San Francisco

At the beginning of the school year, Ruby was stricken by a serious case of fernweh.  German for "longing for the distance."  German has a word for everything; remember fahrvergnugen?  This time, it wasn't driving pleasure Ruby was after.  It was the happiness derived from getting on a plane and going to San Francisco.  I'm sure there's a German word for that, but in this case, Ruby's problem was solved by an English word:  Grandfather.  Hearing that Ruby was about to run away, he texted me, "Can you go to SFO this weekend?"  I couldn't, but you don't throw a question like that out there and expect inaction.  Next thing we knew, a trip was booked for December 11.  $85 roundtrip from Provo to Oakland on Allegiant Air, in case you're wondering.  We brought our other San Fran lover along, too.

Makes me happy to see Ruby like this.

BART from Oakland to Union Square was easy.

Hotel Mark Twain was really cute, with its fun literary theme and comfy beds.

And free wifi ;)

Our flight got in at 4 pm, and we didn't waste any time getting out there.  My parents have both spent time in San Francisco.  Coco lived there twice, and Bill spent summers there, with three aunts and an uncle who lived in the city.  He also passed through many times during his Navy service, and spent a summer at Stanford Law.  So they know their way around.  Dad even knows his way around 1950's San Francisco.  "This is right where Aunt Myrtle and Mary's hat shop was on Maiden Lane..."  "I think this is the building where I stayed with Aunt Pearl in 1958..."

These girls were exhilarated at being in the city.  Araceli declares San Francisco to be her favorite city.

December is a fun time to travel; everything is decked out for the holidays.

Dad at the Hotel Sir Francis Drake, asking about room rates.  He stayed here when he was in the Navy for two weeks, because the Navy got his immunizations mixed up and he had to wait to get a booster shot for one.  Your tax dollars at work!  Back then, this swanky hotel was like $18 a night.

Dinner at a diner Araceli remembered from her trip to SFO with Scott 4 years ago, and back to the Mark Twain to rest up for a weekend of relaxation!