Pictures as promised.

We returned from our drive to and from the Bay Area late last night.  The drive was a long one, taking three days each way and only three full days to enjoy in the Bay Area.  I took a ridiculous amount of photos on the roadtrip and in the Bay Area.

I hope to have more time to explore San Francisco the next time we visit.  We intend to stay in a hotel in the city on our next visit.  Hopefully we will have a chance in a year or so.  We will see.  We have many trips in the upcoming year and another roadtrip/camping trip planned for the week prior to and including Labor Day 2012 (another first-time travel experience for me!).

I learned a few things about the Bay Area and about San Francisco on our trip:

1. The drive to anywhere in the Bay Area takes at least 40 minutes to an hour.
2. More time is often spent driving than at the planned destination.
3. Parking is impossible in the city.  Next time:  Walking and cabs! Or the BART.
4. San Francisco is amazing and I would move to the city in a heartbeat.
5. It gets dark much, much sooner in California than in Texas.
6. The weather is five to ten degrees cooler in the Bay Area than in Austin.
7. People in San Francisco are beautiful and diverse and interesting.

Here are a few photos from our trip.  I will share a few more throughout the week.  Crafty posts to come next week.  I have a lot of catch up to do around the house this week.