Friday, November 28, 2008

Visit in Miami Beach in November 2008


View from our 14th floor studio across the Indian River.

Sunset behind the Miami highrise buildings.
On the way to Rima's apartment.
Swimming pool in front of Rima's place



Rima's porch during darkness.






Thursday, November 27, 2008



Visit from Rima and Ioannis in Germany, Munich, Paris and Ulm in September 2008







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Friday, November 14, 2008

Trip to San Francisco Nov. 2008 - Muir Woods and Sonona Valey

First we had to cross the world-famous GOLDEN GATE bridge to travel north thru the main valley to MUIR WOODS.



The SEQUIOA or California Redwood trees are the largest trees in the world! They grow to a height of more than 100 m (300 ft) and up to 8 m (25 ft) in width. They can live more than 2000 years! Our visit there was a unique experience!




BIG trees!


And BIG fir cones (Tannenzapfen)


A fallen giant.



Sonoma valley wine country:




Wide open countryside in this valley. They have been pressing grapes here since the Spanish came with their monasteries in the 16th century.
Two seniors resting and enjoying the chateau.


There is still a lot of space for planting vines.
A wine cellar of a Sonoma valley chateau.




Doesn't taste bad at all, but it's too hot outside to imbibe excessively.


Very beautiful exterior of a winery.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

San Francisco

Arrival at SFO (San Franciso Airport:






Some views of th famous cable cars.
This is how they work. A cable car is superficially very similar to a funicular but differs from such a system in that its cars are not permanently attached to the cable and can stop independently, whereas a funicular has cars that are permanently attached to the propulsion cable, which is itself stopped and started. A cable car cannot climb as steep a grade as a funicular, but many more cars can be operated with a single cable, making it more flexible, and allowing a higher capacity. During the rush hour on San Francisco's Market Street Railway, a car would leave the terminal every 15 seconds.










The famous Alcatraz prison island:

The famous Sea Lions at the SF pier


On the way to the pier
All gold doesn't glitter.


The streets and the beautiful houses of San Francisco:




This is the neighborhood where our son Arne and his wife Michele live:









Inside Arne's house.


Two of Arne's umpteen scooters.



A woman found a resting place on a bench with all her belongings.


And now a few pictures of YOSEMITE park and the giant rocks e.g. El Capitain