On the morning of Saturday, May 30th, we made our way to the Hotel Triton lobby to speak with our trusty advisers, the hotel’s front desk hosts.  We planned to go down to the infamous Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market for breakfast before embarking on our journey to the Golden Gate Bridge.  With their directions, we made our way south a few blocks to Market Street and caught the F-line streetcar for a mere $1.50 to the Ferry Building.

The Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market boasts an impressive array of local Californian produce, wines, artisan cheeses, and breads, just to name a few of the hundreds of services and products available.  On-going since 1993, it is organized by the Centre for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture in order to promote environmentally sound agricultural practices, production and distribution methods.

The market is open until 2:00pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays, as well as Thursdays in the summer months. Saturday’s selection of vendors is much more vast, with tents spilling past the Embarcadero main-drag and onto the stretch of park out front at the edge of the downtown core, as well as along the water-front pier behind the Ferry Building. We first languidly perused the park grounds and picked up a few souvenirs.

The vendors vary from painters to potters, unique jewelry and organic clothing designers, and there seemingly is something for everyone.  The smell of the multifarious food tents located in and around the Ferry Building itself, though, were drawing us in, so we headed indoors for breakfast.

Studies have shown that too many options strain the brain, turning a simple choice into a tough call. As was the case with our palates that morning, and we opted for fresh-shucked oysters to tide us over, before departing the market and catching a streetcar towards Fisherman’s Wharf.

Biking the Golden Gate Bridge

Oysters do not exactly suffice as a filling, well-balanced breakfast. So upon hopping off the streetcar we stumbled inside Jack’s Cannery Bar, located in Del Monte Square- a historic factory built in 1907 to house the Del Monte fruit canning company- for some beers and appetizers.  Finally, with food in our stomachs, we located a bike rental shop a few blocks down.

At Blazzing Saddles for approx. $30/person we rented our rides and biked towards the water-front. We passed a few picturesque piers and public parks, weaving through clusters of pedestrians as we rode along the well-marked and maintained path to Golden Gate National Park.

Golden Gate Bridge

Upon reaching the park near the base of the bridge around Fort Mason, the sense of community outweighs the feeling of the spot being namely a well-known tourist draw.  Sure, we the tourists pass on through on our way to the main event, but there in Crissy Field, with big red looming over-head, were picnicking families, dogs roaming unleashed, even a few surfers skimming the small waves, creating a strong semblance of kinship.

But of course, we were merely witness to these common neighbourly gatherings, and were on our way up the steep, windy turn-up ramp to the edge of the Bridge.

Biking the Golden Gate Bridge is a one-of-a-kind and enthralling experience, that I must recommend to any visitor of San Francisco. The 2.7 Km (1.7 Miles) path stretched along the Western side of the bridge is dedicated strictly to the plethora of cyclists, while the Eastern path caters particularly to pedestrians, so there is little chance of collision.  The entire round-trip tour takes under a couple of hours, but provides you with the exhilarating experience of traveling 220-meters directly above the bay, while taking-in the expansive views of San Francisco.

San Francisco Giants Baseball Game

After ditching our bikes we walked back east down the palm-tree-lined promenade, passed the Ferry Building where our morning had begun, towards the home of the San Francisco Giants.

AT&T Park is a 41,000 seat open-air venue over-looking the San Francisco Bay. The ballpark itself is worth checking-out, even if you’re not partaking in a Major League Baseball game.  5 life-like statues of former baseball greats line the outside, while behind the field next to the ample brightly-lit scoreboards are an oversize baseball mitt and an 80-foot Coca-Cola bottle.

The Giants were playing the St. Louis Cardinals that night, and pitcher Barry Zito kept up with the league’s fan-favourites very well until the final innings.  They ended up losing the game 6-2, but the experience of my first baseball game- including prime 10th-row seating with personal waiters, a multitude of over-priced American beers and hotdogs, and a genuine 7th-Inning Stretch while singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” was one not to be forgotten.

The Rest and the Best

The remaining few days in San Francisco were spent flying solo, while Dylan attended his purpose for the trip- the Atlassian Summit in the stunning 18th-century Palace Hotel.

"Painted Ladies" of Alamo Square Park

My first lone journey brought me to the hip Haight-Ashbury and Hayes Valley areas as I scoped out Alamo Square Park, famous for it’s oft-seen postcard shot of the “Painted Ladies”, and in the opening credits of 90′s hit TV show “Full House.” I hiked Buena Vista Park briefly, for views of the bridge and the San Francisco Bay below, before catching the metro back towards town.

While passing through Union Square on my way to the hotel to call it a night, I partook in my only stint as a shopper that week, since the magnitude of the Macy’s Department Store suckered me in. Rarely do I embark on a shopping expedition without a purpose, but I can’t say I didn’t enjoy myself!

Over Monday, June 1st and Tuesday, June 2nd- my last couple of days in the city- I managed to kill an afternoons worth of time in the Yerba Buena Gardens and across the street, inside the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The SF Museum of Modern Art has housed 20-century artwork since it’s opening in 1935, and continued through to the move to it’s current location in 1995.

I chose to start on the 5th Floor, and make my way back down, with the fabulous newly-opened Rooftop Garden. From there I started indoors with the current contemporary sculpture and painting collection entitled “Between Art and Life,” then down the remaining floors through the various photography and artwork exhibits, including journal projects, Robert Frank’s “the Americans” and Henri Matisse’s paintings and sculptures.

My last few hours in the city consisted of failing to convince a couple of security guards to allow me access to the top floor of the TransAmerica Pyramid.  But at least the views from below, outside in the adjacent redwood park were lovely!  I then met Dylan for lunch at the fabulous California Pizza Kitchen before catching the metro back to the airport.

Sitting in the airport, I was sad to leave San Francisco behind after my week-long journey. I think when I do go back next, having now enjoyed a huge handful of it’s many sights, activities and tours for the first time, I will spend a quick weekend get-a-way there. It is only a mere 2hr and few minute direct flight from Vancouver Island, and the city’s laid-back and charming atmosphere cater to all needs.

Whether you are looking for a shopping retreat (see the vintage stores in Haight-Ashbury or couture shops surrounding Union Square), in search of family-friendly activities (see Pier 39‘s Aquarium, 3D Rides or arcades), or you’re a history buff (see Alcatraz or the world famous cable cars and streetcars) or an avid fan of the outdoors (did I mentioned how great biking the bridge was? Maybe try kayaking, mountain biking and see Napa Valley for a winery tour), San Francisco has something for everyone.  The city has an unmatched energy that needs to be felt first-hand to be believed, and I am most happy I have visited it and to have taken these unforgettable experiences back home with me to Victoria.

Along with the Surly Blonde- the office favourite- I personally am a big fan of Black Toque and Blue Buck (formerly, ‘Blue Truck’). Plus the seasonal Dirty Squirrel is a nice addition, when you can find it in stores for that very limited time.

Phillips Brewery Meets Pacific Shores Resort

This past November the co-workers and I went on an excursion up-island to Pacific Shores Resort & Spa, located near the Parksville area of east Vancouver Island.  That evening the resorts on-site restaurant, the Landing West Coast Grill, hosted a Brewmaster’s dinner.

A 7-course meal, each paired, as well as cooked with, a different Phillip’s beer.  From the hay clams steamed in IPA, to the Surly Blonde beer bread and finally the Chocolate Porter caramel sauce on the dessert, my senses were pretty elated from start to finish.

The success of the evening was due to the collective orchestration and efforts by the restaurant’s Dir. of Food and Beverages, Atilla Cimsit, and the Landing’s Ex. Chef, Andrew Howarth.  Also in attendance as guest of honour was the founder of Phillip’s Brewery, Matt Phillips, and a couple of his team to educate us on the history, and share tales of the beer naming processes.  (Apparently the Dirty Squirrel and Surly Blonde ales were originally reversed- Surly Squirrel and Dirty Blonde.)

Their award winning beers were matched faultlessly with the Landing’s unmarred creations utilizing fresh, local ingredients.  It was an educational and highly enjoyable evening, and I believe I can now safely call myself a Phillip’s beer advocate.

Palatine Hill

We arrived an hour later than expected (thanks a lot Olympic airlines) into Rome Saturday night around 9:00pm. After a rough partial-sleep on the ferry from Crete to Athens that morning, and wandering Athens during the day in the pouring rain, all we wanted when we touched down in Rome was a horizontal spot to rest that wasn’t swaying back and forth over the sea.

Colors Boutique Hotel

Dylan had found and booked a room at Colors, a boutique hotel and hostel located within a 10-minute walk of Vatican City. Incredible place with extremely helpful staff, in an area where we weren’t paying an arm and a leg to eat or sleep.

We had a 3-person dorm with our own sink and shower for 2 nights. The first girl using up the other bed we hardly spoke to as she was in late and out by 5:00am.

The second night we met Rachel. Rachel was very cool to talk to as she was from Israel, and managed to give us the rundown, very passionately, on the history of Israel within the first 5 minutes of our encounter. She told us how boring Canada was as “nothing happens there,” but her enthusiasm and encouragement made me want to some day visit her in Israel.

The Colosseum & Gianicolo Hill

We were up bright and early on Sunday, Sept. 21st, knowing there was plenty to see in Rome. Our first stop was the Colosseum, which was free with the €20 Roma Pass we picked up, along with free entrance to another museum, discounts on all others, and free Metro, Bus and Tram use for 3 days. Outstanding deal.

The Colosseum, built in AD 80, was stunning. We spent a good hour there before passing Palatine Hill, putting our hands inside the Mouth of Truth and heading over the Tiber River to the Trastevere area for paninis. We then wandered up Gianicolo Hill for a few hours to take in exceptional views of the entire Ancient City.

Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon & Piazza Navona

In the afternoon we threw our coins in the Trevi Fountain and gasped at the sight of the 2000-year old Pantheon. We dined near the beautiful Castel Sant’Angelo on an exceptional (and best I have ever had) pizza and wine. That fueled us for the remainder of the evening of walking and taking in dozens of monuments and various squares including the truly Italian experience of Piazza Navona, previously an AD 1st Century stadium.

After the sun went down we strolled past the Piazza’s various vendors and artists. From one end where the sound of accordions filled the air, to the opposite end where we got up close and personal with the Fountain of Four Rivers as a busker played his rendition of one of my favourite songs on his weathered acoustic guitar- Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.”

With sore feet on Monday, Sept. 22nd- the 4 year anniversary of Lost- we checked out of Colors and deposited our backpacks at the train station and made our way again to the Trastevere area for a pasta lunch. In all honesty this was the first pasta I had in Rome, and I hate to say it but the Spaghetti Carbonara I had in Paris was a million times better. But, we had free WiFi and got in touch with our American buddies we met in Amsterdam, Brian and Elizabeth and sent some e-mails home, which is always nice.

Vatican City & The Sistine Chapel

Afterwards we made our way to Vatican City. Our first stop was the Vatican Museum, as we had to get in before 3pm in order to see it all before 4:30pm when they start kicking the art-lovers out.

We saw a slew of ancient artifacts, statues and tapestries though the maze of rooms, each painted from top to bottom with exceptional detail, leading up to the undeniable highlight: The Sistine Chapel.

Walking slowly with the flood of people into the Sistine Chapel I made certain not to look up until fully inside and beneath Michelangelo’s masterpiece, which was completed in the 16th Century. Craning my neck upwards it felt as though the world had come to a complete halt, and the sight of it- as cliche as it sounds- brought a tear to my eye. I really can’t even begin to describe it, and I won’t attempt to- it has to be seen to be believed.

We wandered St. Peter’s Basilica for a bit until our legs really needed a rest. That night we headed back towards the train station and unbelievably ran into Brian and Elizabeth. They were off elsewhere so Dylan and I, with a few hours to kill, found an amazing fresh pasta spot for dinner and wined and dined until we couldn’t lift our forks anymore. Two hours later on the way back once again we ran into Brian and Elizabeth on the Metro and followed them to the Spanish Steps to plan our Oktoberfest meeting for Thursday.

The night we took our first night train from Rome to Venice, killing two birds with one stone as we saved on accommodations and got our commute in. Venice is a whole other city and story to tell. But I sure am glad to have thrown that coin in the Trevi Fountain, as I am now ensured a speedy return in the future to breath-taking Rome… Where I really am leaving my heart.

No offense to anyone else on the gorgeous isle of Crete, of course, as I have learned since traveling here that Cretans first take pride in their island, and then their country. But Heraklion is in desperate need of a face-lift. Luckily we were a good two hours away, in the remote village of Analipsi, Makrigialos.

We spent last Saturday in Berlin, Germany, checking out sites such as the remnants of the Berlin Wall, including the Topography of Terror which walks you right through the History of it exceptionally well. Then Saturday night we departed to the Heraklion airport on the southern Greek island of Crete. We may have landed at 11:00pm… But it was still a humid 25 degrees out, which gave us an idea of what to expect that week.

We then retrieved our luggage and left the terminal to a movie-like-moment of Dylan’s name displayed on a sign- and there waited our ride: an M&M-green, drop-top Chevy Matiz.

The drive from Heraklion (located on central-north Crete) to south-eastern Makrigialos took us just under 2 hours. We obviously couldn’t see too many sights in the dark, but we had the car all week to explore the amazing island.

We literally swam in the sea daily. We visited various beaches, each with their own character- from white to beige sand, rocky steep white cliffs, to multi-coloured pebbles. All located at the edge of the illustrious, clean and clear aquablue Aegean sea. I hate to have cheated on my beloved Pacific Ocean, but I truly fell in love.

The island of Crete is peppered with various small villages throughout the valleys beneath it’s multiple mountain ranges. Each area has at least half a dozen Medieval or Minoan sites, caves and gorges to explore.

One of the few we walked through was just north of Makrigialos, near Sitia, a Venetian Village from the early 1700′s called Etia. Most buildings including the church are still standing, it was incredible.

Villea Village Resort

Our hotel in Analipsi was an incredible last-minute find through work. Villea Village Resort was literally 100 meters from our favourite Cretan beach and had everything we could possibly need. We met the owner, Vasili, who takes groups out daily on gorge-walks, and samples local Cretan wines and olive oils at night.

We also got to know our bartender, Nikko, at Fisherman Jack’s Poolside Bar well, as they had a wide selection of board games, an array of available afternoon snacks, and a friendly team of staff to educate and entertain the guests. Amazing people and an amazing little village that I will definitely revisit in the future.

As for today, we found ourselves off Crete and exploring a few sites in Athens. At the moment we’re awaiting our (unfortunately delayed until 6pm) flight to Rome, Italy for a few days in the Ancient City. First thing tomorrow I’m hoping to check out the site of Caesar’s assassination, and the Colosseum, to name just a few spots. Until then… Here is hoping I’ll hold onto this tan I picked up in Greece!

Upon arriving in the northern port-town of Dieppe on Thursday, Sept. 4th we headed straight for the tourism office and quickly discovered an annual International Kite Festival was to take place that weekend… And accommodations were sparse. I guess that’s the down side of spur-of-the-moment visits to northern France.

This small town in size and population (around 35,000 inhabitants), is located along the French coast, overlooking the English Channel. We managed to find a tiny room, with a tiny bed, and a tiny shower for one night only. Once our backpacks were finally off our backs again we headed out to explore Dieppe, with not only it’s abundance of French history, but strong Canadian connections as well.

Avenue des Canadiens

The weather could have been better as it drizzled only briefly as we drank beer across the street from an old church still sporting bullet holes from WWII. We then grabbed some kebabs and wandered towards the beach. And that’s when it hit me like a ton of bricks.

66 years ago on this very beach, along with many others along this coast, our Canadian boys and men stormed the beaches, risking their lives and losing many to liberate France and rid the city of Nazi power. The beach is marked with several monuments to commemorate their efforts… It was surreal to see. You read about it in textbooks in school, but to be able to get up close, see the spot and touch the monuments along this rocky shore was an experience I will never forget.

The city is peppered with Canadian spirit. Our flags hang side-by-side with the French and British flags on numerous buildings, there’s even an Avenue des Canadiens. We spent our one night in Dieppe drinking at the Cambridge Pub, then across the street at the Curling Pub, with the welcoming locals who fed us green shots.

Friday we awoke with headaches knowing there was little chance of finding a room that night, and satisfied with the sights we had seen the day prior, we hopped on the train to Rouen, located half-way between Dieppe and Paris.

Rouen

Rouen is an absolute gem. Again, it wasn’t in our travel plans, but this city of 106,000 people was the perfect stop-over. You can wander and see most all sights within a few hours. Their own Cathedrale de Notre Dame boasts the highest tower in France, at 151 meters. We also saw the very site where Joan of Arc was put on trial and tortured in front of her judges, before being burned at the stake in 1431.

Paris

Finally on Saturday we arrived in the City of Lights. One word to describe Paris? Busy. Ridiculously so. We found an inexpensive, dingy little hotel very shortly after arriving in the Gare de St. Lezare station. And dingy is the nicest way to describe our room, but we took it on the advice of many others (and our handy “Let’s Go: Western Europe” guide) and stayed cheap, avoided the museums, but dined like Royalty!

The food? To die for! I could go on and on about the food there, but I won’t… Instead- while on the topic of death- the first site we saw took us over 25 meters beneath the streets of Paris, twice as deep as their intricate Metro system. We took a tour of the Catacombs. Too eerie.

You enter from a practically unnoticeable door street-level and begin the descent down a spiral staircase into what was first an excavation site for stones to build the city in the early 1700′s. Apparently far too many people in 1785 found the smell of the many grave yards truly unbearable and over-crowded. What are city officials to do in such a case? Dig them all up and move them of course! So we toured the dozens of windy tunnels for about an hour, lined with a few tombs, and thousands upon thousands of skulls and bones. Highly recommended, though not for those with weak stomachs.

I can’t fail to mention the larger-than-expected, and breath-taking upon first site, Eiffel Tower. Packed with people we clearly opted not to go up it… Instead we made our way down the Ave. Des Champs-Elysees towards the Arc de Triomphe, before enjoying another incredible meal.

After dinner, as the sun was setting and the hordes of people departed, we scoped out the city center, on the Ile de la Cite, saw the Notre Dame de Paris and the incredible Louvre. Oh, and ate a bit more! But come on, you can’t NOT try the crepes in Paris!

And once again I am blogging on the train, we’re on board the Thalys after leaving fast-paced Paris for a more laid-back Amsterdam for the next 4, oh maybe 5 days. Anything to wind down after that whirl-wind French experience!