The Tourist Weekend

Our weekend tour with Devin was essentially a day exploring Berkeley and a day exploring San Francisco. Sunny, lots of walking, plenty of spontaneous exploring.

Berkeley is much as I had imagined--urban, but lots of shades of bygone decades. The campus is lovely--the only regret was spring break had just begun so most of the buildings were closed but just wandering, looking & reading was great. I obviously had not read up enough before arriving as I was pleasantly surprised at the age & beauty of the campus. Many newsworthy & movie moments faded in & out as we wandered. We leisurely saw the campus--hiked up the hill to the national labs for Devin's tour (they have one of the best views available anywhere!) and then walked to the waterfront--catching the farmer's market and lots of great architecture & plant life in between (and many wild turkeys!).

In San Francisco we walked the Embarcadero, waterfront from the Ferry Terminal to Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square & the Maritime National Park; back up over the hill past Lombard St. (crookedest street), through parts of Russian Hill, the Italian district & Chinatown to Union Square. Lots of history along the way, including City Lights bookstore--and such a lovely day that just about every kind of boat was out on the water. We were appropriately awed by the myriad of displays of carved ivory--especially huge tusks--in Chinatown windows. It seems so decadent, but strangely awesome, too.

Union Square flowers--the flora was great entertainment

the Maritime Museum in San Francisco

sculpture on Berkeley campus

one of my favorite Berkeley campus buildings

Lots of good food & ale (it was, after all, vacation!)--good talks, great laughs. We even took in The Hurtlocker one night--would highly recommend it. No question why Kathryn Bigelow got best director--and Jeremy Renner is superb.