“Home” for a Week

Thank you for reading this week’s “home” for a week post and photo essay. On Sunday Maxx and Catalina went away for a week. We stayed on, house-sitting and pet-sitting, our “home” this week.

One of thousands of flowers in the conservatory.

But first, on Saturday, we all went to Golden Gate Park. It was cloudy, and windy, and chilly. That did not stop the weekend parties in the park, or the throngs of visitors. There were flowers growing everywhere, even though we didn’t get into either the botanical gardens or the Japanese Tea Garden.

A six-piece jazz band, busking in the park.

Catalina and Susan at the water lily pond.

It could be the orchid conservatory!

We did get into the Conservatory of Flowers, though, a greenhouse full of beautiful, healthy, tropical plants. I may have gotten carried away with the camera, my little Olympus point-and-shoot. There was so much to photograph in there!

It could be the carnivorous plant conservatory!

Sunday, we went to the airport, dropping off our hosts in the process. See you next week!

Monday, Memorial Day, we laid low, and considered the sacrifices others have made so all of us can enjoy our lives today.

The Pinnacles.

Tuesday Susan and I went to Pinnacles National Park, a two-hour plus drive. It was hot when we took our first hike. It got hotter as we walked. There was little shade and the sun was blazing. We got to a point where we said, “This is dumb,” and turned around. The temperature was in the 90s!

She doesn’t look like she’s sweating to death!

We did see a California condor, never thought I would, and a coyote, too. But it was a long way to go to walk three miles. One hike was all we attempted.

More Pinnacles. With a moon.

We headed west and drove along the coastal highway for 30 or 40 miles, much less frightening than either further north or further south. Or maybe I’m just getting used to roads barely clinging onto mountainsides? The temperature dropped from the 90s to the 50s in less than 100 miles.

The dogs with Maxx on an earlier trip.

After leaving the dogs home alone all day Tuesday, I for one felt a little guilty. So Wednesday we took them to Rodeo Beach, a dog-friendly beach, so they could do some running. I brought cameras, thinking I’d get some pictures. HA! The dogs took 100 percent of my attention, leaving exactly none for any other activities. We ran them in the sand in the waves for a couple hours, though, exactly what we wanted to do. Get them some exercise and get them tired out, because that’s what they like. We all had fun!

Getting to the beach in the Marin Headlands. 18%!!!

In the BART station at Embarcadero.

Thursday, we braved the Bay Area Rapid Transit system to go to San Francisco. We got off at the wrong stop and then went the wrong way, seeing many people who were, shall we say, very street-savvy. We turned around before total immersion, and started asking directions to Chinatown. Those obtained, off we went.

If only we’d wanted to go somewhere else…

I love Chinatown! I like the buildings, the Chinese characters I wish I could read, the people shopping in the markets, they crazy things you see for sale. I like listening to the people speaking Chinese. I like the street art, and all the flags and lanterns. It’s all quite exotic, and if you get uncomfortable, English-speaking land is just a few blocks away. I like that we ended up in a place called the Spicy Shrimp for a bowl of noodle soup and a plate of chow fun. Yum yum!

The flags and the lanterns!

The street art!

We wandered down to the waterfront, over a mile from Fisherman’s Wharf. There were no sea lions. I guess they all work for tourist tips at the wharf. Then we wandered back to BART, and rode back to Castro Valley.

A view of the Transamerica building.

A different view of the Transamerica building.

BART is clean, and compared to what I’ve seen of rapid transit in Boston and New York, lightly used. The trains were on time, and fast. We couldn’t tell if this was the nature of the beast, or COVID related. When you consider the crowds of cars on the roads around here, I’m sure we’ll use it again next time we go to San Francisco.

The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.

Show off your pride!

Friday Susan painted and I wrote for my Global Outdoors travelogue. And we’re again lying low this weekend. So thank you for reading this week’s “home” for a week post!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or take a trip!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.