May 15, 16 2013

Wednesday May 15, 2013

Got a call from Chad about 8:00am for our weekly mail review!   Thanks Chad, and thanks to our neighbors, Dee & Don, for their help with the mail too!  Also, thanks to Gigi & Tom for taking care of our little plants while we're away!!  

I hope you all aren't too bored yet with our adventures!!   We sure have had fun experiencing everything, and then writing about it.   This is great for us too, because we surely wouldn't remember everything down the road.  

After Dennis talked to Chad we got ready to hit the wine trail!!   Hopped on the bike and rode up Rt. 29 just north of downtown Napa.

 Wow, could not believe all the wineries.   We just picked a couple to visit, otherwise we'd be broker than we are now.   One we really liked was V. Satturi Vineyard.   Did a tasting, bought some wine, and bought lunch.   They had a nice deli with a little bit of everything.   Had lunch on a picnic table at the winery.   Was a beautiful day - in the low 70's and sunny.  Rode to a couple more wineries and then took the Silverado Trail back to Napa.

 

                                                                   Checking the stock!

                                                                 A little tasting.

                                                           Of course we have to eat.

                                                                 A small purchase.

                                                         We can only carry so much.

   Got back about 4:00.   Our neighbors in the campground, Rob & Dawn, invited us over for "happy hour", and they outdid themselves!!   Had grilled shrimp, smoked salmon (he caught himself in Alaska), cheese & crackers, veggies & dip.   Was yummy!!   Then guess what - Dennis brings out the corn hole boards to play a game.  Imagine that!!!   They were not familiar with the game, but caught on quickly.  Guys beat the girls - oh well!!   Unfortunately, we did not take any pictures - can you believe it!!!!!!   We were going out to dinner, but before we knew it, it was 8:00pm.   So we just ate a few leftovers, watched a little TV, and of course, worked on the blog.  

We're very excited about tomorrow!!   Going to catch the Vallejo Ferry into San Francisco and meet our Rose Hill neighbors, Jean & Dave!!!    They are on a 3 week tour and just happen to be not too far from where we are staying, so we couldn't pass up the opportunity to see them.   We'll take the ferry in, meet them for lunch, and then come back to Napa.   What a coincidence that we're both here at the same time!!   Looking forward to seeing them!!  

Well, time for bed.   More later........

Robin & Dennis


Thursday May 16, 2013

Up early this morning to prepare for our big day in San Francisco.   We're very excited as we are meeting our Rose Hill neighbors, Jean & Dave Whisenant!!    They are on a 3 week bus tour and we just happened to be here at the same time.   Imagine that!  

So we left home about 8:30 a.m., and traveled to the Vallejo Ferry Terminal for our 1 hour journey to Fisherman's Wharf at Pier 41 in San Francisco.   Arrived about 11:30 a.m.

 

 

 

                           Looked closely and you can see the Golden Gate Bridge in the fog.

                                                                            Pier 41

  Called Jean & Dave - they were still on a city tour, but said they would not be long.   So we checked out the area, then walked to the Radisson where they were staying.   Their tour bus had just pulled up.   We were so excited to see them!!   We hugged and took some pictures.

   Then without a minute to waste we were off to have lunch at  the famous Boudin Sourdough Café at the Wharf.   Boy, you could smell the bread cooking, mmmm!!!!   We all had clam chowder in a bread bowl, and boy, was it good!!!   We were talking mile a minute - telling each other about our trips!!   It was so good to see them.

Fisherman's Wharf!!!

Now what are they up to??

 After lunch we just had to walk down to Ghiradelli Square and get ice cream!!   Yum!!

Then we walked around trying to shake some of those calories we had just taken in :))
 After wandering around, we hopped on a city bus and rode to Chinatown.   Boy, that was an experience!!   Went in some shops and grocery stores - saw lots of "interesting" items and people!!   It was great!!                                             

                                                  Dennis wanted this for Halloween

                                                               China Town markets.

                            Pick up your chicken, what ever you wanted, not much packaging here.

                                                                     Need ginger??

                     How about some beef jerky, just put it on the top of the pickup
and it will dry in a day or so.
                 Wait until the next barbecue in Rose Hill, our neighborhood will just love this.

                                                   Now what are these two guys up to???

                            Then walked through Little Italy - lots of great restaurants and deli's!

 

Can you guess where we are?

                                                          Great art work on the buildings.



    Walked back to the Wharf and decided to get a lite dinner before we had to catch the ferry at 6:55 p.m.    Went to Fisherman's Grotto - shared a bottle of wine, sourdough bread and a few appetizers!!   What more could you want - good food and good friends!!!

 By then it was time for us to leave.    Jean and Dave walked with us to where we were catching the ferry and we said our goodbyes.

 It was a great day spent with great people!!!   We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!!   The ferry ride back was fine and we were home before 9:00.   It was a great way to travel.

                                              Fog and the golden gate bridge again.

                                      When we docked back in Vallejo, this was our view.

  Jean and Dave leave San Francisco tomorrow morning heading north.   Hope they have safe travels!!    See you back at Rose Hill!!

Will tour around Sonoma tomorrow and then ride the Napa Valley Wine Train tomorrow evening for dinner!   Our camping neighbors, Rob & Dawn, are joining us on the train.   Early to bed tonight.......

Robin & Dennis