Seattle had been all about visiting friends and San Francisco has been all about reacquainting with Family and seeing some very crooked streets and a not so 'Golden' Gate Bridge.

We hopped on board the Amtrak Coast Starlight train to Sacramento - 20 hrs of looking at the scenery, sleeping and eating but all coach class this time (as opposed to the luxurious experience we had on the Canadian ViaRail).

We based ourselves in Antilope and then Fremont for re-connecting with family - 14 years worth of catching up done with sisters, meeting one very special dadi ji (grandma), being fed like we've not eaten in days, having laundry done for us, playing 'sticky sticky glue' with the neighbourhood kids, cycling on children's bikes, having our English accents cooed over, listening to the neighbourhood mum's catch up on the gossip in the evenings, backyard pool fun whilst teaching Deepa to swim, trying to out do 12 yr old Anmol at shooting hoops but failing miserably, visiting beautiful San Jose Gurdwara up in the mountains and lastly, a trip to the Golden Gate Bridge proper Indian style with 11 people sandwiched together in one car... it made for a very comical scene... '11 in a car and the little one said move over'!
Above all, this portion of our trip was about lots of fun, laughter and love.

On to San Francisco city and it was back to hostel living again and the sights of this unique and vibrant city, including:
Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 for a variety of flavoured taffys, crunchy waffle cone ice creams and overfed Sea Lions.
The well known Boudin sour dough bakery & cafe for delicious bread bowl tomato soup - good effort S!
The Bay & Municipal Pier for views of Alcatraz.
Lombard street for the worlds Crookedest street - driving down it was roller-coaster crazy!
All the other crazy hilly streets that we had the 'pleasure' of walking up and a few times down.
Alamo square for the 'painted ladies' - Victorian houses that have featured in a number of movies, including Mrs Doubtfire.
President Lincoln looking in thought outside City Hall.
Union Square & Macy's.
China Town and some very fishy grocery stores and dubious produce.