Kings Canyon NP

The weekend before last my parents, Anil and I went camping in Kings and Sequoia NPs. My parents agreed on camping as I told them that these days camping is pretty comfortable and sometimes it can even be luxuries. They used to camp a lot during their youth (probably last time around 20 years ago) and I thought it would be interesting for them to see how "modern" campgrounds look these days. I sincerely believed that it will be a great adventure for them. Unfortunately, they seemed to think that it was a torture. In particular, they were displeased with "low sanitary conditions", by which they meant lack of showers, lack of electricity in the bathroom and the water tap that only worked when you were turning it with one hand... I have to say that I was also surprised with low standards on this particular campground (Dorst Creek campground in Sequoia NP). I stayed at over twenty different campgrounds in multiple national parks, and I do not recall any other of them not having electricity. You have to admit that washing yourself in a darkness with one hand can not be considered fun...

We started our visit in the parks by driving to Panoramic Point in Kings Canyon NP. There are great views to Kings River, nearby redwood forests and Hume Lake from this vista point:


Afterwards we went to the General Grant Grove, which is home to the General Grant - the world's third largest sequoia, as well as forty other Giant Sequoias mostly named after various US states.

Here are my parents in front of the Fallen Monarch:


Here are my parents and I in front of the General Grant:


From the Grants Grove we drove to "the road's end" in Cedar Grove. It takes around 1h to get there, but it is a such beautiful drive that it is well worth the time. Views to the Cedar Grove from one of the vista points:


In the afternoon we planned to hike to Mist Falls, which is one of the largest waterfalls in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Unfortunately, we had to turn back in the middle of the way as we were running out of time. Still, even the part of the trail that we did was pretty nice, leading us through the glaciated valley of the Cedar Grove with South Fork of Kings River rambling through it:








Kings Canyon is also home to Redwood Mountain Grove, the largest grove of Giant Sequoias on earth. At the same time, the Redwood Mountain Grove is home to the world's tallest Giant Sequoia (at 311ft). Interestingly, this tree does not have a name!

On our way out of the park we caught an early morning fog rolling over the grove:

Sequoia NP - Giant Forest

Five of the ten largest trees by volume on the planet are located within the Giant Forest in Sequoia NP. The largest, the General Sherman tree, has a volume of 52,508 cubic feet (1,487 cubic meters), is 275ft (83.8m) tall and measures 36.5ft (11.1m) across the base.

But if you had not been told that it is the biggest tree in the world, you wouldn't have known that. All of the Giant Sequoias seem equally large and impressive and they make you feel very small. They are so big that without a wide-angle lens you would not be able to have a whole tree on one picture. And even with this lens, it is difficult to appreciate their grandeur solely based on photos.

The Sherman Tree lies along the Congress trail, which is a 2 mile long paved trail that leads to several famous sequoias such as the House and Senate Groups, the President, Chief Sequoyah, General Lee and McKinley Trees. Some of them you can see at the photos below.

My father with the Giant Forest in the background:


The General Sherman:


My father and a big, unnamed Giant Sequoia:


This photo should help you comprehend how big those sequoias actually are:


I met the President:


Anil had a chat with Chief Sequoyah:






The House Group:

Sequoia NP - Moro Rock

In a super fast speed we climbed up Moro Rock (6,725ft/2050m), a large granite dome located in the Giant Forest area. The Moro Rock is the highest point for many miles to the east and west. There are around 400 steep stone steps leading to its top, so climbing it up can be exhausting. However, the views from the top are so fantastic that they are worth the effort.

Climbing up The Moro Rock:


Views to the east:


The Great Western Divide:


And my parents in front of it:

Sequoia NP - Crystal Cave

In Sequoia NP we went for a guided tour to the beautiful marble Crystal Cave. It is one of more than two hundred caves in the park, but the only one open to the public. You can see it if you sign up for a guided tour, which can be as short as 45 minutes or as long as six hours. We went for the forty-five minute tour and it definitely felt too short.

The cave is absolutely amazing - full of soda straws, stalactites, stalagmites, columns and draperies. I would definitely recommend seeing it if you are ever in the park.

Stalactite and stalagmite on the way to connect, in a few hundred years...


Column - a result of successful connection:


My parents, also happily connected:


Impressive draperies:






Stalactites:


Nice stalagmite:


More draperies and stalactites:




Waterfalls on the Cascade Creek leading to the cave:

Yosemite Valley & Vernal Falls hike

Visiting the Yosemite Valley on a "regular" Monday (as opposed to Memorial Weekend Sunday) was a surprisingly nice experience. The valley was still full of tourists, but at least this time we did not waste half an hour looking for a parking spot nor we needed to wait 10 minutes for a permission to cross a street...

My parents with Yosemite Valley in the background:


Bridal Veil falls, very beautiful, but difficult to photograph in the midday sun:


My parents and Half Dome:


Me happy in front of the Yosemite Falls:


Last time Anil and I visited the park, we went for the Yosemite Falls hike. This time we decided to go for the Vernal Falls hike. Not only was this hike easier, but it was also prettier than the previous one. Half the pain, twice as much fun :) If you have time for only one hike in the park and you want to see a beautiful waterfall, I would recommend choosing the Vernal Falls hike. You will not be disappointed.

On the way to the Vernal Falls:


Almost there!


Vernal Falls and rainbow:


Vernal Falls and Monika:


Anil on the way back to the valley floor:


If you look closely, you will see the Upper Yosemite Falls in this picture:

a few photos from San Diego

My parents spent three days in San Diego, visiting Manja and Bartek. From what I heard Bartek and Manja were amazing hosts and took care of my parents extremely well.

That's California my parents were hoping for - long sandy beach and nice weather:






Coronado Beach:


Very cute and very pregnant Manja and Bartek:


Bartek at his workplace:


Somewhere in Balboa Park:


There are Cacti in San Diego! They do not grow too well in misty SF climate... ;)




As far as I can judge from the photos taken by my parents, Seaworld seems like an interesting place to visit. Maybe I should also go there next time I am in SF.

random collection of photos from San Francisco

Here is a pretty much random collection of photos of my parents wandering through the streets of San Francisco.

What would be SF without its cable cars?!


Chinatown Gate:


On the streets of Chinatown:


Nice to meet you, Mr President!


I want to perform on the streets of SF, too!


Transamerica Pyramid and Sentinel Building:


On the way to the Coit Tower:


Bay Bridge:


Behind Port of San Francisco:


In front of SF Museum of Modern Arts:


On top of Potrero Hill, my neighborhood:


In front of my work, downtown in the background:


At my work:


Green San Francisco:


Let's read together!


On the last evening in San Francisco we went for dinner at Little Nepal in Bernal Heights:


The food there was delicious as always:


Union Square at night:


I left my heart in...

photos from recent holidays

I am so behind with everything that I have no idea when I will manage to update my blog on the recent travels. In meantime, you can enjoy photos from our Hawaii trip here and photos from our trip to King's Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite NP here.

Hawaii

Sequoia/King/Yosemite

Once I find a bit more time, you can expect posts about:

1. Oahu - Waikiki Beach & Diamond Head Crater
   
2. Oahu - Manoa Falls
   
3. Oahu - downtown Honolulu & Chinatown
   
4. Oahu - Pearl Harbor
   
5. Kauai - Na Pali Coast
   
6. Kauai - Sleeping Giant
   
7. Kauai - Opaekaa Falls & Wailua River Valley
   
8. Kauai - Waimea Canyon
   
9. Kauai - Alakai Swamp
   
10. Kauai - Sprouting Horn
    
11. Maui - snorkling
    
12. Maui - road to Hana
    
13. Maui - lava tube beach
    
14. Maui - Hana lava tube cave
    
15. Maui - Halakela volcano
    
16. Maui - Oheo Gulch
    
17. King's Canyon NP
    
18. Sequoia NP - Giant Grove
    
19. Sequoia NP - Crystal Cave
    
20. Sequoia - Moro Rock
    
21. Yosemite Valley & Vernal Falls hike
    

Bausack (Sack o' Bricks)

What the better way to spend an evening with the family than to play a few games of Bausack? Especially when your boyfriend and your parents do not speak the same language :) This game is definitely good at breaking language and cultural barriers, as well as it provides a great entertainment.

The idea behind Bausack is to use provided blocks (bricks) to built a structure on blocks put down by other players. Players take turns choosing (preferably blindly from the provided bag) blocks. When the structure falls down, the player who caused it looses.

Here my father is reaching into a bag to pick a block that will fit onto the existing structure:


Few bricks further the structure looks like this:


Here is another, pretty impressive structure that we managed to built:




And this photo commemorates the moment of my father's defeat:

Monterey Bay Aquarium - seahorse exhibition

Last Thursday I took my parents to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It is my favorite aquarium in the whole world. I have been there more than five times during past two years even though: (1) it takes at least two hours to get there from SF, (2) I do not have a car, (3) the entrance price is pretty high - 30$ per person.

The highlight of this visit to the aquarium was the newly opened exhibition The Secret Lives of Seahorses. There are more than 15 species of seahorses featured in this exhibit and all of them are absolutely delightful to look at. You can see that for yourself at the photos below. Forgive me the poor quality of the photos - the seahorse exhibit is not well lit and it is forbidden to use flash photography.

Leafy Seadragon and part of Weedy Seadragon in the background:


Dwarf seahorse:


Ribbon pipehorse:


Other seahorses which names I do not recall:






Other great exhibit at the aquarium is the Jellyfish exhibit:


I can spend hours watching The Kelp Forest. Here are my parents in front of it:


But Sea otters are the most adorable:






There are also many interesting fish like those flatfish that change color as to match their environment:




Or these fish with interesting hairstyles:

Wine tasting in Sonoma

On Wednesday this week we went wine tasting to Sonoma and Napa.

Our first stop was Cline winery. There we took a guided tour through the vineyard, which, unfortunately, focused more on the history of the Cline family rather than on wine making. Still, the tour was quite informative and interesting as the Cline family owns models of all twenty-one California Missions that are faithful representations of missions built by Spanish missionaries along California coast. The first of the missions is located in San Diego and the last one six hundred fifty miles north in Sonoma. All those models can be seen at the California Missions Museum that was established by the Cline family.

As for Cline wine, I am quite fond of their Viognier, but I was not impressed by none of their reds.

My parents in front of the Cline tasting room:


From there we went to downtown Sonoma to visit *real* Mission Sonoma:


Afterwards we visited a much less touristy Saint Francis winery that also happens to make cabs and zins that I love. Here are my parents in front of it:


We shortly stopped at several other vineyards, but none of them was really memorable.

Views from the Coit Tower

At the beginning of May, Manja and Bartek were again visiting San Francisco and together with them I went to the top of the Coit Tower. The views of the city from there were simply spectacular. 

The statue of Christofer Colombus in front of the Coit Tower:

Western part of SF and Golden Gate Bridge:

Lombard St:

Downtown and Transamerica Pyramid:

Bay Bridge:

Grand Canyon - Bright Angel Campground

The campground at the bottom of Grand Canyon is located alongside Bright Angel Creek. The campground has 31 sites, all of which need to be reserved up to 4 months in advance through Grand Canyon's Backcountry Permit Office. All sites are very pretty and for most of a day shaded.

mi padre in SF

On Monday evening my father and his wife arrived in San Francisco. To help them remember what happened where and when I will post here short descriptions of their daily activities. (Anyway, most of their activities involve me as well, so blogging will also help me remember their stay here.)

Day 1 - We went for a road trip to Muir Woods and Point Reyes. I was hoping that we would be able to hike a bit in Point Reyes NP, but it was so cold and windy that we went only for two short trips there (to the Pt Reyes Lighthouse and along Drakes Beach).

View of the Golden Gate Bridge (and my parents) from the Vista Point:


Muir Woods, two girls inside a redwood!


On the Earthquake Trail near Bear Valley visitor center (in Point Reyes NP) you can see a fence that moved 20ft apart during 1906 earthquake:


My father on the Drakes Beach:


Day 2 - While I was at work my parents went to downtown, Little Italy, Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf. In the evening they got to meet Anil and together we went to Twin Peaks, Lombard St and Treasure Island.

View from Twin Peaks:




Going down Lombard St:


At the bottom of Lombard St:




View to Bay Bridge and downtown SF from Treasure Island:


Day 3 - In the morning my parents went to the California Academy of Sciences and Golden Gate Park. In the afternoon I showed them around my work:





Day 4 - "Relaxation" day during which my parents went shopping. Different things relax different people...

Day 5, 6 & 7 - My parents go to visit Bartek and Manja in San Diego.