San Francisco

Wednesday July 9
It seems to take us a long time to get ready but when we finally drove to Starbucks (same Starbuckies as yesterday). Again, we used the iPod with Google Maps to navigate around San Francisco looking at camera shops. We forgot our camera charger at home (we already have two). You won't notice we have no new San Francisco pictures because the camera had no battery, these are from last years trip.

This before leaving San Francisco we thought we better eat something really different, so we ate Columbian and El Salvadorian. I ate a pumpusa (I think). I know I ate plantain mushed and wrapped around beans then deep fried (enchilada thing). The pumpusa was like a pancake with zucchini and cheese in it.

Sad to leave San Francisco, but off to new places. We drove to Palo Alto to a camera shop (on highway 101) just before they closed. They fulfilled our charger needs. We drove to Sandborn Hostel and a State Park (all up the same road) – neither proved worthy. We stayed at Saratoga Springs where we stayed last year.

This night our supper consisted of fake, boil in a foil, Pad Thai at our campsite, quite a switch from the last few days. It was washed down with beer.

Tuesday July 8
We had a really late start leaving our camp spot, ok maybe I should say, "our expensive parking spot". We drove to Mill Valley again for a Starbucks, then Ken got real estate info on the area. I parked myself by a window box with grape plants growing and sketched. They were filming, in a nearby store, for a Food Network episode (I don't remember the show and a lady came by and asked if I was working for the director. I wasn't, but nice to be asked, I guess I am starting to look more professional in my drawing.

Using the iPod and Google Maps we drove into San Francisco and ate lunch at Shalamars, it was so good last night for supper a repeat was demanded. We planned out using the ipod and walked to many closed thrift stores using and old list. We did finds lots open, however. We basically cloded down the Thrift stores at 8:00pm. We found ourselves in the Mission District on Valencia Street. We ate at a great little Japanese, vegetarian restaurant (something different). Ken kept going on about getting a parking spot in front of the restaurant I was going to start calling him George.

Fisherman's Wharf is where we went next. By this time of night it was quite cool, so changed into warmer attire. We wanted to walk around for a while. I was so tired I was laughing at everything. When we realized just how exhausted we were, we drove back to our camping spot.

This particular camping spot was very clean, great security with a bathroom that had a code and hot, free showers.


Monday July 7
We ate breakfast on our Canada lawn chairs beside the van. This Marin Park campsite is really only for RVs but we were luckily to find any place to camp this close to San Francisco.

Ken drove me to San Raphel to Dharma Trading. Wow, it has great cloth for cheap and every kind of dye and fabric paint, oh and accessories to do such tasks. I was in heaven for one and a half hours. I did make a few purchases of books, DVDs and cloth, etc. (which of course will get a free trip down to Mexico with us).

We drove the Golden Gate Bridge and on into China Town. Parking was a challenge. On our after lunch hike we walked into Nieman Marcus. Scary Prices!!! Like a painted carved chair, kinda funky $4200.

We hit a couple of thrift stores then walked to supper at Shalamars (a hit from last years trip). Doesn't sound like much but it was a really fun day..