June 6, 2011 - Eugene, OR to Vancouver, WA

I left on June 5 so i could retrieve my friend's stuff in Anacortes, WA. I helped her moved down from Seattle in 2007. She left behind a few of her most precious things at her friend's house. The friend now wanted them out. She was planning on a road trip herself, but in the middle of a move she was making in SF, her van died. She asked me if i would be willing to go up there and pick up her stuff. I had been itching for a road trip since i got a newer truck. It had been quite a while since i've been anywhere by vehicle. I high-tailed it up to Oregon without hardly stopping. It was totally rainy and cloudy so no temptation to stop every so often and take pictures. I stayed with some friends in Eugene, OR and awoke to leave for Vancouver, WA to visit another friend. Since i have been through Portland, OR many times and never stopped really, i decided to hang out downtown for a while and stroll around and see what i've been hearing about all these years from all the people i know from that city.

Pioneer Courthouse Square is where i was told to go by locals, so i did.

I walked around a few blocks in every direction just to see different buildings.

The Square itself had a lovely world map of flowers. They were just flowers in pots, but arranged to look like a global map. Very beautiful.

I drove around a bit more in downtown Portland, but then crossed the river to meet my friend Carla in Vancouver, WA.

April 29, 2011 - Downtown San Francisco and the Embarcadero

I visited Ayme's work one day just to see the views of downtown San Francisco. She works on the 33rd floor. Afterwards i took some photos of some of the attractions on the Embarcadero near the Bay Bridge. I drive by these things all the time, but since parking can be a real hassle there, i never took the time to walk around. But today i took the ferry and had plenty of time to play tourist.

Looking out towards Treasure Island

The TransAmerica Pyramid Building

A cute rocket that i've always wanted to check more closely

The Bay Bridge

Didn't know this was there. You can only see so much driving by!

OK! Enough of this... gotta catch my ferry back to Oakland :P

April 22, 2011 - Traffic at the Port of Oakland

Living next to the Port of Oakland offers some interesting viewings of commercial and private boat traffic. These tankers are the most amazing of all. They are literally floating cities! They seem to be about 2 city blocks long and carry thousands of containers. The logistics for parking and loading/unloading are fascinating. Combined with the sailboats, the ferry system, the tugs, dredgers and paddle boarders, there is always a plethora of activity. Can't forget the amusing pelicans, gulls, grebes, coots, herons and other wildlife common here. But these are pics of the container ship.