'19/#24 San Fran With Our New Little Buddies

I don't know why but we always seem to get more involved with the young people at our work camping jobs than we do with other work campers or the other workers of or nearing the age of retirement. I'm not complaining because we have so much fun and these young people inexplicably seem to like having us around. This past weekend we went into San Francisco with two of the J-1 students from Jamaica. J-1s are here to work and experience the culture of the U.S. just like we travel to experience different areas of our home country.

Shawn and Alex had almost as much fun as we did. We started with a Tuk Tuk Tour of SanFrancisco. A Tuk Tuk is a motorized rickshaw and can get around busy towns much easier than our big pickup truck. Also the driver is much more knowledgeable of the area and the sights to be seen. It was like being on our own private little tour bus of San Francisco. The boys, being from Jamaica, were freezing in the 60 degree weather and the wind in the open air Tuk Tuk. We brought extra jackets and scarves and blankets and .....well you get the picture. In spite of the cold they had a great time.

We had to feed the guys also so we asked where they wanted to eat. Of all places, they wanted McDonald's! Apparently there are no McDonald's in Jamaica and when I looked it up, sure enough the company left the island in 2005. So it was McDonald's for breakfast and lunch. Here in the good ol' USA there are McD's everywhere. Even at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

After lunch we went on a boat ride around SanFrancisco Bay. The boat took us along the water front, near the sea lions, past Alcatraz, and under the Golden Gate Bridge. Again the boys were freezing and we had to bundle them up on what Mary and I thought was a beautiful afternoon. Again this was something Mary and I wanted to do and were fortunate enough to share it with Shawn and Alex.

Once back on dry land we all had to do some serious tourist shopping. Walking around the shops on the water front everyone found something to keep as a memento or send home to family and friends. Then it was back to Petaluma and the KOA.  Dinner was NOT McDonald's. We decided to find a Chinese restaurant and enjoyed a wonderful meal. I would be remiss if I didn't thank our bosses from KOA for helping us out with funds to make the day special.

Well it is time to get ready for work so I will say goodbye from our home in Petaluma California because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'19/#23 Excitement Roller Coaster

Too much time has passed since my last blog. As usual lots of boring stuff mixed with a touch of excitement, and not always the good kind. Most of you have already heard about Mary's trip to the hospital and that she is OK. Just a perfect storm of self neglect led to her passing out, an ambulance ride, and two days in the hospital. On a side note this can count as my stress test for the year and I passed with flying colors. Let's not do it again!

Once Mary was home and feeling better we decided to take a leisurely trek in search of another lighthouse. This time it was at Bonita Point at the mouth of San Francisco Bay. Located on a now closed army base that was once the home of Nike defence missiles many of the buildings left just shout out military base. Good roads and an easy one mile round trip walk got us out to the lighthouse with views of the Pacific Ocean, the California coastline, and of course San Francisco.

Speaking of San Francisco, this weekend we are heading back into the city with two of the exchange students that work with us. I don't know who is more excited about the trip, Mary or the exchange students.  It will be a day of just being tourists and promises to be a lot of fun. Plus we get to help the kids experience their time here in the U.S.

Well I have to get ready for work soon I will say goodbye from our home in Petaluma,  California because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary