a few days after. It's worth it, though! The cooking is fantastic. The main appetizer is raw garlic which has been roasted to the point that once you squeeze the cloves they smash like a mashed potato. You spread them over the bread with olive oil and it's heavenly. A little bite? Absolutely. But great tasting. We met our friend Tom Mikula there. He's a truck driver who was actually trained by another good friend of mine back when he first started driving. He lives down near Santa Cruz so we try to meet up with him anytime we find ourselves in the San Francisco area. He joined us for dinner then a beer at a little Irish pub down the street. Afterwards, a cab ride back to the hotel and end of another long day. Tomorrow, more exploration of San Fran before we head out of here on Sunday.

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Photos

The Stinking Rose
The garlic haven!

Tom Mikula
This picture was actually taken a few years ago on another visit out here but it's the only picture I've got of Tom so it'll have to do