San Francisco

We took a quick trip to San Francisco in the midst of our crazy September-October projects and deadlines. There was a Green Building Conference we were interested in, and we've never taken an actual business trip, so we thought, what the heck...
All three kids came along, as we knew they'd get a kick out of the public transportation in SF. Also, they seldom get to stay in a hotel when we travel (its usually friends' houses or the tent), so we just couldn't leave them at home. It made the trip very, um, exhausting. But, we had a fun time. We were there three days and stayed in the Hotel Palomar (same chain as Hotel Monaco) right downtown and across the street from the trolley/cable car turnaround.

Our conference was at the Civic Center and we took turns going to it. I think Jonah got more out of it than I did since he actually understands what everybody is talking about when it comes to building. But, I did pick up some good freebies (it was funny going to a conference about being more environmental, and still having people pass out SWAG all over the place) and I got to hear Erin Brokovich speak. She was pretty cool. She was a lot prettier than I imagined. I'd say she's even prettier than Julia Roberts. And very well spoken. Oh, and she had a good message about taking initiative to consume less and choose products more wisely. The guy before her was some president of some global warming thing and he was saying that we all need to work against COAL. So, say no to coal.

Here's what we learned during our trip:

1. Never ever buy your kids cheap Chinese folding fans. They break. And then you catch a photo of your son at the end of an "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnaa!!!!!!"

2. Great time to visit China Town: during the Autumn Moon Festival (celebration of the founding of the Republic). Big parades of dragons, stalls and food, felt like we were actually IN China but without the smell, AND the most important figure of the New Autumn Moon, everybody’s favorite big red dog, made an appearance. (That picture's for you Noah)

3. Best snack to have while traveling that everyone will like:
big long bread (we actually learned this in NZ a few years ago...but we had forgotten it until now).

4. Elsie is the cutest ever. Oh, we already knew that. She made groups of foreign tourists melt with cuteness and laughter with her head tilts on the trolleys and streetcars.

5. Six-year-olds can complain and complain and complain if they are low on sleep and think they are cold and have walked more than two miles in one day. However, if they find a grassy field, they will instantly find forgotten energy and run happily (see One Big Happy comic at http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/uc/20070922/lcrobh070923.gif).

6. There is nowhere within a 1.5 mile walk from the Golden Gate Bridge (not including the distance across the bridge) to buy food after 5 pm. BUT, if you accidently walk down the bike path instead of the footpath, you will find a very large stand of blackberry bushes. Just make sure you park the stroller out of the way of the passing bikes. Also, make sure you tell the bikers who stop to have some berries too that they are supposed to eat the black ones, not the red ones.

8. San Franciscans are so accustomed to weirdness that they don't even look twice if you are carrying a giant child in a front baby carrier and he's giggling uncontrollably.

9. Kids love public transportation: no seatbelts, you get to wiggle, there are lots of people to talk to, and it’s just cool to ride on a plane/train/bus/streetcar/trolley. However, just because you spend all day being driven around does not mean that the kid won’t get more-than-exhausted from all the getting off and on the bus/train/trolley.

10. Never try and make your kids stand next to street performers spray-painted silver. Its freaky. BUT, you can always stroll the unknowing baby next to anything for a photo-op.

What the kids loved:

Elsie loved riding on the airplane.

Ana LOVED when we'd stop to eat, and staying in the hotel...especially because it had a TV AND you could watch TV from bed AND you can eat breakfast while watching TV while in bed. Dream come true.

Cam loved everything. He wins the Best Traveler award. It wasn't until the end of the second day of non-stop walking that he asked for a ride in the stroller. He never complained (unless you asked him to pose for a photo) and was delightful and fun the whole trip. The streetcars, planes, and buses all made quite an impression on him. Today he asked me, "Can we just go to the airport and go on a plane and then just come back home?" Oh, and can you tell why he loved our gate at the airport?

Blog ya later.