Day 5: a little glimpse of Heaven

When I think back on some of the most amazing days of my life, today ranks near the top of that list. There were moments when I literally thought I was going to cry Charlie Brown tears at the beauty before my eyes. I'm not much of a nature girl (no comments from the peanut gallery) but I think I caught a glimpse of the beauty God truly meant for us to experience here on Earth.

We picked up our rental car, hooked up the handy dandy GPS and we were off. I haven't felt that "free" in a long time...just me and my man exploring the world together...it was perfect.

First stop on the "Womble San Francisco Road Trip Extravaganza"...back to Golden Gate Park. We visited on our Friday tour but did not get to see the wind mills and tulip garden. We navigated our way through Monday morning traffic which was an adventure in itself. GPS doesn't have a handle on Monday morning reroutes and one way streets so we took the scenic route. Once we made it inside the park it was so peaceful and breathtakingly beautiful. It was 9 am and you could still feel the dampness in the air. The tulips were standing at attention and if you listened closely you could the waves crashing onto Ocean Beach. The windmill was beautiful. For just a moment I felt like I was in Holland surrounded by Dutch windmills and beautiful tulips. It was perfect.Then it was off to Ocean Beach and to take in the view from the Cliff House. This was the first time on our trip that we saw the rocky cliffs of the Pacific Ocean. San Francisco is surrounded by the bay on three sides so the water had been calm up until this point. The landscape was much different than what I think of as a beach. The sand was a medium brown color and in all honestly I thought it looked dirty (even though I know it was not). Of course, the sand I am accustomed to is white/beige so it was quite a change. Once over the Golden Gate Bridge, we navigated our way through the winding roads to Muir Woods National Forest. I thought I was going to be sick several times while Daddy was wishing for a sports car and a helmet. I was reconsidering my must see attraction by the time we arrived but I am so glad we didn't turn back. I don't even know where to begin to describe this place. It was freezing cold but breathtakingly beautiful. You couldn't even see the sky for the trees. It was definitely a little glimpse of Heaven. My words could never do this place justice so I will let the photos speak for themselves. Breathtakingly beautiful!
















Next stop: Point Bonita Lighthouse. I read the best view of the ocean and the bay could be seen from Point Bonita Lighthouse. Our friends Rachel and James are lighthouse hunters so I knew we had to take a few pictures just for them. We drove the winding roads to the entry point, walked about a mile (through a tunnel running through the middle of a huge rock) to reach the lighthouse. They were right about the view...beautiful. I couldn't bring myself to walk the suspension bridge over the rocks and crashing waves below to see the lighthouse up close and personal. It was built to replicate the Golden Gate seen in the distance. It was still very windy from the storms that blew in so there was no way I was going any further. If there is a sign that says "only 2 people on bridge at one time" and a group of adolescent school children nearby, DO NOT GET ON THE BRIDGE. I think my zoom lens showed me everything I wanted to see. :-) Again, see the pictures. My words can not even begin to describe this place.
















Before we left I read that you COULD NOT go to San Francisco without eating a hamburger at a place in Sausalito called "Hamburger". Original, huh? Daddy loves a good burger so off we went back down the hills to find some lunch. We ate and did a little bit of window shopping before we headed back in to the city. It was a yummy burger but I think Daddy (AKA Bobby Flay wannabe) could give them a run for their money. :-)

Photos from Crissy Field, driving down Lombard Street and exploring the neighborhoods of San Francisco rounded out our final day. Notice the word "CLEAR" at the top of Lombard Street. It is there to keep pedestrians from getting plowed. The road is so steep you can't really see where you are going until you've already started down the hill. I found it interesting that the street is made of brick. Daddy said it was kind of difficult to maneuver but I was busy hanging the camera out the window so I wouldn't know. :-)
We returned our car and walked back to the hotel exhausted yet invigorated by such a memorable time together. This was hands down my favorite day of our trip. We returned to our room, changed clothes and hopped a trolley for our dinner reservation at Frascati. Our food was out of this world. They get the award for Best Restaurant and Best Dessert for our trip. We devoured a White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Hazelnut Ice Cream that was unlike any chocolate dessert I have ever eaten. It was heavenly and a perfect ending to a perfect trip. Next stop...HOME!