San José
Date: 17 January 2009 04:16:01
As with Toronto, I have already posted a number of posts here, here, here, here and here on San José [I can go on, can't I!?!?], but I have added some more photos and have one more place to blab on about. Full photo set here; I will show a few photos from the places we went and I haven't bored you with previously below.
Stanford University was a great day out -- and it was the whole day. The morning was spent with Grace walking around, including a trip up Hoover Tower,
After a very nice lunch, with a Bishop mind you! [my friend Ramsin's uncle],
we wandered through the Cantor Arts Center [I am getting used to spelling "center" that way now; I hope I can go back... :)], looking at a large number of beautiful artworks -- and having some fun with the outdoor sculptures.
I mentioned in a previous post that I saw my first ever Christmas parade -- here are the photos. Bands, characters and helium balloons and more -- it was amazing. And I was glad I got to see one.
I also visted the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Planetarium; while I may consider their beliefs strange, they can certainly put a museum together. I even saw more squirrels -- and close-up.
After seeing the fascinating and informative museum, I headed towards the Rose Garden. On the way I saw a house with pumpkins out the front, left-over I assume from Halloween. As we do not celebrate Halloween here it was interesting to see and thus I had to take a photo. Even the houses in San José are fascinating: no brick [due to earthquake codes I assume] as we have here.
Most of my other travels were downtown, catching up with friends and general sight-seeing. Here are some sights of downtown San José from St Joseph's Basilica to the futuristic City Hall to Martin Luther King Library to San Jose State University to local animal sculptures on bridges to fountains and tree-lined streets to the Civic Auditorium with a number of Yellow School Buses [another thing we do not have in Oz; I noticed they were in Canada, or Toronto at least. Viva la difference -- which also extends to parking: I have never seen 12 Minute Parking Limits in Oz either.]
On my last full day I set off for Winchester Mystery House, which is well worth a visit. It is a rambling and rather strange mansion, built by the heiress of the Winchester Rifle fortune on the advice of a psychic who said to assuage the venegance of the spirits of those killedby the rifles. She was told she must keep building -- which she did; it was under construction continuously for 38 years, around the clock, only stopping when Sarah Winchester died. I took the house and behind-the-scenes tours, which were both wonderfully interesting.
Before and after, I wandered the streets and visited the exclusive shopping district of Santana Row [I bought a coffee and cake...all I could afford]. I was fascinated by the name of a restaurant in particular down the road from Winchester Mystery House.
Then it was back to my friend's place for the dinner and games described in a previous post, but not before a final walk up the steps to Ramsin's place and a final view of the city below.
On my final day we headed to Los Gatos for a bushwalk with the friends who had come for my farewell dinner for a walk and lunch before I headed to the airport and back home. I took my camera, but left the battery charging back at my Ramsin's place. Oh well. Here is a photo from the same walk, but in 2007.
I had a most wondrous time in San José. It was beyond words how wonderful it was to see friends again -- friends truly are a blessing and gift from God. It was great to meet new people as well, and to see the sights of a very beautiful city. San José was a fine end to a great holiday.