3 nights in San Francisco

A friend from church gave us 3 nights at his timeshare in San Francisco, so the three of us got to spend a few days in the big city! With our first glimpses of all the buildings, people, cars, and incessant urbanity, we wished the timeshare had been in Tahoe instead. But after we got checked in and sent the car away to the deep recesses of the parking garage, we took off on foot to explore our surroundings. It took less than 2 blocks (and a 3-story Williams-Sonoma) to revive our love of city life.

We had a great time with Justin experiencing the contrasts between city and rural life. We did lots and lots of walking (and singing the Spiderman theme song to keep someone from sitting down in protest in the middle of the who-knows-what-those-stains-are-from sidewalk). We also did quite a bit of bus riding and train riding. Our highlights were the Exploratorium (science museum), the San Francisco Zoo, the beach, and exploring little stores and restaurants along the way. Our dining highlights included sushi, Indian, and lots of coffee (none of it from Starbucks!).

The zoo had a special tarantula exhibit

Justin on a bear at the zoo

Collecting rocks and shells

A perfectly timed interactive photograph exhibit at the Exploratorium

We couldn't bring Koty, but Justin's stuffed "Koty-dog" came instead

A colored light exhibit at the Exploratorium

Justin's favorite activity at the Exploratorium:
a spinning sand wheel

The 2nd beach visit marked Justin's first ever voluntary touching of the ocean! He's come a long ways since he used to sob at the sight of a wave :)

Enjoying a walking break at a sidewalk cafe

Sticking his hand through a bubble at the Exploratorium

One lowlight was when Dave and Justin went to the bathroom. They came back looking glum and walking gingerly. Apparently it was an overly odorous and not at all clean bathroom. Dave's not sure what happened, but he said Justin was standing and going to the bathroom one second; Dave turned around and the next thing he knows Justin is on the floor on his back, having plunged his arm in the toilet up to his elbow and managing to bang his chin on the not-clean toilet seat on the way down. I didn't know whether to laugh or cringe when Dave relayed the experience to me!

The other lowlight was when Justin was in the bathtub at the hotel and decided to use my razor on his hair. Thankfully he didn't cut himself, and there are only 2 noticable-to-me spots that are slightly bald!

One last highlight: the day we arrived there was a Swiss Mountain Dog festival. We were diasppointed not to be able to bring Koty, but we brought our stuffed Koty-dog instead. Justin insisted on taking a picture of Every. Single. Dog. Here are his 2 favorites:

(obviously, this white fluffy dog is NOT in the Swiss Mountain Dog family...we have no idea why she was there!)