Fortunately, we found a cable car stop just outside our hotel, so we hopped on ...
... and loved it!
It took us down to the Bay ... where we checked out the fun piers and fountains and people ... but despite my new short 'do, it was a bit too windy to get a face + Alcatraz pic. (Notice my new haircut? It'll look better in later pics)
Most of us ate breadbowl chowder at Fisherman's Warf ...
... although the Finn man caught up on his zzz's.
Day 2 found us once again using cable-based transportation ...
... this time to the square made famous for its chocolate and ice cream.
... and took a trip down the curviest street I've ever seen ...
... and headed across the Golden Gate bridge. After a long hike up the hill, we snapped a few pics from a neat vantage point.
We had so much fun at the beach that the next day we grouped up with Mom's "cousins" and headed out in search of a sandier spot. We found just the spot - lots of sand, lots of wind, and lots of WAVES! For an idea of how much energy fun I had, click on the pic below - it comes to life!
... and loved it!
It took us down to the Bay ... where we checked out the fun piers and fountains and people ... but despite my new short 'do, it was a bit too windy to get a face + Alcatraz pic. (Notice my new haircut? It'll look better in later pics)
Most of us ate breadbowl chowder at Fisherman's Warf ...
... although the Finn man caught up on his zzz's.
Day 2 found us once again using cable-based transportation ...
... this time to the square made famous for its chocolate and ice cream.
Before heading out of the city for Mom's family's reunion, we stopped by a museum and learned how cable cars work ...
... and took a trip down the curviest street I've ever seen ...
... and headed across the Golden Gate bridge. After a long hike up the hill, we snapped a few pics from a neat vantage point.
Our fun in SF done, we crossed back over the bridge and headed south to Santa Cruz and then over a ways to a little camp - Monte Toyon - in the middle of a redwood forest.
The Finns met a lot of distant relatives for the first time and generally enjoyed the fact that the buffet-style meals were all-he-could-eat.
During the reunion we took a day trip down the road to a neat little seaside locale ...
My favorite parts of the museum were "everything" ... but I particularly liked the ocean things you could touch. Finnerelli did, too, although he had more fun splashing than touching.
We left Monterey and headed south to a spot just north of Pebble Beach for a little rocky coast time and my first real introduction to the Pacific ocean.
We had so much fun at the beach that the next day we grouped up with Mom's "cousins" and headed out in search of a sandier spot. We found just the spot - lots of sand, lots of wind, and lots of WAVES! For an idea of how much Finn was also a big fan of the beach and had fun chasing all the birds and splashing through our kid-made "swimming pools."
On our walk back to the car the "boys" and I discovered a mini sand dune and just had to climb and run down it four or five times. Of course, the boys' legs are of sufficient length to handle the bottom of a sand dune. Mine, however, are apparently not ... so at the end of each descent ...
... I did a faceplant. 3 showers and 2 baths later and I just might have all the sand out of my nose by now.
Before leaving the reunion, we took a brief hike through the forest and stopped by the biggest tree we could find ...
... and then headed back to San Fran and the airplane home. But along the way we took a break next to one of the most famous golf courses in the world.
... (he didn't take too kindly to being cut off from more melon) ...
... I became a big sister. Although yesterday was my brother's official big day, the celebrations started last Saturday with a whole host of Madtown friends and WiscoGrandparents in our backyard. Finn, as usual, held court in the sandbox ...
