San Francisco: Day 2 & 3

The morning of my second day in San Francisco, we set out again from Berkley on another outdoor adventure, swinging by a supermarket first to grab some snacks for the road.

I couldn't believe how many avocados there were (and how inexpensive they were!).

Arriving at our destination, Muir Woods National Monument, a park full of beautiful, 200-ft tall redwood trees (the oldest of which is more than a 1000 years old), we refueled with some ice cream while plotting which of the many hiking trails to take.

Prajit happened across his spirit-animal.

And then we set off, first hiking through the forest floor.

Our path then led us out of the forest and up a steep incline.

The view kept getting more and more spectacular the higher and higher we climbed.  You could peer down at the tops of these gigantic trees, knowing only hours before, you were standing down at the very base of them.

The following day, we spent some time in the city, first visiting Berkley's Botanical Garden, which was full of some of the most bizarre flora and fauna I'd ever seen.

Pitcher plants - these lovely little carnivores were Prajit's favorites.

There were some very large cacti!

Next, we headed into San Francisco to visit the famous Pier 39.  It felt more like an amusement park, as everything was very commercialized and there were throngs of tourists everywhere.

It was fun however to see the sea lions basking out on the docks.

And to get a glimpse of the famous prison Alcatraz from the shore.  By this point, we were in full tourist mode, and decided to keep it up and try a San Francisco specialty I remember from when I was a kid - clam chowder served in a bowl of sourdough bread.

After a fantastic lunch, we left the pier and went to Haight and Ashbury, the district famous for its hippie culture.

The area was a spectacle of interesting shops and storefront scenes.

To conclude my three fantastic days in the Bay Area, we went out that night to one of Prajit's favorite sushi places, where I got to experience flaming sushi for the first time in my life.  

The sushi is brought out and lit on fire right in front of you...and then you must patiently wait until the flames die out before tucking in.

Goodbye San Francisco (for now) - it's been a fantastic few days!