San Francisco Bay Area

I took a lot of photos during my trip to the San Francisco Bay area last month. I already posted on California Coastal Images and the Filoli Gardens. Keeping in my mind that this is a blog for plant and nature loves, here are a few more images.

First, I stayed at a remarkable Bed and Breakfast in Santa Clara, the Madison Street Inn, and I have to mention the comfortable accommodations and the fabulous breakfasts prepared by innkeeper Tess. The old Victorian home was nestled amidst beautiful plantings, and one of the most amazing trees I have ever seen graced the corner of the property. The ancient California Pepper Tree (Schinus molle) shaded a huge section of the yard and reached over the house's eaves:

Burlingame, California is home to another distinctive tree, the Tasmanian Blue Gum tree, a species of Eucalyptus globus. Native to Australia, these trees were first planted in Burlingame in the 1870s. They line the El Camino Real thoroughfare. I made my son stop the car so I could take photos of the astonishing giants.

Aeoniums grow well in California's climate. These were in a planter outside a retail store in Burlingame:

This was my first visit to San Francisco, so naturally I had to see the Golden Gate Bridge. I took the following pictures from a beach in the Marina District, a spot frequented perhaps more by locals than by tourists, but with great views of the Bridge:

A happy dog plays on the beach in the Marina District.

Sailboats in San Francisco Bay

I took the following shot from Herons Head Park, a wetlands habitat reclaimed from concrete, asphalt, metal and other debris left over from a previous construction project in the Bay. The park is home to numerous forms of wildlife and attracts over 100 bird species each year.

A short walking distance from the Marina District beach, the Palace of Fine Arts was built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a world's fair celebrating the completion of the Panama Canal. It also gave San Francisco a chance to demonstrate its recovery from the devastating 1906 earthquake. The Palace originally was built to exhibit works of art and is still used for that purpose, though it also is a popular tourist attraction and a fashionable place for weddings.

I saw many other sights during my visit to California. I hope you have enjoyed those I have shared with you.

Best wishes!  Deb