Remembering California

Last year for spring break my mother, father, brother and I changed the usual vacation routine and traveled to the West Coast. My parents had both lived there during their young adult hoods when they were enlisted in the United States Air Force, but later were transferred to Minot North Dakota. This is highly unfortunate, because I could have been born in California instead of almost Canada. Now, don't read me wrong on this, I love dearly and have an undying ambassador/obsession with N. Dakota, as I do with all of the northern states, but I have never been one to enjoy the weather of these states.

The trip to California lasted only a week, forcing us to choose very wisely what cities and sites we put on our list of must see. All in all, I personally feel no travel agent or tour guide could have done better. My personal experiences and memories leave me wanting more. That cheesy phrase about leaving your heart in San Francisco? Well, I certainly believe that a small part of my happiness resides in that city/in that state, and will not live a fulfilled existence if I do not at least retire in the beautiful hills of California.

Of course in fear of not knowing when I would be able to return, I took an over abundance of pictures while I was there, totally over 1,400 photos in seven days. In only a week, I traveled to San Francisco, Pier 39, Oakland, Napa, Muir Woods Redwood Forest, Big Sur, Monteray Bay and it's Aquarium, Carmel by the Sea, and drove down the coastal highway to find countless hidden beaches. Here are some of my favorite moments, places, sites and memories.