120317 Spring Break

The month of March graces us with a visit by dear friends from Vietnam. Since this visit is their first to the United States, my wife & I want to expose them to the richness and diversity of this country, especially of Arizona and the Southwest.

We depart from Phoenix and its surrounding desert by car for San Francisco, with an overnight stay in Los Angeles. Along the way, we plan to introduce our friends to American "street food", such as the infamous hamburger and hot dog, as well as a myriad of other cuisines, from Italian to Mexican, which make up the pot of fondue making up America.  As we approach Los Angeles, we are hit by torrential rain.  So in the short span of a few hours, our friends experience the dryness of the desert and the wetness of a thunderstorm.

Our drive to San Francisco along the Pacific Coast Highway (California 1) includes stops along the way to take in the natural beauty of this region. Unfortunately, the cold temperature and the high wind lessen this pleasure. 

California Coast Line.

We arrive at our rental condominium in San Francisco just before midnight. Its location is at the top of a hill giving us a breathtaking view of the city below. We thoroughly enjoy our stay in this City by the Bay, as we visit the Golden Gate Bridge and other landmarks. 

San Francisco at dawn.

Of course, no visit to the Bay area is complete without tasting the clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl and a drive down Lombard Street - the "Crookediest Street" in the World.  Both my Vietnamese friend and my daughter handle this challenge with flying colors. Also on one such outing, we have a chance encounter with a handsome dog at a café in beautiful Sausalito. 

A dog at a cafe in Sausalito, CA.

Our return to Los Angeles begins after a brief stop in Monterey. Again high wind and low temperature make the enjoyment of this scenic area difficult.

After a good night's rest, we visit to Universal Studio Hollywood. We thoroughly enjoy our time with our friends at this theme park. We also stop by the Walt Disney Concert Hall near downtown Los Angeles. 

Dinosaur at Universal Studio Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA.

Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, CA.

After Los Angeles, we head further south to San Diego. Another dear friend and his gracious wife welcome us all into their beautiful home. We have a great time visiting the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. 

Golden Eagle at San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Lion at San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

We truly have a very pleasant time with friends.  And a lot of pictures are taken during our friends' stay in the United States. But only a handful of photos are generic enough for publication.

As always, your valuable comments & critiques are welcome.  Thank you for visiting. 

Paul