Dirt, Sweat, Freeze-Dried Food, and Nutella: San Francisco

We visited the city of San Francisco for the the first time in about 11 years. The weather in SF can be quite nasty but it was quite beautiful for our whole trip and the temperature hovered around 60 degrees. We visited my uncle Thomas who has lived in SF for as long as I can remember. I was amazed with how steep the hills actually were in SF. The rattle of cables pulling the cable cars up the street echoes throughout the city and the spirit of the city seems to come from them. The food in San Francisco was delicious, from fresh seafood at the Tadich Grill to spicy Thai dishes cooked up by chefs in the Tenderloin District. The city doesn't sleep at night with wonderful performances such as the Broadway Musical "Fela!"This was my first Broadway Musical and I was blown away with the passion that these actors have for their roles. I am not surprised that this musical won the Tony Award for its singing and dancing. I also got to see the famous Haight Ashbury District which was the epicenter for the 60's counterculture movement. We also took side trips to Santa Cruz and Berkeley. Santa Cruz has a small town feel and the University of Santa Cruz has one of the most beautiful college campuses I have ever seen. The campus is in a redwood forest divided by steep ravines which make the university feel as if it is perched 100 feet off the ground. Berkeley and Stanford's campuses were not too shabby either. I love the city and it was great to see my uncle who looks great and is wonderful person to talk to. I enjoyed having great conversations with him in the California Academy of Science and him giving us a tour of his city. I hope it doesn't take another 11 years to get back.