San Francisco Carnaval

Who's ready for some Samba down the streets of San Francisco. Head over this Labor day weekend to experience this popular Multicultural Carnaval Parade on May 26th.

The San Francisco Carnaval features Latin, Caribbean and South American dancers both local and visiting. Its a fun event with the parade filled with the sound of the drum beats, dancers on stilts, samba dancers and a street festival which typically includes food, art and craft and street dancing. The parade winds its way down San Francisco's Mission District. This years theme is Carnaval Harlem Shake. So if your visiting Northern California this is one event is not to be missed. It is a free event. Travel by public transport ( Bart, Caltrain, etc. ) if you want to avoid the hassle of traffic and getting parking space. Get there early so that you can get a good viewing/photography spot.

For more details on the parade route, timing and other events Click here: San Francisco Carnaval

For Parking in San Francisco check this link. Click here: Parking  information

Here are some pictures from our archives.

Dancers on a float

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

In San Francisco, the Golden Gate bridge is the most visited by millions of visitors. Within this fast paced multi cultural city, there needs to be a place to recuperate, relax and enjoy..The Golden Gate Park which is more than 3 miles in length is a great place for bicycling, jogging, picnicking, boating, and gardens along with meadows. If you want to spend a day in the park, there are many things that can be done. What better way to spend a birthday than to go to a favorite location or just explore and be in the midst of nature. So I selected the Golden Gate Park for mine.


View Golden Gate Park in a larger map

Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo

Whilst reading some magazines, I came across a link to a mini zoo in Palo Alto, California - The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo. I gathered a few friends who had kids of the same age as my son and decided to check it out.

Peacock

Slithery Adventures - Bay Area

There is always a need to keep kids busy. And summer is when you have to really look around for stuff to do. 2011 was when I was searching around for toddler activities for my 2\3 year old. I landed on various websites which gave me ideas. But there was one particular activity that caught my eye. This post may have various opinions about taking children, their safety etc. It's a personal decision no doubt, every one will have their pros and cons. However, I personally wanted to experience it. This is all about an experience with lizards, snakes and pythons. You do not have to read on and can drop off here if you wish. Click on Read more to see the rest of the post.

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

They are the widest, tallest and the oldest living trees on earth! Visiting Sequoia & Kings Canyon, brings back memories of our trip back in the summer of 2007! It is located in the Southern Sierra Nevada in East California.

Entrance via Highway 198 @ Hospital Rock 

We drove up via Hwy 198, a very curvy route as compared to driving back home on Hwy 180. No doubt it was very scenic as we were driving alongside Kings River. We camped at one of the campsites within the park. Always fun to camp under the stars and amongst silent bears that visit at night ;-). We had one that opened an unclosed dumpster just where we were camping. This is pretty common in California's parks so don't worry :-) Here are a few things we did over a weekend.

Caltrain Holiday Train

Come December and everyone is in the Holiday Spirit! Santa Claus, Gifts, shopping, sweets, cookies and helping the needy. December 2012, we got the opportunity to welcome Santa in a different way. He started his journey from San Francisco down to Santa Clara, Ca bringing a smile on everyone's faces. He was accompanied by his elves, a melodious group of musicians and carollers and a very festive decorated train with 60,000 lights - our local Caltrain. The Holiday train made stops at a few stations on the way at specific timings.

In the X'Mas spirit, opportunities to donate toys and gifts are available. This is a free family event that brings cheer to each one and has been taking place since 2001. Arrive early to get a good spot on the platform.  Parking lot gets full fast. Here are some pictures from December 2012.

Waiting for the Holiday Train

Baylands Nature Preserve, Palo Alto

Looking for a new place to take your kids and enjoy nature simultaneously? Read on for details..

Kids are full of energy and all of us try to find activities to keep them occupied on a weekend. Driving around town, we landed at the Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto, Ca. One thing that I always carry with me when we go out is our camera. And boy does it come in handy?

Snowy Egret

Niagara Falls, Canada

It was in the 1990's when I first viewed David Copperfield's stunt over the Niagara falls. It was silence that gripped the room with an unknowing result for minutes if he would survive. It was surely not an easy task for any human being trying to deal with cold rapidly flowing water to come out alive. To see what I am talking about click on David's stunt link. Thinking about this event, 19 years later reminds us of our memorable visit to Niagara Falls in 2009. One cannot imagine what the falls look like till you see it. Pictures and videos do not do justice. You must experience it yourself.

Horseshoe Falls from Skylon Tower

If you are in the Canadian Niagara Falls and Toronto area the following are our recommended MUST DO's:

LAS VEGAS

2012 has been a great year! We've had some very memorable trips in 2012 and look forward to some more in 2013! We thank you for reading and appreciating our pictures on Facebook. We hope to bring you more places, pictures and ideas in 2013! We wish each of you a Happy New Year 2013!

A first visit or your 10th, vacationing in Vegas is always looked forward to. It's probably the most popular destination specially for New Year! It's all about the energy, the lights, the music along the sidewalks, the crowds and the shows, casinos and a chance to win some extra $$. Keeping the best for the last of 2012, am writing about Vegas! Do visit our Facebook Page for photographs!

Las Vegas Sign

Morro Rock

The most prominent vista point in Morro Bay is Morro Rock. Surrounded with an estuary and miles of undisturbed beaches, it is a volcanic plug standing at a height of 576. You can drive right up to the end of the causeway, where you will hear a lot of chatter.. Just look up and see the number of sea gulls and other birds nesting on the rock above.

Morro Rock

CA-1 Central Coast

CA-1, California's scenic coastal highway begins from Leggett in Mendocino County and goes down to Ventura in Santa Barbara. The drive is beautiful along the rugged coastline with breath taking views. The single lane (and at times two) windy highway passes through many small towns along the coastal route from Mendocino county to Ventura. It runs concurrently with US 101 along the Golden Gate Bridge. On a clear day, you will enjoy some pretty views of the Pacific and California's coast drive. Our favorite  part of CA-1 is the drive along California's central coast from Monterey to Cambria.

Travelling to Los Angeles from the Bay Area via CA-1 is a great option. However with its winding turns and the frequent stops you will make to take in the views and pictures it can take more than 8 hours. Hence plan accordingly.

CA 1 looking north 

Sand & Art Festival, Goa - India

2011 Goa Sand Art Festival Entrance

GOA..a tiny but beautiful state in India. It was ruled by the Portuguese for more than 400 years. People around the world know Goa for its friendly people, beautiful beaches, Portuguese architecture, impressive churches and temples, delicious mangoes, cashew nuts, feni ( a local liquor made from cashew and coconut) and the famous pork sausages amongst other things.

Arches National Park

When we think of Arches NP, what comes to mind are the 2000 + rock formations and the spectacular night sky. A trip to Southern Utah? Make sure you include Arches NP on your itinerary.  It is a 5 1\2 drive from Bryce Canyon NP. Nearby places to include are the Canyonlands NP.  For ideas on how to plan your drive, here is a map that you can refer to.

If you have two days in Arches, here is what we recommend:

We spent 1 1\2 days here and decided to spend the first evening/night out at the park to take in the sunset and view the spectacular night sky (yes you can see the Milky Way on a dark and clear night!).

Many photographers and National park enthusiasts, hike to Delicate Arch earlier in the evening to photograph the sunset and stay on to photograph the night sky. The picture below was taken around 11.30 -12:00 midnight. The best time to get milky way pictures is recommended around 2-3 AM. You would get the milky way center vertically aligned with the earth as governed by the earths rotation. But note it can be eerie, and lonely out there especially if you are by yourself. The Milky Way is one of the greatest things to see in nature. Its spectacular and our amateur attempt to capture it (below) doesn't do sufficient  justice to it. Imagine being able to see millions of stars in the galaxy and the galactic center with your naked eyes (something you can only wish for from our cities)!

The Milky way in the backdrop of Balanced Rock ( Do not miss the shooting star !)

Crater Lake, Oregon

It is a caldera ( a crater formed by volcanic explosion or by collapse of a volcanic cone.) With a diameter of 6.1 miles East to West and 4.7 miles North to South, an area of 20.42 sq miles, it is one of the deepest in the United States with a height of 1943 feet and holding 4.9 trillion gallons of water. Crater Lake was formed when a massive eruption of Mount Mazama 7700 years ago caused the mountain to collapse, leaving a steaming caldera. Centuries of rain and snow filled the caldera creating Crater Lake.

Overlooking Crater Lake

San Francisco Fleet Week

It's October and the Blue Angels will be in town next week ( October 4-8th ). See them in San Francisco along the Marina Green Waterfront Centre, Crissy Field, Pier 39 or Golden Gate bridge ( north ) vista point. Thousands head towards the waterfront to enjoy the amazing show put up by them.

Links: The links below have indepth information from the official site regarding timing, dates and details.

For Special Each Day Events

Ship Tours and Protocol ( Minimum Age is 8 )

2012 Show Schedule 

2013 Show Schedule

The pictures below are from 2009 Fleet Week at San Francisco.

Blue Angels

Alaska

Many people have asked us "What is there to see in Alaska?" There is lots to do. The more time and days you have to spend the better. Travel to Alaska can either be by air, cruise or by car ( from Canada ). With 9 days at hand, we will share our experiences and places that we visited. We decided to skip the cruise and take a flight into Anchorage. We had more time to spend and our own itinerary geared towards a family vacation.

Driving on Seward Highway surrounded by scenic views

Ostrichland & Solvang

Need a pit stop for your kids if you are heading towards Santa Barbara or San Francisco?? then Ostrichland USA in Solvang, CA is your best bet.

A herd of ostriches.

San Francisco

Are you planning a weekend trip to San Francisco soon? Its a challenge when you have little time and so many places to see on your list. Sounds familiar? Well we always land in this situation. So without any further ado, here are some of the best that you can plan in a short time.

Golden Gate view looking north from the visitor centre

Bryce Canyon National Park

After a a fun stay in Zion, we headed over to Bryce National Park. The drive was about 2 hours. On the way we stopped at Checkerboard Mesa. It stands tall, about 10 miles from the end of the tunnel on Highway 9, resembling a checkerboard.

Checkerboard Mesa rising tall

Closeup view of Checkerboard Mesa 

Zion National Park, Utah

One of my favorite destinations. Zion. As quoted in http://www.zionnational-park.com "Unlike the Grand Canyon where you stand on the rim and look down into the canyon, in Zion you stand on the canyon floor and look up! "

To see the route we took, click HERE. The quaint little town of Springdale is the closest and the most convenient place to stay if you are visiting Zion. Surrounded with deep red colored towering mountain walls all around, it is beautiful at sunrise and sunset! To ease traffic, there are regular free commuter buses to the entrance of the park. With various stops near the hotels along the way, this is one easy way to experience the park to hop on and off at your convenience. The buses are however available only from April to October. The transfer buses stop at the visitor centre from where you can pay your park tickets and take pictures with the sign board for your scrapbook, then board the shuttles to enter the park.

 

Road leading towards Springdale

Antelope Canyon & Horse Shoe Bend , Arizona

Over the Memorial Day long weekend, we decided to visit Upper Antelope Canyon. We planned to drop in and spend some time at the Grand Canyon on the way and then drive on to Page, Arizona. This little town is perched over 4000 ft above sea level. Very pretty and well lit up as the Glen Canyon Dam and the Colorado river are just a stones throw away. It was a little windy with a slight nip in the air.

Mommy \ Daddy & Baby Summer Event

This is all about the Mommy n Me program that takes place every 2nd Tuesday at Park Valencia , Santana Row and the 2nd Wednesday in West Gate shopping Mall near Ross. If you are a new mom looking for friends, or just wanting to get out and enjoy the warm weather with your baby, or let your toddler experience something new this year, then this is for you.. Keep reading on and share it with someone you know or would be happy to get to know!

Each month there are new activities planned for the moms and babies. From face painting, to the melodious and rhythmic music of Andy Z to Halloween, Christmas or baking events or the talking parrot show ,it has something for everyone. Free balloons for each kid ( till supplies last ) craft activities like making a picture frame or just dancing and lazing around to even taking pictures with famous characters like Cat in the hat or even listening to stories.

This year the Kick off is on May 8th. Save the date for some fun activities for your kids with characters like Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog and the Happy Birds Show and more. Get the days program at the desk near the stage area. The activities differ from year to year. Please check the website for more details.

My Thoughts :

Kids love face painting and the lady does a great job!. They are available just opposite the park from 10-12 pm.
Carry some some snacks, water, sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat for yourselves.
Don't forget your camera or video. You will treasure these pics for years to come of your kids in action!
You can opt for reminders for the monthly events so you don't miss out on any upcoming event.

Here are some pictures from the events I attended the last two years. I hope Mommy and Baby ( even Daddy too ) have a great summer together.

Happy Birds

Monument Valley

This was a destination we wanted to visit for a very long time!

The route from Arches National Park to Monument Valley was unique. We drove parallel to the Moab Fault. Very picturesque with varied stone colors and formations. Trivia from an information board stated that there was a break in the earths surface some 6 million years ago.

Along the way we passed Mexican Hat. The place gets its name from Sombrero which in English refers to a wide brimmed hat that originated in Mexico. En-route from Mexican Hat to Monument Valley, the San Juan river snakes its way through the canyons. You will get to cross the San Juan river near San Juan Inn. The bridge is old and unique.

UTAH

Utah... is defined by its terrain. Absolutely stunning landscapes, which include the Navajo Indian Nation, have also featured in Hollywood's famous movies like Stagecoach, Mission Impossible II National Lampoon's Vacation even music videos and television. The Landscape is fantastic and nothing can prepare you for this. The unique sandstone formations make it a must see attraction.

The proximity of the National parks and the national monuments, that have a few hours driving , allows visitors to make a planned round trip. The drive between each park was phenomenal.

Pretty Pumpkin Patches

Come October and every parent will be scurrying to get their kids their Halloween outfits, go trick or treating and even visit a nearby pumpkin patch. Many spring up during this time and all look very festive with pumpkins adored in every nook and corner.

When my son was a year old, I was on the lookout for a pumpkin patch. Of all, Lemos Farm in Half Moon Bay, Ca & Uesugi Farms in Morgan Hill, Ca are still my two favorite places.

Redwood National Park

View Redwood National Park Road trip in a larger map

Entering the Redwoods National Park Area

In September 2010, we travelled to the northern most part of California to see and enjoy the tallest trees in the world. It is located in the Redwood National Park between Eureka, CA & Crescent City, CA. We decided to spend 2 days there. This place intrigued me more as I always wanted to see Roosevelt elk ! Our journey here gave us more than what we expected... elk at a safe yet close distance, the tallest trees in the world, an unforgettable experience going to fern canyon, some great views of the Crescent Bay and some old Victorian houses in Eureka.

Death Valley National Park

Island of Oahu, Hawaii

View Oahu Vacation sight map in a larger map

Aloha!! One of the most beautiful places, a place on everyone's "To Go" Dream List, a place for Romance, Adventure, Culture, Family Fun, Honeymoon or just Relaxation.. it has to be HAWAII!  The warm turquoise crystal clear blue waters, the year long gorgeous weather is a treat for everyone visiting Hawaii. This was just the place to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary.

Waikiki in the background from Kuhio beach park

Hawaii is made up of 5 islands Kaui, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui and the Big Island. We visited Oahu which is made up of Honolulu, Windward coast, Central Oahu, Leeward coast and the North shore.

The average weather is around 80F. We spent 4 nights, 5 days here and wanted to see all that we could. Hence rented a car which came in very handy knowing that buses would be inconvenient travelling to distant areas we had on our itinerary. The hotels do charge a fee for parking, so please check the same. Also, traveling in summer or on holidays, please keep in mind the traffic and extra time at hand for any delays. There are a  number of ABC stores at every corner street for supplies that you would have forgotten, even curios and gifts. 

Yellowstone & Grand Teton

Hot Springs @ Mammoth

Eastern Sierras \ US 395

View Eastern Sierra Road Trip in a larger map.

Total Miles\kms covered in this trip: 910\1464 round trip.

Autumn has always been special. With summer dying down and autumn taking its place with the crisp cool air, leaves changing their color, everything looks soo beautiful and serene around. We stumbled upon US 395...one of the most stupendous and breathtaking routes of the western US in California. US 395 starts in the Mojave desert, extends to Bishop, slowly rises over the steep slope into the Sierra Nevada skiing resort area Mammoth, Mammoth mountain, June and Mono Lake.

US 395 & the Eastern Sierras in the background

Yosemite National Park ( Valley )

“But no temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite. Every rock in its wall seems to glow with life.” John Muir.

Yosemite valley in Spring as seen from "Tunnel View"

Monarch Butterflies\ Natural Bridges Beach

View Directions to Natural Bridges State Beach, West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA in a larger map

  They are one of the world's most beautiful, lightest delicate creatures on earth.

Tidepooling @ Half Moon Bay

View Half Moon bay Tidepools in a larger map

Being a Piscean - I love anything to do with water.. specially fish. My dad loves fish, has a large fish tank with live bearers specially black mollies, guppies, red sword tailed and a couple of others. It is such joy to see the baby fish swimming and hiding amongst the rocks and plants fearful of the other big fish. I just love their colors and I can sit for hours together watching them.

Sea Weed

My own custom domain!

I finally decided to get my own custom domain. At least now I will be able to put my thoughts into words. It also helps me destress from the normal chores and daily routine.

I have realized that we do so many things in life, but rarely do we think about if we would be able to remember it 2 years down the line or even when we are old. I'd like to let my future generations get to know me more with my pictures and blog..

I hope you like reading my blogs in the months and years to come.. Closing on a quote that I really liked " Everything good that I know was taught to me by great teachers and I feel like giving back and sharing the technique is the thing to do.  " Betty Buckley

Cheers to "www.savsmich.com".. Till we blog again!

Mendocino & Fort Bragg

Mendocino coastline

Located on the most beautiful rugged coastlines in Northern California is Mendocino County. From north to south, the most famous route CA1 runs almost all the way down to Southern California. The county has an exceptionally varied terrain from vineyards to beaches to one of the tallest trees in the world.. the Redwood trees. The Redwood tree pictures on google images intrigued us. So one weekend, we decided to make a day trip of it and visit the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, Glass beach and of course see the redwood forest too. 

Lovely Lavender

View Lavender Fields, Mt Shastha in a larger map

I have always loved Lavender. I am constantly on the lookout for places to go. On one of our return road trips from Portland ( I will blog about this later ) we decided to stop at Mt. Shasta. We didnt want to do the usual, boating, camping stuff that everyone usually does as we lacked time and did not intend staying there after our long roadtrip. We were on the lookout on our phone for some scenic areas around where we could get some great pictures. We had around 2 hours to decide whether to make a pitstop there or carry on and reach home after a long 12 hour drive from Portland.
 
Fortunately my eyes fell on this website. It had the most spectacular and gorgeous scenery of lavender with the backdrop of snow capped mountains. My heart pounding, I found that it was about an hours drive on our way home, about 15 miles off our main route. I didn't bother about the extra time we took to reach home. We were excited about this sudden off track stop. It was indeed, by far the best decision we took to venture into seeing a place where we had not looked for reviews. We knew what we were going to see Lavender fields ..... but the end view was breathtaking and unimaginable.

Fresno Blossom Trail

California is so rich in its natural beauty. I think it has the best climate in the US with pleasant winters and comfortable summers. As soon as Day light saving starts, the days start becoming longer and the sunlight peeks through my window till around 7.30.. I know its time to check out places to visit on weekends.We love taking family time offs away from the bustle and bustle of daily work, laundry, cooking, etc etc..There are so many places for day trips ranging from 1 hour to 4 hrs or weekend getaways for relaxation or just plain sightseeing. Now that's California and I just love it here.

Apple Blossoms

Chandigarh, Manali, Shimla

It was the start of a new beginning, beginning with our first vacation together. The most exciting part of this vacation was that we had not planned anything apart from booking our flight tickets from Goa to Delhi and back. Little did we know that there was something else in store for us. Our initial destination was Shimla, Kulu and Manali.  This trip took us to Chandigarh, Parwanoo with an unforgettable road trip to Kulu, Manali.

@ The Qatab Minar