Barbara and I decided to visit San Francisco for a few days, then travel to Monterey and visit our John, who was studying at the Defense Language Institute there.
On Monday, August 23, we flew via US Airways A319 to Phoenix, then an A320 to San Francisco. We took an airport shuttle to Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco's Japan Town.
The first night we found a Kinokuniya Bookstore (紀伊國屋書店).
On Tuesday, August 24, we visited Golden Gate Park, where we went through the Japanese Tea Garden, then San Francisco Botanical Gardens and then the Conservatory of Plants.
We then visited China Town. We ate at Sushi Rock and returned to Japan Town by 6:00 p.m. We bought stuffed Totoro and Cat Bus "animals," then returned to Hotel Kabuki. The weather was unusually hot.
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| Barbara has been fond of Koma-inu statues since our first visits to Japan with IBM in the 1980'2. This photo was taken in San Francisco on Tuesday August 24, 2010. |
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| Weldon standing by the other Koma-inu. (Note that this one's feet mirror the other Koma-inu.) |
On Wednesday, August 25, we walked around the Japan Town Mall, then checked out of the hotel at 12::00 noon. We rode Caltrain to San Jose, where we spent the night with Barbara's brother.
On Thursday, August 26, we rented a car to Monterey, where we met John at at 3:20. He checked us into Army lodging, after which we ate at Yama Sushi restaurant.
We visited Point Pinos Light House and Fisherman's Wharf.
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| Barbara at the entrance to Point Pinos Light House, Pacific Grove (near Monterey), August 26, 2010. |
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| Barbara standing closer to Point Pinos Lighthouse |
On Friday, August 27, we visited the Monterey Aquarium and the Cannery.
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| View near the Monterey Aquarium and Cannery, August 27, 2010 |
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| Pebble Beach, Monterey, August 27, 2010 |
On Saturday we met John and drove to San Bruno, where we had lunch at a mall, then rode BART to Embarcadero. We cruised around San Francisco Bay, then toured a submarine and a merchant marine boat SS Jeremiah O'Brian.
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| Golden Gate Bridge as seen from a tour boat on San Francisco Bay, August 28, 2010 |
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| Barbara inside a submarine at Pier 39, San Francisco, August 28, 2010 |
On Sunday, August 29, we attended church with Barbara's family in San Jose. Then in the afternoon we returned to San Francisco and visited Alcatraz.
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| Jail cells at Alcatraz Island, August 29, 2010 |
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| Barbara, exiting one of the jail cells at Alcatraz, August 29, 2010. |
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| Whipple Ave exit near San Carlos as we drove back to San Jose, August 29, 2010 |
On Monday, August 30, we returned home via Phoenix. It was a relaxing vacation.
