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RECENT PICTURES
HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF OUR BRIEF TWO WEEK VACATION ....
THIS IS NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT A FEW WE THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE....
THIS IS A CONCRETE STATUE IN THE CENTER
OF OLD TOWN IN AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, WHERE FRED'S DAUGHTER, NANCY WORKS.
KATHY... RIDING ON A CABLE CAR IN SAN
FRANCISCO.... WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO FIND AN AUTHENTIC, OBSCURE CHINESE
RESTAURANT IN CHINATOWN.
.... AND HERE IT IS !! THE HANG AH TEA ROOM .... OFF A SIDE STREET AND DOWN A DARK ALLEY AT 8:30 P.M.
..... AND HERE IT IS...
WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE PLACE CLOSES AT 9 P.M. ON WEEKDAYS, BUT WE WERE THE ONLY CUSTOMERS IN THE PLACE, SO WE ORDERED SOMETHING FAMILIAR FROM THE MENU..... HOWEVER, THE OWNER (THE YOUNG MAN IN THE BLACK SHIRT), HIS WIFE (IN RED SWEATER) AND THE COOK (IN THE WHITE HAT) URGED US TO JOIN THEM AS THE FAMILY STARTED THEIR DINNER. (TRADITIONALLY THE CHINESE RESTAURATEURS HAVE THEIR FAMILY MEAL WHEN THEIR PLACE CLOSES).
GRANDMA JOINED US ALSO... AND WE REALLY
HAD A FEAST!! THEY SHARED FRESH CAUGHT CRAB AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF
STUFF WE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE..... LUCKILY WE SPENT ALL THAT TIME IN CHINA A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO....
WE REALLY FELT BLESSED THAT THIS WHOLE
FAMILY GAVE US IMMEDIATE "GUAN XI" (LITERALLY "BACK DOOR") PRIVILEGE
TO BECOME PART OF THEIR FAMILY GATHERING.
... AS I SAID, THIS PLACE WAS IN A DARK
ALLEY OFF A SIDE STREET IN CHINATOWN.... BUT WE FELT VERY SAFE IN THERE....
MAYBE IT WAS FRED'S "DRAGON CANE" .... THE LITTLE GIRL
"SHAO CHEH" WAS THE YOUNG COUPLE'S FIRST CHILD AND READILY TOOK TO
US...
WE DINED UNTIL AFTER 10 P.M. WHEN AN
UNCLE OF THE OWNERS SHOWED UP TO DRIVE THE FAMILY TO THEIR HOME.... THEY
INSISTED THAT THEY TAKE US BACK TO OUR HOTEL (SHERATON ON FISHERMAN'S WHARF)...
AND WOULD NOT HEAR OF ANYTHING ELSE.
I TOLD KATHY IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS A "GRANDFATHER" AND ALSO NOT A "ROUND EYE" IN SPIRIT. (I THINK KATHY IS TOO!)
THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK A TOUR TO THE MUIR WOODS.... WHERE KATHY MET THIS BEAR....
...HE SEEMED SUCH A NICE BEAR SO I
DIDN'T GET TOO CONCERNED...
THE MUIR WOODS NATIONAL PARK.... SOMETIMES KNOWN AS PART OF THE GIANT REDWOODS IS AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE....
WE ARE DWARFED BY THE GIANT TREES AND THE SENSE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE CREATOR IN THIS PLACE.
.... THEN ON TO SAUSALITO.... A QUAINT LITTLE TOWN ON THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE BAY.... FOR A MARVELOUS LUNCH AND SOME MORE SIGHTSEEING.
THE PICTURE BELOW IS MY FAVORITE....
...THEN ON TO BIG SUR AND AN HISTORIC LIGHTHOUSE....
IT WAS WINDY AND COLD , BUT THE SCENERY WAS JUST MAGNIFICENT!
WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE
"NO STOPPING SIGN" ! :-) :-)
WE STOOD FOR ALMOST AN HOUR AND WATCHED NUMEROUS FLOCKS OF PELICANS FLYING BY ON THEIR WAY TO DINNER...
THEN ON OUR WAY TO MONTEREY BAY AND CANNERY ROW WHERE THERE IS THE WORLD'S GREATEST AQUARIUM.... SEA OTTERS.... AND EVERY IMAGINABLE FORM OF SEAL LIFE.
HERE'S THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA HIMSELF!!
.... AND TRUST US.... THIS IS A 5 STAR RESTAURANT IN THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM WHERE WE HAD ONE OF THE BEST MEALS ON OUT TRIP!!
AND THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE....
OVERLOOKING THE BAY AT SUNSET...
THANK YOU LORD... FOR SAFETY, BEAUTY, AND LOVE!