Yay! Today is Mom's birthday! And since I've been dilly dallying on posting about our trip in San Francisco I thought this was the perfect opportunity.
Y'all know I travel up to San Fran quite a bit for work. For the past couple years Mom has made it a point to share that she's never been, wants to go, and one of her old friends lives there. My answer, always is: Fly out when I'm there and stay with me. Always in agreement, we just had to find the right time. Post her major back surgery last March, a cross country flight to a city with a lot of walking wasn't in the cards so we waited til she felt up to the challenge. With her recovery going well and great deals on flights, we booked October.
I was excited. Why?
1) Because Mom was strong enough to travel on a long flight. That right there gives you a barometer of how she is feeling. She would have flown had she needed to; we all know Mom's tenacity :) but she was being appropriately cautious.
2) Because Mom was ready enough to walk. We talked about this at length. This was a concern of mine. Flash back to last March when getting herself out of bed and taking a few steps with a walker was her daily goal. And a major accomplishment might I add. Walking down stairs was something to aspire to. Walking downstairs, outside, and up and back on the driveway was when the PT knew his work there was complete.
Yes, you can get around the city other ways but undeniably there is a decent amount of walking when you travel to any city.
3) Because Mom was able to visit! Mom's back has been bad for a long time. She could hardly walk for years and it impacted her ability to do activities most of us take for granted. Having quality time with her doing one of my favorite activities -meandering- made me happy.
And we had fun experiencing the best of San Francisco ... in gorgeous weather! Of all the times I've traveled to SF, I really hadn't explored its incredible scenery and world-famous attractions.
We spent her first day on a Hop-On, Hop-Off Big Bus with an entertaining tour guide, and my girlfriend Lindsay. The vantage point on the top of the double-decker bus as we rode across the Golden Gate Bridge and other areas was stunning. And the weather could not be beat. We all know Amy is always cold, and I was in a tank top. The next evening we did a panoramic night tour back on the Big Bus. We made our way through the city again and across Bay Bridge to Treasure Island for some magnificant skyline views of the city. I wasn't sure I would get much out of a 2-day Big Bus package, especially since I worked during the day, but I have to say I loved it. It's such a great way to see a city, learn the area's history and culture, and San Francisco looks even more beautiful after dark.
The next night after work we went to jail. I had never been to Alcatraz and I'm glad Mom wanted to go. ProTip: If you're planning a trip to SF and think you may want to check out the infamous former federal prison, buy tickets early - they book fast. Everyone talks about the Night Tour, but those were all sold out. I have to say though, I thought Alcatraz was awesome for sure, and I definitely recommend the audio tour (as everyone does), but the cruise on the San Francisco Bay was un-freakin-believable! As I mentioned, all week the weather was picture perfect (for me), especially being on the water. And by chance we took the last ferry off Alcatraz and got THE MOST INCREDIBLE SUNSET. I would have paid double just for a sunset cruise on the bay.
On this trip Mom also wanted to make sure I had work friends, which makes me laugh. So she toured the office and one evening a couple of my friends and I showed her a good time.
All in all a great trip that I look back at and smile. Thanks for making the trip out, Mom. Happy happy birthday and yes I still need you when you're Sixty Four. Love you, Mom. XO
