San Francisco & Walnut Creek - Cannery Row & Point Lobos along the way

Here we are in Walnut Creek, CA again, briefly visiting with Steve's cousin's husband on our way back home.

Yesterday, we drove through Monterey, CA.  Steve wanted to see Cannery Row, made famous by John Steinbeck.  It was a bit of a letdown; very commercialized and no real canneries, I'm sure those have moved on.

But, Point Lobos State Reserve (a place our daughter Meghan and her boyfriend Aram recommended) was just gorgeous!  This was south of Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea.  There were sea lions on the long island in the photos, flocks of pelicans and other birds flying low over the water.  Watching the scene, with the sound of sea lion barks in the air and 5 pelicans cruising 3 feet off the water, it felt like Jurassic Park.  As you can see, I really like the contrasts of the foliage on the hillsides, too.  In that overcast light, the greens and grays speckled with flowers just jumped out at me.

This island is covered, COVERED, with sea lions barking their heads off.

Look closely - 5 or 6 sea lions are lazing on that peninsula. 

Different angle, but the same 5 or 6 sea lions.

I couldn't "capture" the pelicans, but this is either a hawk or an eagle (and it had a mate  dancing around it).

Cousin Nancy and Bud graciously offered to put us up for a night or two.  So, today, we ventured into San Francisco with Bud as our guide.  We rode BART from Walnut Creek to Embarcadaro in San Francisco.  It was fun!

The clock tower at the Port that had tolling bells every hour!

The Port of San Francisco - great Mexican food on the other side!

Ferry Building at the Port

Statue of Ghandi on the ferry docks.

The Oakland Ferry

Bay Bridge and Cupid's Span sculpture in Rincon Park on the Embarcadero.  See the big bow and arrow in the background?

Bay Bridge

Trolley leaving the Port area.

Solar panels shading parked cars in our Park n Ride.  Brilliant!

Tomorrow, we visit with Steve's other cousin, Kerry and his wife Lynn, and then hit the road for Northern California, the Redwoods again, and maybe another couple beaches.  Tacoma, we will see you soon!