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I love this city!!!  Not just for the ton of free museums etc but for the general buzz it has.  I landed at 2:30, was on the tube by 3:15 and was in the London Museum (sans entrance fee) by 4:30.  I only wish I had more time because when a museum opens with the Rosetta Stone……it only gets better.  Here are some of the shots from the inside…..

These next two photos fascinate me because of where I now reside.  They both are of ancient objects from (Egypt and Crete) but bear amazing resemblance to India artifacts and current day objects.  The Egyptian alter looks exactly like old and new Shiva Lingams I have seen (looking almost exactly like some at Hampi with hieroglyphs instead of sanskrit)  Lamps for Diwali or other purposes look exactly like the Minoan Lamp from 1850 BC. 
REALLY makes me wonder…..

When I got to the hotel, after the museum had closed and I wandered the streets for a bit, I found the love of my life had left me three essentials – a note saying I hope you get home soon, chocolates, and water (very important for me given all the wine I would be drinking later :

Next day got up early, coffee and pastry in hand headed to the British Library….ohhh how I love libraries but this has to be one of the greatest out there….the short list of available documents to view – mind you I was only there for 35 mins – got lost, long story….CLICK on blue links to take you to images/more info!!!

• The Codex Sinaiticus
• The Ma'il Qur'an
• Leonardo da Vinci's notebook
• The Magna Carta  and the Article of the Barons (well 2 of the surviving copies 1215, 1225 AD)
• Letter to the Hebrews (on papyrus)
• Diamond Sutra (the oldest printed, dated book 868)
• Galileo's 1st Scientific Publication
• Gandharan Scrolls 
• Beowulf Manuscript
• Lewis Carrol's Diary
• Mozart's Marriage Contract
• Bronte's draft for Jane Eyre
• Beethoven's Violin Sonata in G mjr

While my love of this place may signify my super geek status – I DON'T CARE!  This place ROCKS!!!  I only wish I wasn't rushing to the airport to catch a flight because I literally could have spent all day (ok, maybe a few days) there.  I am so going back!!!

Truth be told, that is what my trip felt like.  After visiting my friends in the Bay I headed back to Chico via Pleasant Hill (a brilliant family dinner at Michelle, Clark and the kids house – Thanks again for doing that you guys!) and Vacaville.

I hung out in Vacaville the next day where I took this shot on the way home from a fantastic day of eating (Mexican and Sushi – two food types sorely lacking in India) and bowling with my Dad, Sean, Micheala – with of course the mandatory chocolate milkshakes which gave both Ms. M and I a bit of a sugar rush.  The day was perfect – only wish I had thought to bring my camera into the bowling alley…right Dad?!

When I got back to Chico, I basically spent two days packing (lots of contraband to take back to India)…there was a great few more days and nights with the Kao clan and a super visit with my girl Sue…..but I had to get on a plane home.  I hated leaving as much as I wanted to go home….strange to be pulled that way.

After a sojourn in Chico, I went back to the Bay Area to catch up with friends.  It was all too brief and I don't have pictures of everyone – silly girl not keeping the camera at the ready.  The only unfortunate thing was I miss them terribly now!  By the way, spot the trend

Highlights –

• Being able to hang at Jess and Jen's kitchen table with coffee and cookies and BURRITOS discussing everything and nothing – just like old times…I miss that table and what happens around it!
• Zachary's pizza with Seana and Alex – great pizza, even better company
• Breakfast with Dan and Amber at Saul's (Best Pastrami ever) and then hanging with Amber for the afternoon.
• Seeing Tom and Chris and reminiscing about flying gonads (a scuba thing) and catching each other up on the past 8 years over home made meal.
• Hanging with Shane over snacks and planning our around Asia adventure – need to call you on that girl!
• Catching up on work and pre-mom adventures with Tiffany – of course card shopping and gelato were involved – so glad she indulged me….
• Talking life with Nadia over Vietnamese food in my old hood.

Amy and I loaded up the kids and headed down to the Bay for a quick trip to the Steinhart Aquarium.  We spent the night at Rick's mom's house and she decided to come with.  We had a hot pot for dinner and hit the sack for an early morning (read 6:30 wake) the next day.

The new aquarium is pretty cool – there have been amazing energy efficiency elements put in through out the building.  The new rainforest exhibit is really cool – it will continue to get better as the plants grow in and more fauna is added.

It totally helps if you get there at 8:30 in the am (a whole hour before it opens) so that you can park and meander around before the rest of SF wakes up and gets there at about 10:15.   The weather was awesome and it was great to be back in my city!

So we headed down to Dad's for a post Christmas present opening party after recovering from the drive home from Phoenix – by the way, if you are ever driving through Pasedena on New Years Eve around 10 pm – DON'T get lost or you will get to see the Rose Bowl parade early and not be able to move for about an hour.

Everyone was shocked to see me – I had called Dad the night before "from India" to apologize for not being able to wish him a more timely Happy New Year….little did he know I was watching the Rose Bowl parade.

Sean's reaction was the funniest – he actually backed away from the door because I am not sure he knew where he was…wish we could have gotten a picture.

A group of us left on New Years Eve – hugs all around and some great photos – sorry for the one of me but I let Anne take a picture of me after I had snapped a surprise one of her (turn about is fair play so had to post both).

We arrived at the park after a few mishaps with directions (Grandad must have wondered where his organizational skills had gone in the gene pool) for a family picnic at a large park outside of Glendale.

Funny moments included trying to organize for a picture, hiding beer from passersby, and heading up to the top (or in my case partway to the top) of the surrounding hills. 

Thanks for letting me borrow from your pictures Aunt Anne and Uncle Bill.

A small contingent went to the Zoo – Luke, Maki, Rick, Amy, myself and the kids – and had a fun time hanging out staring at animals.

Hummm you must be wondering…..But seriously, this is a super cool place.

On Saturday, most of the clan piled in cars and drove the short distance from Glendale to the Rock Art Center.  The Center preserves and educates on the Hedgpeth Hills and petroglyphs generally and serves to assist those researching rock art.  The petroglyphs carved into the rock by Hohokam and Patayan cultures were really cool – they were scattered everywhere you looked.  Kids (and some adults) took part in trying to match a chart to the petroglyphs visible on the rocks.  I was pleasantly reminded of how scenic and romantic Arizona is – the lone Suguaro cactus, mesquite against the azure sky….it sure is prurty.  Family pics follow the fauna.

  

So there was a big Ramey family reunion in Arizona.  My Grandad – who is a whoppin 90 years old – was playing host and I felt I had to be there. 

No one but Dar, Paul and Marie from my family new I was going so after a long couple of plane flights ( most of one I spent curled up in the steward jumper seat in the back …  yes, I felt sorry for myself at the time) I got to hotel where I thought everyone was….come to find out – after knocking on what I thought was my Aunt Anne's room and being greeted by someone decidedly not my aunt – everyone was in the hotel next door (I am blaming this on being delusional after the flights). 

Anyway, 15 minutes later I walk in the right room….SURPISE.  My sister's face said it all…and so began my Ramey Reunion Adventure.  Those were tears of joy people…..really!  Thanks for capturing it on film Uncle Bill!