Tag: adventure

Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

Golden Gate Bridge

by natjtan1 Comment on Golden Gate Bridge

All I knew about San Francisco before visiting earlier this year was that it’s hilly, Herbie caused mischief, the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, it’s foggy and the fog horns mostly from movies and TV shows.

We wanted to get to Baker Beach which has the best photographic views of the bridge around sunset and got thick January fog instead. That didn’t stop people from still visiting the bridge, running or cycling. It perhaps was the best time to visit to hear infamous fog horns. Horns I recognised immediately thanks to countless movies and TV shows. It was oddly comforting to hear them. There’s even a number you can call up to listen to them! 

Path along top of Baker Beach

Old bunkers at Baker Beach

Please excuse the ISO noise. It was my first time shooting in thick fog.

Continue reading “Golden Gate Bridge” →
Lifestyle, Photography, Thought, Travel

San Francisco: Pier 39 and Russian Hill

by natjtan4 Comments on San Francisco: Pier 39 and Russian Hill

One thing I noticed in Northern California aside from few wearing coats in February was around 19.00 it’s almost like San Francisco streets emptied. In Barcelona the streets are still full of bustle and hustle at 19.00. Even the residential streets walking along from San Francisco’s city centre to Pier 39 were quiet. Pier 39 had a little more energy as did the centre, everything in between left us asking where everybody went.

The buildings walking down to Pier 39 in the more residential streets were amazing. While each building was more of less the same, the facades were the stars, the steps the main stars in the older part of the city. I’d have loved to see them in daylight but maybe I wouldn’t have noticed them with people around. Many town houses are spilt into apartments and there’s no way I’d want a basement apartment no matter how pretty the steps. I need sunlight!

DSCF9743 Who looks up at street sign names? The rest of the world apart from San Fransisco and probably the rest of USA.

Pier 39 turned out to be tourist kiss me quick almost like a village theme park. If you’re left Continue reading “San Francisco: Pier 39 and Russian Hill” →

Food, Lifestyle, Thought, Travel

San Francisco: Downtown and Chinatown

by natjtan2 Comments on San Francisco: Downtown and Chinatown

Our first day of our California, Oahu holiday vacay was spent in San Francisco! We stayed outside of San Francisco at the Hyatt House Belmont/Redwood Shores residential hotel in Belmont purely for the reason they had a gym and kitchen. We tend to stay if possible self catering as it saves money, allows more time to explore not being tied to finding vegan restaurants, check out supermarkets and we get to have breakfast of our choice. The gym because P knew I’d go crazy if I just did hotel room workouts for 2 weeks. His ears would hurt.

Another reason why we stayed outside was after calculating Uber costs it was cheaper to hire a car which worked in our favour over the next few days. P reserved parking ahead and there was a little culture shock driving to the parking. He picked one of cheaper carparks which was I think in the one of the roughest inner city neighbourhoods. He didn’t know! Neither of us did! $25 all day parking. Others were $35 plus. Lots of homeless people (there are homeless people in Barcelona but not to the extent of San Francisco. This was a whole other level of homelessness) lining the sidewalks, a lot high. I think it was the open drug use and it’s affect that was the eye opener. It was hard not to stare which I knew was the one thing I shouldn’t be doing. While I was curious how they ended up homeless, I got a feeling most were looking out for each other as tents lined the sidewalks. Yes, it made me uncomfortable and at the same time I felt safe. There I said it. The parking turned out to be only a few blocks away from the centre or downtown San Fransisco. Google Maps you know everything!

Driving into San FranciscoDowntown posh part

Okay. I got photosnappy. The chances of visiting San Francisco again are low to never, so I snapped away. It took awhile Continue reading “San Francisco: Downtown and Chinatown” →

Animal Kingdom, Fitness, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

February 2020 Catch Up

by natjtan2 Comments on February 2020 Catch Up

It’s nearly Spring already and the end of March! One of the longest months aside from April. How did that happen?! 

February this year was a good month purely for the reason I was still on my holiday vacay!

Welcome to the jungle. Manoa Falls, Oahu Hawaii

The first few days in February were spent in Oahu, Hawaii before flying back to California to explore the Big Sur and see Bill Burr in some random outback country town part of California. Driving to the venue we were rubbing our eyes if what we was seeing was real. We drove through a mini Danish town right down the black timber architecture lit up with fairy Continue reading “February 2020 Catch Up” →

Animals, Fitness, Lifestyle, Nature, Photography, Travel

January Catch Up

by natjtan2 Comments on January Catch Up

One thing that’s never going to get easier is not having Mr AJ or Mr D, the boys, the cats around. January was the first full month without coming back to a happy face at the door. The first month without looking after a furry being. I’m still not used to being told it’s breakfast or dinner time. No one to keep me or my routine in check. No gentle or knock you over head butts. No purrs, just an empty silence. If I’m honest I feel lost without those 2. I have too much spare time on my hands.

New Years Day sunrise 

A friend asked if I’m enjoying the freedom. I wasn’t sure how to take that. I know she meant well, but they were never a burden. If you’ve never spent part of your life with a cat or dog, you’re missing out on so much. So without pi**ing her off with a blunt f you answer I answered with, a lonelier freedom.

New Years Day Sunset

Most of January was quiet. Spain celebrates King’s Day on the 6th January so things don’t start to get back ‘normal’ until around the 2nd week of January. P asked if I wanted to get away. At first I was hesitant. There might be lots of changes this year (thanks Brexit) and I was concerned about money. Initially I thought of Portugal then cheekily suggested the Big Sur I’ve always wanted to see. Suddenly we found ourselves 2 weeks later on a plane to Continue reading “January Catch Up” →