Travels with Granddad, Part 2

On Friday we had started with breakfast in the motel again, and then went to a paper store I had noticed located next to last    night’s restaurant.  Paper Heaven!  I shopped and thought of things I could do while Dad busied himself making a shade device to cut the glare on his GPS.  He bought black scrapbook paper and designed a box but the store couldn’t loan him scissors because of liability.  We puzzled over this, but didn’t want to buy theirs.  The shop attendant was willing to make cuts for him and ended up quite engaged in the process with her stapler and hole punch.  I bought a cup there from WWII English propaganda posters: “Keep calm and carry on”, it says.  I just love it.  That’s my new mantra.

We had some time to dawdle before the next game a day later, so we went sight-seeing in San Francisco.  On the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge there are viewpoints of the city which is usually encased in fog—but not today!

We lingered in the Marin Headlands where many fixtures from WWII are left, the bunkers and secret anti-aircraft missile sites.  Protecting San Francisco Bay was critical during the war, and as a Navy radar officer Dad had many reminiscences.  Most of the old forts have been turned into YMCA camps and Youth Hostels and study centers, but I was especially touched by the old military chapel where men of all faiths prayed before being sent out.

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                              Eucalyptus Tree

We drove the back roads of Mt Tamalpais (sp?)and eventually went across the Golden Gate into San Fransisco and south to Palo Alto.  Friday afternoon traffic, us gawking and others catapulting on and off the exit ramps, changing lanes at 75 miles an hour.  We made it through the gauntlet of airport traffic, freeway exchanges and chatter from the GPS, “Recalculating.  Recalculating.”  Finally, we arrived in Sunnyvale at our motel.

 

   Dad’s coppery car matches the bridge

 

And after we settled in, what did we do but get back in the car and go looking for a recommended restaurant in Palo Alto.  Fire the GPS back up, retrace the freeway on and off ramps, and find street parking without a meter. 

We did it, and were rewarded by dining at St. Michael’s Alley al fresco.  Charming.

 

And we walked back to the car in the warm evening by the light of the silvery moon.  It was much bigger in real life, I promise.