San Francisco

My number one city (for me) to visit in North America is that metropolis on the bay in Northern California....yes San Francisco (Spanish for Saint Francis)  From its humble beginnings of a small settlement and sea port it all changed with the gold rush of 1849  ( hence the name 49ers...the year of all the those wide eyed fortune seekers that descended to this area)  Because of all the new wealth coming in, many entrepreneurs grabbed the opportunity to satisfy all the needs and wants of  these prospectors and dreamers. Folks like Levi Strauss in dry goods (bedding, combs, handkerchiefs) but most famously for his sturdy blue jeans with the copper rivets to strengthen the pockets. Domingo Ghirardelli for his

chocolate, as actually it was at his factory here that they accidentally discovered by hanging a bag of ground cacao beans in a warm room the cocoa butter could be coverted into ground chocolate. The banking sector, Wells Fargo and the Bank of California also got its start during these times. Then the 1906 earthquake/fire changed the city forever and it was opportunity to upgrade or build new infrastructure. Plus areas that survived the fires had a chance to restart and develop those neighborhoods which saved a lot of those magnificent Victorian Homes...from Union Square, Fisherman's Market, Nob Hill,  Chinatown , Haight-Ashbury Districts, its got it all.  Now don't be going here for the weather, as Mark Twain once famously said "the coldest winter i ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" (its because the city is surrounded on three sides by the cooler currents of

the Pacific Ocean). That being said, anytime i get a chance to visit the city by the bay...i am all in!

A view of the bay from afar

Inside the famous Chinatown

Sea Lions at Fisherman's Wharf

Sausalito view of the Golden Gate Bridge

Glow Worms of New Zealand.

As i am leaving the Bay of Islands located on the North Island of New Zealand, my friendly Kiwi host mentioned as a by-the-way (lol) on your drive back to the ferry crossing you should visit the Waitomo (Maori for Wai....water and Tomo...sinkhole) Caves and their Glow Worms. Well my curiosity is now peeked, as i am all about exploring a cave but now also to see nature put on an awesome display of itself. She explained that these limestone caves are millions of years old with awe inspiring stalactite and stalagmite formations but it is the glow worms people also want to see.

So i find out from the literature at the entrance of the cave that these creatures are female and are part of the firefly family. They glow to attract the opposite sex for mating  and also because they have no wings so they cant fly off in search of a male.......another reason to "put out" the neon sign (haha)  After they find a partner they often die within 30 days, but what a display for us humans to witness. Wow what a  great suggestion to see and if ever near you need to put this on your "must do" list  to experience another  example of nature at its best!

Georgetown Washington D.C.

Hotel near Embassy Row

Just northwest of the U.S. capitol is the affluent neighborhood of Georgetown with its heritage buildings, churches, embassies (France, Mongolia, Sweden, Thailand and Ukraine) and of course its namesake university. It is also home to many politicians and lobbyists, plus past notable citizens that included Thomas Jefferson, Francis Scott Key and John F. Kennedy to mention a few. Now the best way to view is to use the "Hop On/Hop Off" bus that you would catch in Washington to do the loop. Then once you get your bearings take a walk to enjoy the area with all its charm and history.

Embassy of Estonia

Part of Embassy Row