Sausalito to San Francisco.....

We decided it would be nice to be a tourist in the Bay Area this summer and started out by staying  for a few nights in Sausalito.
While there we decided to take a ferry to San Francisco.......

However the view ahead did not look too enticing!

This was particularly  freezing cold weather.......... in June!!....... in San Francisco.
It would seem as though the abnormally cold weather had something to do with a freak melt of the icecap in Greenland!

The trip back was a little sunnier.....

But not much!

However we were able to get a view of Alcatraz

and Golden Gate bridge

While in San Francisco we did the typical tourist thing and rode a cable car...

watched it being turned around....

and took note of the rules!

 We also visited Ghiradelli Square at the other end of the cable car....................................

And we watched the real tourists...........

Our return to Sausalito was a little sunnier.....

But again .... not much......

Next day we  visited Point Reyes .....

which is a little laid back............

and had a nice lunch at Stellina..

Brooklyn, New York

When we go to New York we stay in Brooklyn for family reasons. Our favorite place to stay is the
Nu Hotel on Smith Street, just off Atlantic Avenue.

 We have now stayed there many times and have always been happy with the service and the rooms.

It is on Smith Street and so has lots of interesting restaurants within an easy walking distance.
It is also very close to a subway so getting into Manhattan is quite convenient.

This time we shopped in The shops at Columbus Circle.  Think sales!!
We can thoroughly recommend Bouchon as a place to eat there.

Lunch was light and great

followed by not so light  desserts....

 and the view to Central Park is magnificent

high above the chaos of Columbus Circle.....

We were en route to a week end wedding in some rustic cabins in a  New York State park, not too far from the city,
Camp Baker on Lake Sebago. This is a fantastic location for a family wedding which has lots of children in tow.
The scenery around the lake, the boats, the little beach were all delightful.
However the state needs to put a little money into the maintenance of the rustic cabins

which could be delightful. It was originally set up by New York banks as a weekend place for its employees.

Vevey, Switzerland

We have just spent a great week in Vevey and I had not realised until now how much that area offers!

Exploring the town itself was very interesting.
It has a beautiful lakeside setting......

with some interesting museums like the Toy Museum

and the Alimentarium 

a food museum owned by Nestle.

.....here we had one of the best lunches we have had in Switzerland!

I should point out that eating out in a very ordinary restaurant in Switzerland is quite expensive....and not necessarily excellent.  Good produce but.........

This was a set 3 course menu for 18CHF.  Most main dishes run at least that in ordinary restaurants!

and the wine, which was good , was just 4 CHF a glass.

we will return.......

Vevey is within very easy reach of the Chateau de Chillon.....

and the Fondation Gianadda in Martigny which arranges fantastic exhibits.

The exhibition there at the moment is exceptional.......

.......and we are hoping that the wine is also good!  We liked the labels!!

.............and we loved the grafitti art murals.............