GIFT & SURPRISES Part II

The wonderful gift from our #1 son, David, was First Class American Airlines Tickets first to Phoenix on September 29th, and covered in the preceding post about my surprising a blog/fb friend, then from Phoenix to San Francisco on October 1st to visit our son.

Early morning (4:30 am) September 29th as our wonderful son, Marc, takes us to the airport.

We arrive right on time in San Fran and David picks us up at the airport.    David & Karin have a wonderful Shish-q-bob dinner catered in for us this first night.

They have a beautiful condo with a fantastic view!!  I took this shot early Tuesday morning, while everyone else was still sleeping.  My little camera really didn't catch the beautiful off their deck.  It was very clear and the moon was a beautiful golden color.

A day time, clear shot, view from the same deck.

Karin & Mickey pointing up to their upstairs condo.  The apartments are upstairs and the garages are below. 

On Tuesday Karin went to work and David, Mickey & I just hung around the condo and enjoyed each other and visiting.  David, who travels all over the U.S. with his job, scheduled vacation time so he could be with us during these 5 days of our visit in San Francisco.  That evening they have Indian food catered in.  Different to our tastes but yummy.  The four of us watched a Leo Gigglio tape How Great is Our God which we had brought with us.

Wednesday Karin took off at 2.  David picked her up and we went sight seeing.  Karin did all the driving in her Volkswagen, stick shift with power pack.  She was an amazing driver, going up and down the packed, steep streets of traffic.  She drove us down Lombard street, the famous crooked street, but I failed to get a picture. 

The Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill.  Mickey & I had been here on our RV travel trips.

Father, Son & Mom 

Karin & David 

David had researched things for us to see and do and one of them we decided on was visiting The Parrots of Telegraph Hill.  From the above picture we are preparing to walk down a series of 289 steps and then back up to Coit Tower.

A view of the skyline, on this overcast Wednesday, just before we began our decent. 

Lovely, very expensive and lovely apartments & condo's all along the way down.  

The beautiful gardens as we are making our way along the 289 steps.

Another view as we are making our decent.  The corker of this excursion was we saw not ONE, nadda, Parrot but it was a fun climb.  There would be 10 or 12 steps and then a landing and it would turn a degree, and then another group of steps, etc.  Coming back up we had to keep stopping and catching our breath but we made it!!!  

Hurried back to their condo and ordered Pizza and watch the 1st Presidential debate together.  Fun!!!  And no arguments :o)

Thursday David took Karin to work and then the 3 of us went out for another day of sightseeing.

First was the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts - This was October 4th which was our 54th Anniversary.  What a beautiful way to spend it, in this beautiful city with our son.  We are so grateful for the wonderful marriage God has enabled us to build, even through some difficult times along the way.  

Next to Pier 45 

David & Mickey enjoyed touring this submarine.  I sat on a park bench and waited for them and visited with a young couple from Bonn, Germany. 

We drove up and down many street to find this Mel's Drive-in.  Made famous from the firm American Graffiti.

Wonderful diner meals, we all choose something different and with my meetload dinner I had a yogart malt.  A first for me, and it was very good. 

Autographed items and pictures on the walls from the movie.

One of the places David for sure wanted us to see was this beautiful Grace Chapel.

Built 163 years ago.  I tried to take pictures of the beautiful inside stained glass windows but my little camera didn't get good shots.

Son & Mom climbing 40 steps up to the chapel (after our 289 yesterday this was nothing!!)

Added unexpected treats of the day was they were setting up for The Americus Race and The Blue Angels were flying over us!!! 

Then it was home where we enjoyed a shrimp platter, cheese & crackers & left over pizza.  We watch a Bill Cloud dvd we had brought with us.  Early to bed as we had to be at the airport early for our flight home.

There is MORE to this story, but since this post is so long I'm going to make a Part III of this wonderful gift, trip & adventure.

Thank you David for making our 54th a really special treat with this wonderful trip and visit.