San Francisco

Me at the Japanese Tea Garden
Originally uploaded by mkb_nf.

Okay, so here is the much promised and long awaited entry on our trip to San Francisco. I actually had to go to San Francisco for the annual AERA conference. As Lisa had never been to California and San Francisco had been described to us as one of the more romantic cities in the United States, we arranged it so that she came with me.

It was a nice trip. We arrived a two and a half days before the conference started and then stayed until the final day of the conference - so all and all, we got to spend a day over a week there. Which was nice, as Lisa hadn't been able to travel to many conferences with me my first two years down here, but this past year she went to AECT in Orlando with me and now AERA in San Francisco.

It would appear that our initial planning wasn't what it should have been though, as we travelled to California without packing our film camera, our digital still camera, or our digital video camera. We did eventually get them, three days into our trip (thanks to my friend and colleague Peter who swung by our apartment, picked them up, and brought them to San Francisco with him). So for the first three days we relied upon disposable cameras. Unfortunately our packing to return to Athens was as careful as our packing to come to California, as we packed one of the disposal cameras in our luggage (as opposed to our carry-ons) and it got largely expose and ruined by the x-ray machines.

Lisa at the Japanese Tea Garden
Originally uploaded by mkb_nf.

Minus our camera problems (which as you can see were largely self-inflicted), it was a great trip. Even though there was a great deal of rain before and after our trip, as you can see from this picture it was pretty good while we were there. We did get some rain, but only for one day where is really limited us - the remainder of the time you only had to go inside for a bit and wait it out.

We rented a car and went to the Napa Valley for the day, driving over the Golden Gate bridge (which were inclued in the pictures that we lost). This was one of the highlights of the trip for Lisa (see Napa baby!!), and I'd have to agree-minus the drive back home in which we got caught in traffic on the I-80 as we tried to get to and then over the Bay Bridge. The wine tastings were quite nice, as both of us are trying to learn this new hobby and figure out what everyone is talking about when they actually are tasting these finer wines. Being able to try some vintages that were exclusive to the individual wineries and only available on the premises was kind of cool as well.

Now, I was in California at a conference and I did actually attend some of it - I promise (see the following entries: Discussing AERA, To Conference Or Not To Conference, How Do We Evaluate Virtual School Teachers?, Social Presence in Virtual Schooling, Rural Ed SIG Business Meeting, and Final Thoughts on AERA). So I didn't just do the tourist stuff - although I will be honest and say that it was what I will remember the most about the trip.

Sea Lions
Originally uploaded by mkb_nf.

I have to be honest though and say one of the coolest things that I saw while we were in San Francisco was the sea lions at Pier 39. They were so playful (well the ones that didn't appear to be asleep) and vocal. I could have literally spent hours watching them.

I forgot to mention, the pictures above are of the two of us in the Japanese Tea Garden, located near the center of Golden Gate Park, in the western portion of San Francisco. It took us a twenty to twenty-five minutes bus ride and then a half hour walk to get there, but I do think it was worth it. Plus it was easier on Lisa and getting to the piers (as there were very few hills in the western part of San Francisco - at least in the park anyway).
Tags: AERA 2006, San Francisco, California, Flickr