Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Steamin' South from San Francisco for about a week and we arrived at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.



Rounded the rocky corner with the cruise ships hiding behind them.



The view of the rocks from the other side, approaching the harbor.





"No se vende!" Random half built house declaring itself not up for sale on the desert hill overlooking the port.



Hopped off the boat only to find that it was about a million degrees outside. Ran into the shade, requested they turn the fan on me and ordered an icy refreshing adult beverage. Got to watch as the locals lined up with their signs to mob the tourists debarking from the cruise ship tenders. "Cheap as Wal-mart!"

(You can see our boat blending in with the condos at the far right.)



Tacos! Oh my goodness I think I must have devoured tacos every meal for the entire weekend we were there. After a summer in Canada, I couldn't get enough Mexican food.



Hid from the scorching sun in the shade with the misters and the fans.



Took a water taxi to Lover's Beach under the rocks on the point.



The water taxi driver took us through the rolling waters that smashed angrily against the rocks and Cabo's iconic rock arch at Land's End.



Dropped us off on the beach.





Really interesting rock formations lined the beaches.





Young surfers took on the massive waves.







And away we went. Back underway for another week or two until we reached Panama.



Dolphins, birds and endless schools of flying fish accompanied us on our journey south. For all of the dolphins we saw, this is pretty much the only picture I got. It's a lot harder to photograph them when you're doing twelve knots and they're in and out of the water in a flash. So fun to watch, though. Especially when you haven't seen anything else in days.

San Francisco, California Part Two plus San Diego

Took a stroll along the waterfront.





To Pier 39, Fisherman's Warf, which must be one of the biggest and gaudiest tourist traps I've come across. Not really my scene of choice, but I had to check it out and experience it for myself. It was certainly something else.



Masses of sea lions congregate along the back of Fisherman's Warf. I hung out there for a while and watched people watch the noisy sea lions.




Papyrus? Really? This fancy waterfront restaurant has their logo plastered all over their building in Papyrus? *Gag* The rest of the city prominently displays its fantastic design skills, but looks like they missed out.



Later that night I took the ferry back to where our boat was docked. It was one of those moments where I genuinely felt proud of myself where I am with my life. Had I never left my office job, there would be no chance I'd be sitting on a bench on a public ferry with the lights of San Fransisco shrinking into the distance on the way back to my "home" on a boat. I'm grateful for all of the neat experiences I've been able to collect on my travels.

My little moment was also probably attributed to the few drinks I had while waiting for the ferry.....



While the boat was in San Fransisco, I hopped a plane to San Diego to visit my family who were vacationing there at the time. We all stayed on a little sailboat for the weekend. Seems I just can't get away from boats!



Sailed the harbor and met the locals.



Speeding! 0.9 Knots, yahoo!



And back to the port of San Francisco again.



Coit Tower on the right, the piers in the foreground.



Goodbye San Francisco. Goodbye California! We departed again to continue our five week long journey that would take us from Western Canada down through the Panama Canal and up to Savannah, Georgia.

San Francisco, California

After being underway for four days from Canada, I awoke early one morning to being greeted by San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge!



We had come at the right time, the fog had opened up just for us.



Alcatraz.



Alcatraz again. A view of one prison from inside another. Ha.



Land! After a few of the bumpiest days at sea I've experienced, I was elated for land. And San Francisco, especially since I'd never been!



We got coffee at an outdoor cafe and the bird at the bottom left stole the show. He waited patiently beneath our table and when our food arrived he sang the prettiest little song to win our hearts and weasel us out of our lunch. Unfortunately, the picture does no justice for his rainbow of iridescent feathers. Meanwhile, the pigeons with their blank dumb stares tried to get in on the action, but we continued to shoo them away. When the neighboring table received their food, our little song bird twittered out his pretty little song for their lunch as well. I was in love.



Had Thai for lunch in China Town.



Was impressed by the San Francisco's buildings.



And more buildings.



And hills lined with buildings.



And more hills lined with buildings. What exercise!





Climbed up to Coit Tower to enjoy the view overlooking Alcatraz. Stay tuned for San Francisco part two!