2024 Viking Homelands - Day #8 - Eidfjord, Norway

The Scenic Flåm Railway

Through Fjords and Over Mountains by Road and Rail

Marvel at Norway’s stunning beauty during a full-day excursion to Flåm, one of its most scenic coastal villages.

You will find the countryside as breathtaking as your destination while riding by motor coach from the shores of Hardangerfjord to Sognefjord, crossing scenic mountain passes and driving through manmade tunnels en route. Travel through picturesque woodland to the Tvinde Waterfall cascading down the steep cliffside. After a short stroll close to the waterfall, continue to Flåm. Then, board the Flåm Railway for a thrilling ride as you climb nearly 3,000 feet through 20 tunnels and over numerous bridges. Change trains at Myrdal and continue through more spectacular vistas, alighting in Voss, settled among snowcapped mountains, forests, lakes and rivers. Stop for a delicious lunch at its famous hotel before returning to your ship, seeing more beautiful scenery via motor coach.

Sleeping a little later, the ship was docking at Eidfjord as we were getting up. We had breakfast in the World Cafe.

Our excursion to Flåm Railway was scheduled for 9:30 am. It was planned to last seven and a half hours. We did the excursion in the reverse of the description in the sidebar.

The day included:

• a bus ride from Eidfjord to Voss;
• a train ride from Voss to Myrdal, we covered this section on Wednesday when we traveled by train from Oslo to Bergen;
• at the high mountain Myrdal station, we transferred to the Flåm Railway;
• the railway drops 3,000 feet in just over twelve miles, it is considered one of Norway's top tourist attractions and was an amazing ride;
• the train made a short stop at a waterfall for pictures and a musical performance;
  
• the end of the ride was Flåm, a small village nestled innermost in the Aurlandsfjord, which is an arm of the mighty Sognefjord;
• from Flåm, we took a bus to the Stilheim Hotel for lunch, the view from the hotel/restaurant was spectacular;

• after lunch, we reboarded the bus heading back to Eidfjord;
• bus stopped at the Tvindefossen Waterfall for pictures;

• the bus slowed for pictures at a second waterfall in the middle of a series of hairpin turns on the old road.

After the course of the day, the scenery was incredible!

We were back at the ship right at 5 pm. After getting cleaned up, we went to the Explorers' Lounge to watch the ship sail away from Eidfjord through the Hardangerfjord.

We finshed night with dinner at the Chef's Table. It was a fixed menu that included: Sweet Potato Chip [apple, rosemary, crème fraîch], Crab Cake [avocado, orange, fennel, shallot, dill & blood orange]; Moscow Mule [vodka, ginger beer & lime juice]; Seared Halibut [California olive, herb vinaigrette, crumbled roasted cauliflower, buttered panko], and; Ojai Mandarin Parfait [candied ginger].

We crashed about 9:45 pm

2024 Viking Homelands - Day #7 - Bergen, Norway

Panoramic Bergen
2 Hours

Explore Norwegian City by Motor Coach and On Foot

Discover the main sights of Bergen during a panoramic drive and a leisurely walk.

Founded in 1070 AD, Bergen features many historic sites, including the medieval King Haakon’s Hall, the Rosenkrantz Tower, the bustling fish market and the Nordnes Peninsula, with its 19th-century white painted wooden houses. During a scenic drive, see these and more, pausing to take a photo stop at Nordnes to admire the views over Bergen Harbor. At the National Stage, disembark your motor coach and walk downhill to Festplassen, passing the statue of Ole Bull before arriving in Bryggen. Hear interesting stories from your guide about Bergen’s colorful past as you admire the picturesque wooden buildings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Afterward, you may return to your ship via motor coach, or explore the district and return independently on your own.

Grieg’s House & Recital & Fantoft Stave Church

The Old Ways

Travel south of Bergen to view a remarkable wooden church and visit the home of Norway’s famed composer.

Join your local guide on a drive through suburban Bergen to Fana, where the Fantoft Stave Church stands tall, proud and elegant. Built entirely of wood in 1150 in the tradition of Norwegian stave churches, it was moved to its present site in 1883 to save it from demolition and preserve it as part of the nation’s heritage. From spiritual faith to musical brilliance, you will also visit Troldhaugen, where famed Norwegian composer and pianist Edvard Grieg and his wife lived for 22 years. Norway’s most celebrated son, he was inspired by Norwegian folk music and sought to raise its profile in his composing and performances. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor and Peer Gynt. Enjoy an exclusive recital of his music before returning to your ship.

I have am having trouble sleeping very late. I was awake at 4 am and never really went back asleep. Eventually, we both got up at about 5:30 am.

We had a pretty aggressive day. After a quick breakfast in the World Cafe, we met our 8 am excursion at 7:55 am. We took the Panoramic Bergen Excursion. It was a driving and walking tour. Although I initially regretted not doing a pure walking tour, this tour that gave us a chance to see some of the city that we wouldn't have seen otherwise. We were back at the boat at 10 am.

After a quick stop at the room on the ship, we headed out on the Grieg’s House & Recital & Fantoft Stave Church excursion at 11 am. This was not an excursion that we had initially booked. Reading the Rick Steves guide book, Sharon felt like we needed to do this tour and switched a number of things around when we were driving to Glendale.

The excursion included a stop at a Stave Church built in the 1100s. Stave churches are built using a post and lintel construction method, with massive corner posts supporting a framework of timbers. The walls are made of vertical planks. This technique is very strong and durable, which is why some stave churches have survived for centuries. Out of the roughly 2,000 stave churches built before the Reformation in 1537, only 28 remain standing today.

From the church, we went to the Edvard Grieg Museum. We heard a concert of his music. The pieces performed included: Lyriske stykker V / Lyric pieces V, Op. 54; Gjetergutt / Shepherd's boy; Gangar; Trolltog / March of the Trolls; Notturno; Scherzo; Klokkeklang / Bell Ringing, and; Til Varen / To Spring, Op. 43, No. 6. The pianist was ELISABETH HOLMEGAARD NIELSEN. Afterwards, we did a guided tour of the house where Grieg lived.

Greig was only 4' 10'' tall! From my limited perspective, his most recognizable piece is Hall of the Mountain King. I enjoyed the concert and this stop more than I expected... I am going to sample more of his music when we get home.

Back at the ship at 4 pm, we got cleaned up and went to the Port Talk for Eidfjord, tomorrow's stop. From there, we went to the Explorer Lounge to watch the sail away from port.

We finished the day with an early dinner at Manfredi's. We split Fritto Misto Amalfitano [crispy shrimp, calamari coated in flour & semolina, lemon zest, garlic aioli]. We both had Osso Buco [braised veal shank, saffron risotto & lemon gremolata] as an entree. The Osso Buco was good, but Sharon has made better.

With a long day planned for Sunday, we crashed hard about 9:45 pm.

The Mirror Has Two Faces

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched The Mirror has Two Faces. Sharon read Barbara Streisand's biography My Name is Barbra last year and we have been working our way through a number of Streisand's films. We watched A Star is Born in December, The Way We Were in January, Funny Girl and What's Up, Doc? in March and Yentel in May.

The Mirror Has Two Faces is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film produced and directed by Barbra Streisand. The screenplay by Richard LaGravenese is loosely based on the 1958 French film Le Miroir à deux faces written by André Cayatte and Gérard Oury. The film stars Streisand, Jeff Bridges, Pierce Brosnan, George Segal, Mimi Rogers, Brenda Vaccaro, and Lauren Bacall.

The story focuses on a shy, middle-aged professor who enters into a platonic relationship with an unlucky-in-love colleague. Streisand plays Rose, a brilliant literature professor yearning for a meaningful connection. Disillusioned by societal emphasis on appearances, she longs for someone who values her for her mind. Bridges is Gregory, a charming mathematics professor scarred by superficial relationships.

Lauren Bacall's performance garnered widespread critical acclaim. It earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. In addition, Bacall was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the first in her then-50-plus-year career.

Streisand, Marvin Hamlisch, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, and Bryan Adams composed the film's theme song, "I Finally Found Someone". Streisand sang it on the soundtrack with Adams. The theme song was nominated for the Best Song Oscar.

I continue to be impressed by Streisand's performances. She is very good. Nevertheless, I don't generally don't recommend the movie unless you are working your way through her movies like we are...

2024 Viking Homelands - Day #6 - Bergen, Norway

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to your ship to begin your cruise.

Nordic Walking in Bergen

Historic District and Scenic Vistas

Lace up your walking shoes and head out for a Nordic walking experience as you take in some of Bergen’s sights.

Meet your instructor and grab your poles before heading out into the city to explore. Nordic walking is an all-encompassing version of walking, suitable for all fitness levels and a great way to work out. Your guide will demonstrate the correct way to use the poles, then you will head off to explore. See some of Bergen’s historic districts as you head through Sandviken and scale the hills to view the city’s most picturesque vistas, including sweeping scenes of the fjord below. Discover some of the hidden gems and learn about the fascinating past of the city, which was once the center of the Hanseatic League’s trading empire. After your invigorating Nordic walk, you will return to your awaiting ship.

Sleeping just a little later, we packed up the room and put the suitcases in the hall before 8 am. Afterwards, we went to the buffet breakfast in the hotel.

The plan for the morning was to shop in historic Bryggen. Bryggen, also known as the Bryggen Wharf, is a collection of colorful wooden houses that line the waterfront. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered one of the best-preserved medieval trading centers in the world. Sharon bought a sweater. I got a Christmas Ornament.

Heading back to the hotel, we caught a 11:45 am shuttle to the the boat. We are spending fourteen days on the Viking Venus. The boarding process was quick and painless. We had a light lunch in the World Cafe. We both had salads.

They announced that the rooms were ready just before 2 pm. We spent some time working to get unpacked and settled in the room.

We had a late afternoon excursion. With the forecast for rain, Sharon decided to the skip it and take a nap.

I did the Nordic Walking excursion. We covered about three miles in just under two hours. The guide did a nice job talking about the history of the city. The group totalled ten people with two couples from California-Davis and San Luis Obispo-and four people from Salt Lake City. Although it rained heavily about halfway through the walk, I enjoyed it.



We finished the night at the Restaurant. I had Rustic Tuscan White Bean Soup [cannellini beans, celery, carrot, guanciale, garlic & rosemary croutons] and Grilled Mediterranean Sea Bass [lemon butter sauce; roasted mixed vegetables]. Sharon Duck Confit Leg in Phyllo Dough [shredded duck leg, mushroom; foie gras & truffle sauce] and Chicken Kiev [breaded chicken breast stuffed with garlic butter, braised cabbage & bacon; sweet corn sauce].

We crashed in the room about 9:45 pm.

2024 Viking Homelands - Day #5 - Bergen, Norway

Contrast the Bergen of old with the elegant modern-day city on an enlightening tour, highlighted by insights from your local guide. Step behind the walls of the medieval Bergen Fortress and visit the well-preserved 13th-century Håkons Hall. Pass the Bryggen wharf, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the more modern section of the city, view two beloved musical theaters: the National Stage and Grieg Hall, named for the famed Norwegian composer. After your tour, enjoy the evening at your leisure.

Again, Sharon and I were both up very early. Sharon was excited to see that her big bag was now at the Bergen airport eight miles away. I was shocked that they got it moved there overnight.

The excursion for the morning included tours of Håkon's Hall and the Galme Museum. Built between 1247 and 1261 by King Håkon Håkonsson, Håkon's Hall was the largest building in Norway during the 13th century. It served as a royal residence and a venue for important events. It is part of the larger Bergenhus Fortress complex, which includes Rosenkrantz Tower, the King's Barracks, and the Koengen Fortress.

The Galme Museum is an open-air museum that showcases wooden houses relocated from central Bergen. These houses were built between the 18th and 20th centuries. The museum offers a glimpse into Bergen's architectural heritage and daily life from these periods.


When we got back to the room after the excursion, Sharon bag was in the room!

Casting around for somewhere to get lunch and a glass of wine, we ended up at Fish Me. We had first sat down at a table in the fishmarket, but they didn't serve wine. Fish Me was way too touristy. Sharon had a shrimp caesar salad, while I had an ahi tuna salad.

After lunch, we took the Fløibanen, a funicular railway, up Mount Fløyen. It has stunning panoramic views of Bergen, the surrounding harbor, and the nearby mountains. The Fløibanen has been operating since 1901, making it one of the oldest funicular railways in the world. We hiked two miles back down into the city center.


We had a late dinner at the Unicorn. I had the five course fixed menu, including: Carpaccio of Whale [Smoked whale from Loften]; Scallops with dill oil, trout roe and mussel sauce; Oven baked Monkfish with tomato salsa; Norwegian Cheese with compote, and; Cheesecake with rhubarb and strawberries. Sharon had Fresh Asparagus with shrimps and hollandaise and the Fish Duo [salmon and Halibut with two sauces]. She shared my second, fourth and fitth courses. I thought that the food was good. Sharon was dissapointed. We are already debating where it falls in the list of dinners on the trip.

We crashed back in the room about 10:30 pm. It is very light most of the night!

2024 Viking Homelands - Day #4 - To Bergen, Norway

Board the Bergen Railway for your journey to Bergen, often described as the most beautiful train ride in the world. Your ascension to over 4,000 feet above sea level as you cross the Hardangervidda plateau features breathtaking views and will be accompanied by an informative narration. Arrive in Bergen and transfer to your hotel, where you can enjoy your evening at leisure.

Having trouble sleeping both Sharon and I were up before 6 am. We had an early breakfast at the buffet in the hotel. Checking out of the room, we met the group in the lobby at 7:30 am.

We walked to the train station and boarded a train for Bergen. It was a seven and a half hour train ride. The Viking Pre-Tour group included 46 people. The group took up most of one train car. We had two guides with us on the trip that provided commentary throughout the day. Viking gave us sack lunches on the train that included a chicken caesar wrap and some chips.

It was an amazing ride; I really enjoyed it. Sharon and Janie did the GoldenPass scenic railway route in Switzerland that connects Lucerne or Interlaken in central Switzerland with Montreux on Lake Geneva. Sharon said that this trip was longer and more varied. Rick Steves said "the Oslo-Bergen route--called Bergenbanen by Norwegians--is simply the most spectacular train ride in Northern Europe."

Like I said about Petra last year, although I am posting these pictures, I feel like the photos don’t do justice to the scale. The picture at the top of this post has three glaciers.

I noted on Day #2 that I was surprised to find low, rolling hills as we drove into Oslo. I had expected more dramatic mountains. Traveling to Bergen, you get dramatic mountains.


Viking transferred the group to the hotel in a bus. We are spending two nights at Norge. Sharon and I were very disappointed in the room...

After getting settled, we went out to explore. There were a lot of tourists in the old part of town. Eventually, we found a quiet spot off the beaten path in histoic Hanaeatic District for a glass of rose.

We finished the day with dinner at Bryggeriet, a restaurant and microbrewery. We both had a green salad and the fish special of day (Cod). The view of the harbour was great, but the food and service not so much.

We crashed about 9:30 pm.

Sharon still doesn't have her bag. After haranguing Viking on Tuesday night, Sharon's big bag started to move. Over the course of the day, we saw it in Munich. Unfortuantely, Lafthansa then sent it to Oslo Airport. Sharon spent some time talking to Viking on the phone on the train trying to get it routed to the hotel in Bergen.

2024 Viking Homelands - Day #3 - Oslo, Norway

After breakfast, join your guide for a tour of Oslo. You will see the Akershus Fortress, which has guarded the harbor for centuries; the Royal Palace, home to the beloved Norwegian royal family; the Parliament; and the National Theater. You will also visit the Norwegian Maritime Museum and learn about Norway’s seafaring history that spans over centuries. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure; dinner is on your own.

We spent the morning on a driving tour of Oslo. The guide did a nice job talking about Oslo and Norway's history. I didn't realize that Norway, Sweden and Denmark's histories were so interwoven. We drove by the Opera House, the Akershus Fortress, the Royal Palace, the Parliament and City Hall. The tour gave us a nice overview of the layout of the city that we will useful when we stop at Oslo on the cruise next week.

The Opera House is on the fjord and designed to look like an ice burg when it snows and the fjord freezes over. I am going to try and get a picture of it when we are back next week.

As part of the tour, we walked through the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Frogner Park. It features over 200 sculptures and fountains by Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland.


We finished the tour at the Maritime Museum with a talk about the Vikings and Viking boats.

Dropped off at the hotel, Sharon and I wandered down Egertorget, the major shopping district, and had lunch at Olivia. We both had a shrimp salad.

After lunch, we headed to the National Museum. They had a nice collection of Edvard Munch, including a version of his painting the scream. We are going to the Munch Museum on a behind the scenes tour next week. The museum had a couple of nice painting by Picasso as well as some by Monet, Manet and Degas.


I really enjoyed the special exhibition of Mark Rothko. It traced the development of his style from the 1930s to the 1960s.

Sharon did some clothes shopping on the way back to the hotel.

Two of our three bags showed up just before we left for dinner. Unfortunately, Sharon's big bag with most of her clothes and shoes is still sitting in Denver. The situation is creating a lot of stress... We had to leave the bags that we just got in the hall before we went to dinner; they will be transported to Bergen overnight.

We finished the night with dinner at Klosteret. I had the five serving fixed menu, while Sharon had the three. It included an interestig salad, a smoked salmon entree, a duck entree, a cheese plate and a chocolate dessert. The food and the accompanying wine pairing was very good.

After dinner, Sharon talked again to Viking representative about the status of her luggage; this person seemed to have a better sense of what to do. It was almost 10:30 pm by the time we crashed.

Footnote. I am writing this entry on the train ride from Oslo to Bergen using my cell phone as a hot spot.

2024 Viking Homelands - Day #2 - Oslo, Norway

A Viking Representative will meet you at the airport and take care of your baggage before you transfer to the city. This evening, check in to your hotel and get settled in. You may choose to dine in the hotel restaurant or one of the city’s many fine eateries, or take a short “jet-lag-busting” stroll to the Akershus Pier—considered one of the world’s first and most successful wharf conversions—for dinner on your own.

We were on the ground in Frankfurt on time just before 11 am. We were quickly through the EC passport control.

We spent some time trying to talk to someone about our luggage. The only response that we got was go online and fill out a form. We were feeling very stressed about the luggage status...

We caught a 1:40 pm flight from Frankfurt to Oslo. They loaded everyone on busses and drove some distance to the plane. It was a short two hour uneventful flight. I actually slept a little.

A Viking representative met us after the baggage claim. They loaded eight of us into a minivan and headed to downtown Oslo. I was surprised that the airport is twenty-five miles from the downtown. I was also surprised that the terrain is low rolling hills. I had expected some more dramatic mountains.

There was a Viking desk at the hotel. We got our key directly from the Viking representative. We are spending two nights at the Clarion, The Hub.

After getting settled in the room, we had dinner at the rooftop restaurant at the hotel: Norda. We split Creamy asparagus chowder [Variation on asparagus & crutons], Risotto [Ramson, artichokes & herbs from Grow hub] and Turbot [Turnip, kale and smoked mussels sauce]. The food and the service was good. One of the other Viking couples [Diane and Lee] that we met at the airport sat down near us. We talked to them for a while.

After dinner, we wandered across the street to a mall. Sharon did some shopping for some clothes and cosmetics to get through a day or two. I have one change of clothes in my carryon. Depending on when we get the luggage, I will probably have to buy a couple of things tomorrow.

USING THE AIRTAGS, WE CAN SEE OUR LUGGAGE STILL SITTING IN DENVER!?!

With only a little sleep over the last thirty hours, we crashed hard about 9:30 pm.

2024 Viking Homelands - Day #1 - To Oslo, Norway

Sharon and I are off again exploring the world. We will be spending the next three weeks wandering Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Finland and Sweden.

Since our honeymoon almost thirty years ago, we have worked hard to avoid an international itinerary with two connections and three flights. All of our overseas trips have been nonstop or one connection and two flights. Viking Air booked this trip with three flights: Sacramento to Chicago to Frankfurt to Oslo.

Up at 3:30 am, we left the house at 4:30 am. When we got to the airport to check in, we got a rude surprise. United had cancelled our 7 am flight to Chicago due to insufficient crew rest. We spent about 30 minutes with an agent working to rebook all three flights. The agent gave us boarding passes for the first leg, but couldn't issue boarding passes for the second and third legs on Lufthansa.

We ended up on a 10:50 am flight to Denver. It landed in Denver on time. After switching from the B to the A concourse, We wandered around trying to figure out where we could get boarding passes. Eventually, I just camped at the desk for our 5:35 pm flight to Frankfurt. Whenn the agent finally showed up, we got our second rude surprise of the day. We were standby on the flight!?! We thought that we had Premium Economy seats, but were told that United had booked us as standby and they couldn't guarantee anything.

We sweated for over an hour and a half. They loaded the whole plane. As they were getting ready to close the gate, they called us up and gave us boarding passes for the Frankfurt and Oslo flights.

Boarding the plane, we realized that we did have Premium Economy seats. Initially, the seats were not together, but the guy sitting next to me offered to switch with Sharon. After all the drama of the last eleven hours, we were sitting together in some very comfortable seats for the nine hour flight to Frankfurt.

Sharon called it the most harrowing experience we have had flying...

Unfortunately, the drama may not be over. The pilot announced that the luggage is not being loaded on the plane. He said that it would meet us at our final destination?!?

I am writing after dinner on the flight to Frankfurt somewhere over Canada. It will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings.

2024 Viking Homelands - Day #0

Bridgerton - Season Three

Sharon and I finished watching Bridgerton Season Three on Wednesday. We watched season one in March of 2021, season two in August of 2022 and the related Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story in July of 2023.

Part one of the third season premiered on May 16, 2024, with part two following on June 13, 2024. The series was renewed for a fourth season in April 2021.

Bridgerton is a period drama series created by Chris Van Dusen and produced by Shonda Rhimes. It is based on Julia Quinn's novels set in the competitive world of Regency era London's ton during the season when debutantes are presented at court. Unlike the series of novels, Bridgerton is set in an alternate history with a racially integrated London where people of color are members of the ton, including some with titles granted by the sovereign.

Season three focuses on the marriage of Colin Bridgerton, the third Bridgerton son to Penelope Featherington, the youngest Featherington daughter. Season three also includes the marriage of Francesca Bridgerton, Countess of Kilmartin, the sixth Bridgerton child and third daughter.

I have enjoyed the series. I recommend it.

Davis Mafia Meet Up

Friday night, Chabrier organized a Davis Mafia Meet Up at the Plainsfield Station in Davis. It was a nice turnout. The group included: Snipes, Tomasin, Chabrier, Hunter, Moore, Wilson, Greene, Rehlich and I.

I ended up playing three games of pool with Tomasin. I won one...

One footnote, Hunter is driving a 2022 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray that looks like a small fighter jet.

Ancil Hoffman

Thursday afternoon, Debbie, Jim, Sharon and I played nine holes at Ancil Hoffman. We teed off at 3:32 pm.

Warming up on the driving range, I felt good. I am working hard on a completely different swing. Over the course of the afternoon, I was pretty happy with how I was striking the ball. I am still inconsistent, but I feel like I am working in the right direction.

Starting to feel a little cocky, I made a mess around the greens on holes seven and eight. I finished with a fairly honestly scored 55. I played the whole round with one ball...

The four of us finished the day with dinner at Matteos. I had a Blackened Shrimp and Mango Salad [Avocado, Pickled Red Onions, Feta, Cherry Tomatoes, Over Chopped Romaine and Mixed Greens, Topped with a Mango Salsa and tossed in a Citrus Vinaigrette], while Sharon had Lamb Burger [Pink Peppercorn and Cumin Seasoned Fresh Ground Leg of Lamb Burger with Feta Cheese, Chimichurri Aioli, House Pickles, Red Onion, Tomato and Arugula, Served with Fries].

Baseball Adventures with Lee

Sharon and I took Lee to the Sacramento Rivercats versus Round Rock Express AAA Baseball Game. In spite of being very unfamilar with the rules, Lee did pretty well. He kept asking Sharon who the guy in blue shirt was, ie the umpire. With the aid of a hot dog and a soda, we made it through the first four innings in our seats. We took Lee to the team store for a hat and then to the playground. We went back to our seats with some popcorn and stayed until the eighth inning.

The River Cats seemed to be on their way to a shutout victory, but a four-run eighth inning by the Express forced extra frames where Sacramento eventually fell in 10 innings by the score of 5 to 4.

California Historical Landmark #48

During our trip to the bay area for the Global Entry Interviews, I walked to this waymark after Sharon and I had lunch. I had previously marked another location as site of this waymark.

Anza Expedition Camp
California State Historical Landmark #48
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps

This landmark is located at the intersection of Howard Avenue and El Camino Real, Menlo Park, California. There are 33 other California State Historical Landmarks in San Mateo County. The GPS coordinates for this location are 37° 34' 33.4" N 122° 20' 52.2" W.

You can log your site to this site at waymarking.com!


The Anza Expedition of 1776, on its way up the peninsula to locate sites for the Presidio and Mission of San Francisco, camped here on March 26 at a dry watercourse a short league beyond Arroyo de San Mateo.

Quest Tech at Granite Bay Country Club

On Monday, I played in the Quest Tech Golf Tournament. Larkin and I played in this tournament once before in 2019.

I rode with Allan. Eric and Steve were also in the foursome. I know the three of them from the Sacramento CIO/CTO Roundtable that I used to attend. Additionally, Allan worked for Larkin in the late 80s and early 90s.

After struggling on the driving range at The Angeles National Club on Friday, I felt good warming up on the range. We played a scramble. We ended up using five of my drives. I hit safely on to two of the par threes. Although I had a number of miss hits, I felt like I was striking the ball better. Although everyone was outdriving me, the rest of the group wasn't that much better than I am.

We ended up 7 over. We had one birdie using my tee shot on the par three 7th hole, one double bogey and six bogeys. We were scrambling around the greens a lot.

I really enjoyed the day!

Back from Glendale [Father's Day 2024]

Up at 6 am, Sharon and I had the car loaded and were on the road by 6:45 am. We stopped and got breakfast at McDonalds in Wheeler Ridge and switched drivers. We switched drivers again at a rest stop along I-5. I made a short stop for gas and then drove all the way to Elk Grove. Sharon finished the last stretch. We were home just after 1 pm. Six hours and fifteen minutes door to door.

We spent the afternoon watching the last round of the US Open at Pinehurst #2. Bryson DeChambeau beat Rory McIlroy by one stroke. McIlroy missed two short putts on the 16th and 18th holes to blow the lead...

Sitting on the deck, I facetimed with Drew before dinner. Sharon and I finished Father's Day talking to Jack after he got home from work.

a hike and a wedding

After another mediocre breakfast at the hotel, Sharon and I headed to Griffith Park. We hiked the Fern Dell Nature Trail to the West Observatory Trail up to the Griffth Observatory. We spent a little time wandering the exhibits in the observatory. We hiked down the East Observatory Trail back to the car. In total, we covered 3.11 miles in an hour and forty-three minutes of moving time. It was a 610 foot elevation gain.


We had lunch at the Cara Hotel. We both had a avocado, beet and grapefruit salad. I had mine with grilled chicken breast on top, while Sharon added roasted Scottish salmon.

Crashing back at the hotel, we watched the US Open golf tournament. Holly and Van spent the morning playing the Hansen Dam Golf Course with some friends.

Eventually, we got cleaned up and dressed for the wedding. Holly, Van, Sharon and I caught a 4:45 pm shuttle from the Residence Inn to the Chevy Chase Country Club.

It was an interesting wedding ceremony. It is the first Jewish wedding that I have attended.

With an early start planned for Sunday, the four of us caught the 10 pm shuttle back to the hotel.

Angeles National Golf Club

While Sharon was getting ready in the morning, I went the fitness center and did a Peloton light weights and arms workout. Afterwards, Sharon and I had breakfast at the hotel; the food was mediocre at best.

After breakfast, Sharon decided to do some yoga so I went back to the fitness center and did a twenty minute low impact Peloton bike ride with Emma.

The plan for the day was golf at the Angeles National Golf Club with Holly and Van. Over the last two weeks, I have had two Golftec lessons and been to the range three times. Unforunately, warming up on the driving range, I felt very out of sync. I have surprised; I have been pleased with my work on the range over the last two weeks.

I had a very rough start. I had too many things bouncing around in my head. I had seven penalty strokes for lost balls in the first eight holes. Starting about the ninth hole, I started to strike the ball a little better. Grabbing a cocktail at the turn, I relaxed and played better on the back nine.

Both Van and I had read some harsh reviews of the golf course. I enjoyed it. It is definitely a desert course, but the fairways and the greens were in pretty good shape. A lot of the men's tee required you to hit over a lot of shit to get to the fairways...

I ended up with an extremely liberally scored 111.

Venetian tavern: In Venice, "bacari" refers to traditional small, casual taverns where people gather for drinks and cicchetti (small savory snacks).

After getting cleaned up at the hotel, the four of us walked to dinner at Bacari GDL. We split a number of small plates, including: Lamb Hummus; Sea Bass; Mediterranean Street Corn; Shrimp Ceviche; Grilled Asparagus, and; Brussel Sprouts.

From there, we walked to Damon's Steak House for the welcome party for the wedding. We eventually wandered back to the hotel and crashed about 10:30 pm.