VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR LONG DISTANCE TRAVELS:
Bathroom locations: Panera, Target, and Starbucks. Panera is the cleanest and most reliable. Some Starbucks do not allow use of their bathrooms.
TRIGGER WARNING (I was advised to put this by Sammy since the content may trigger some unpleasant emotions) : on day EIGHT, we helped a lost soul return home.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN…AFTER MANY, MANY MONTHS Of being home
A month after coming back from Europe, the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. We had already booked flights and lodgings for Orlando Florida during spring break week in March. We had a steep discounted group rate for our stay at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. I even remembered to book ahead for Victoria and Albert (V&A) restaurant this time. This would’ve been our fourth trip to Orlando. Each trip before this I wanted to dine at V&A but they were always booked months in advance.
Unfortunately, as the next couple of months passed, we realized flying would be too risky. We got lucky that no one was sick after flying back from Europe because COVID-19 was already in Europe or in that plane flying back to the states with us.
We decided to wait till June and rerouted our plans to Alaska. Tickets to Alaska were cheaper than usual. Alaska is one of our bucket list destinations. I called Delta and, after being on the line for what seemed forever, we connected. They gave us full credit and applied the funds toward our flight to Alaska. Wooo-whooo!! We were finally going to Alaska. We even paid to upgrade to first-class because it was cheap.
As the weeks went on and the news of the pandemic became direr, we decided to cancel our flights. Again Delta gave us credits to use towards future flights, which I can’t see us using any time soon 😫.
Hunkered down and tried to make the best of our quarantined time, we did. As California started to re-open, I began looking at Airbnb places close to home. We can’t fly but we sure can drive. As long as we keep to ourselves and wear masks when we are in public, we should be fine, right? We booked a few places through Airbnb to see if we would be comfortable staying at strangers’ houses during this time. The trips were a couple of hours away. (MONGOLIAN YURT – right in our backyard) If we didn’t like it, we can pack up and come home. We enjoyed our home away from home and found it relaxing to “get away.”
We started looking at longer trips – to Denver, Portland, Humboldt county with the redwood trees. Seventeen, eighteen-hour drive sounded exhausting so we decided to find a place midway. Bodega Bay Area sounded interesting. There are patches of green on Google map. Looks like it is surrounded by nature which means we can get away from people. It’s also close to the cities (Saulsilito & SF) and wine country. Perfect.
I booked for a place in Mill Valley. Two weeks before our departure, I get an email from the Airbnb host telling us Marin County had an uptake in cases and they were mandated to cancel all reservations. However, she would be willing to work with us outside the Airbnb platform. We were skeptical but decided to move forward with the booking. As we were finalizing the details, we found out that the “home” is actually a basement with air vent between it and the main house. I mentioned to the host that I work in the medical field and gave her the option to cancel the reservation. She did.
I quickly and frantically got back on Airbnb site to search for other places. Since Marin County was closed for reservations (and who knows what other places), the picking was slim. We ended up paying a little more for a place in Sonoma County. Being that it’s our first loooonnnng trip, I decided to find an overnight stay somewhere between home and Sonoma. Los Olivos is a town I always wanted to have an overnight visit. So, why not?
On the way up, we stopped by my brother’s place to pick up the one-person and two-person kayaks which we got for a great deal.
(these pictures were taken when we arrived at Paradise Beach Park in Tiburon)
Day One:
Los Olivos
My favorite cupcake place at SAARLOOS + son in Los Olivos closes at 4 p.m. We would not get there in time. I called to see if I can pay over the phone and to have the cupcakes be left on their front porch. The only threat to these cupcakes was the heatwave. Alas, they were not opened for business on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We took our time getting there. We got to Santa Barbara with only one Starbucks stop and no bathroom break. We then headed up the 154Hwy (not my favorite windy mountain road) to meet up with my friend and her kid who also decided to brave the roads during this crazy time. Unfortunately, I mapped to the wrong place and ended up at a vineyard which was one of our dinner option. The second mapping landed us at our lodging. I blame the internet connection. We arrived earlier than expected. When Angela (the host) met us in her beat-up golf cart, she was so bubbly and pleasant. She told us that the yurt we rented was so hot and she couldn’t get in to clean it. Instead, she’s relocating us to a cute room in the barn. I never gave it a second thought. Cute room…barn…how bad could it be. We’ve stayed in a converted barn before and it was spacious and modernized. Of course, she also mentioned the air conditioner in that 90deg heat. The place sounded fabulous!
We got into our car and followed her golf cart up a hill towards a yellow barn. The barn housed three horses and some chicks on one end. On the other end is her two “cute barn rooms.”
We helped Angela with making the bed then headed off to finally meet up with my friend. When we got to her place, I recognized it was one of the Airbnb places I had my eyes on. It has animals on the property just like the one we booked. Too bad it only had one bed and I didn’t want to start the trip having a restless night. Little did I know, the three of us would be stuffed in a full size bed in our barn room. 😂
The kids spend some time with the three cute bunnies in their pen. They were able to hold and pet them. They also fed the goats.
The small garden had BLACK tomatoes on the vine – ready for picking. I’ve never seen a black tomato, ever. There were also medium-sized jalapeños and cherry tomatoes. The garden reminded me of the vegetables we brought along from our own garden (green bell pepper, squash, and tomatoes).
After we finishing petting and feeding the animals, we headed into town for dinner at the Los Olivos Wine Merchant Cafe. I remembered the place had a cute cozy indoor dining and the food was delicious. We were, instead, seated outdoor in an alley with picnic tables and benches, at least six feet away from the other diners. Food was served after we placed our orders at the counter.
I picked up a scented candle – Turberose Magnolia, wax poured into an emptied wine bottle. Maybe I can start candle making if this pandemic doesn’t end soon.
The food was just as delicious as I remembered but the gush of wind made the outdoor dining a bit uncomfortable. We polished off the bottle of Rombauer Chardonnay and took a pass on the dessert.
Day two:
Los Olivos, Paso Robles, Sonoma
Sooo… that comfortable first night I was hoping for by booking this yurt experience…it did and didn’t happen. Sammy, who slept in the middle, was spread out and slept comfortably. The two adults, in the mean time, hugged the edge of the bed, trying not to fall off.
We got up early to meet with Angela who wanted Sammy to help with feeding the animals. A couple of weeks before our arrival, her cleaning ladies as well as her ranch hand became unavailable. Her cleaning ladies knew someone who came down with COVID-19. She asked them to stay home for the 14-day quarantine. Her ranch hand was some young guy who came from Santa Barbara every day. “Each day he would come later and later.” Eventually, he decided not to come at all. Sammy was happy to volunteer herself for the job. We were all happy she could find something to do. We volunteered to make a coffee run into town for the danish and coffee. Solvang was only 10 minutes drive from Los Olivos. We’ve been there so many times but never knew Solvang was that close! I think it’s because we’ve only made pit stops for the cupcakes and wine tasting.
We drove to Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery and got their signature Almond Custard Kringle and three of their danishes (apple, strawberry, and cream cheese). All of which we never got to taste. I planned to give Angela the Kringle and share the danishes. When we got back with the baked goods, she was so excited and told me to leave it ALL on her golf cart. There they stayed. She kept saying: “You’ve made my day!” It was hard to take the danishes away from her.
After they were done with the feedings, Angela asked if Sammy wanted a ride on her horse. Of course!
With Sammy holding onto the pommel, Angela let the horse around the property. We took photos of them with the vineyard and the valley below.
We thanked our gracious host and talked about sending Sammy back during her school break to help for FREE. Next time, we will stay in the yurt and bring an inflatable mattress. The barn room was cute and all but I think we’d enjoy the open space. The room did not have the smell of horses or chicks or cows as one would expect. It was comfortable but not for three people.
We headed up to Justin’s Vineyard in Paso Robles for our lunch reservation. Paso Robles is a one of our favorite Central Coast destination. Again, the outdoor seatings. The temperature was in the high 90s. The cool air from the night before would’ve been welcoming. Instead, the warm breeze would come and go. Between the hot weather and the wine, I was starting to have a pounding headache. Luckily, we ordered some wines from Justin’s to be shipped. There will be goodies waiting for us when we get home.
We finally finished with lunch and started off to our final destination – PasOlivo Olive Oil.
We picked up a few items, did complimentary outdoor tastings, and bid farewell to my friend and her kid. We headed up to Sonoma which was only 3.5 hours from Paso Robles.
I can’t tell you what went on during that drive because I had to sleep off my headache!
We arrived at the Airbnb home close to 9 p.m. I pulled up the Google map to search for restaurants nearby. Almost all except for one – Sonoma Eats – were closed or about to close. Sonoma Eats was our go-to restaurant for the rest of the stay. Their post says “offering the most authentic real Mexican food…” Their food tasted like a modern take on Mexican food instead. I’ve never had an empanada with chopped eggs and beef in it. Their quesadillas also had chopped twigs and leaves. I’ve been meaning to call the restaurant to find out what those twigs are all about.
Day three:
Sonoma
We woke up the next day in our comfortable memory foam beds. The kid had her own room. She told me she slept so soundly that didn’t even move, unlike the night in that barn room.
We recorded a happy birthday song and sent it Sammy’s Auntie.
We decided to explore the neighborhood. We took a walk down the street to the Barking Dog Roaster which the host recommended. We had breakfast croissant, coffee and a smoothie. We then strolled over to the Fairmont Hotel and Spa. The grounds was eerily quiet. I think we only saw the security guard and janitor on that property. Where did everyone go?
I remembered this was the neighborhood where we came with my mom and grandma several years ago. We stayed in a house closer to the 12 Hwy. The neighborhood felt a little unwelcoming at that time. This time, it felt more like home. There were bicyclists, walkers, runners – all with their masks on.
We eventually made our way down to the Sonoma Square where we had a “snack” at the Girl and Fig. They had picnic tables under the shaded trees in the park. An older man on his bicycle rode past the park hollering something incomprehensible. Immediately, I had dejavu moment of being at work where it was a norm to see and hear people roaming and yelling in the streets.
After enjoying our snacks, we made our way to Hana Sake Bar & Tasting Room, a “popular Japanese eatery” in Rohnert Park. Of course, not being from the area, we depended on reviews from Yelp and booked with Opentable. This process always seem to land us at a good, reliable restaurant. We arrived 15 minutes early and were well received. They led us outdoor to a table facing the golf course. The ambience is blah. I felt like we were dining in an alley with a dying lawn in front of us. This new norm is going to take some time getting use to.
As the food started arriving, my spirit lifted. The sushi and grilled oysters were the best we’ve eaten. Even Sammy who is a picky sushi eater ate two orders of the fatty tuna sashimi. I think she would rate it 10/10. We had hot sake with the meal. The bill came out to be over $200 and that price range was the norm for a nice dinner throughout our stay.
Before heading back to the homestead, we decided to walk off our meal. We pulled up the ALL TRAILS app and was able to locate a hike close by. Taylor Mountain Regional Park had moderate number of cars in the parking lot. The trail, however, was not crowded. We hiked for over an hour. As we headed back to the car, I saw the sun to my left and the moon to my right. Many hikers were heading towards the peak to watch what was probably an amazing sunset.
On our drive back, Sammy and I had a craving for sweets. We stopped off at La Michoacana Natural Ice Cream which is “similar to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams” according to Google Maps. My stomach was bigger than my eyes. Sammy purchased a banana split to share. I bought a frozen chocolate nut banana ice cream, palettes with pistachio, and cookies and cream ice cream for “later.”
Day Four:
Sonoma, Bodega Bay, Yountville
In Sonoma, the temperature was 88.2 degrees but felt much warmer when you’re in the sun. We decided to head for Bodega Bay for cooler weather and to try out our kayaks. As we drove up the Bay Hwy, we noticed quite a bit of traffic. We ended up at the Bodega Head where it was sooooo windy. We definitely couldn’t put our kayaks in the water.
Our stomach was calling to us. We headed back down the highway to the Spud Point Marina and stood in line for 45minutes for the crab cakes, crab and seafood sandwiches, chowders, and grill oysters. The last time we stood in line for this long was at an LV store in Paris. The weather was a little more frigid then.
After having our lunch in the car, we headed back to Sonoma. Sonoma Lake came up as an option for a possible kayaking location. We arrived around 5 p.m. and cars were starting to leave. I can just imagined how busy it was during the day.
We inflated only the one-person kayak for a test a run. All three of us hoisted the kayak downhill and set it into the water. Josh got in and paddled from the docking site to the other side of the lake where we waited for him. He made it safely to us (LOL). We had a good time swimming and paddling in the lake. We kept the kayak close to shore since there were quite a bit of motor boats in the water.
Dinner…we finally were able to secure a spot with Bouchon Restaurant at 9:45 p.m. Yes, it’s late and I had to hear it from my mom who was on the phone with us as we drove to the restaurant. “Aye ya, so late!” The food tasted awesome and the service was great. The waitress’ birthday was the next day so we gave her extra tip to celebrate her special day.
Got to have at least one selfie
DAY FIVE:
Buena Vista, Pine Ridge, Rombauer…Wine tasting day!
Finally! The day for wine tasting is here. Wine tastings have to be booked ahead of time. Wineries are only offering outdoor seating for tastings.
Our original plan was to get up early and do a bike ride then go wine tasting. Well, we all know how that went. We got up and lounged around the house for a while then headed out to the vineyards. The first one was pretty much down the street from the house. We used to be a member of this place. It’s the pioneer of the California wine industry. The red blend, Revenge, has an interesting story to go with it.
“The Revenge Red Wine from Buena Vista Winery avenges Count Agoston Haraszthy’s untimely death by crocodile in Nicaragua in 1869. After leaving Buena Vista in 1868, the Count traveled south to pursue an ambition for sugar growing for rum production. Less than a year after arriving, the brilliant, yet flamboyant life of The Count ended abruptly when he fell from a tree branch while crossing a crocodile-infested stream.
The Count has returned to Buena Vista and adorned this bottle with a gilded crocodile to show the passion of The Count can never be struck down! Revenge is his!”
After a rather pleasant, peaceful outdoor tasting, we headed over to Pine Ridge where the venue was smaller and for members only. We spent an hour there and drove over to Rombauer which is on the Silverado Trail. The Rombauer setting was lush and shady. The chardonnay tasted fantastic. It’s described as “aromas of yellow peach, mango with slight citrus note intertwine seamlessly with vanilla and spice.” The word I’d equate this wine with is: buttery.
We ended our day of wine tastings with a dinner reservation at Coquetta which had Spanish tapas and family-style plates.
Day Six:
Tiburon – Paradise Beach Park with our banana boat, Luna Blu
Since it was going to be another hot day, we decided to find a cool place to launch the kayak. Tiburon was another area that came across my search for an Airbnb place. There was a boathouse for rent. However, I couldn’t figure out if we would have the whole place to ourselves. The host took a while to answer and I had already booked for the place in Marin County. Maybe we can try again on our next trip back up.
The vantage point towards the San Francisco skyline from Tiburon was amazing. We were there during the day time. I could just imagine how beautiful it would be during nightfall, with the lights glittering from across the bay. We found a place to launch our kayaks – Paradise Beach Park. We inflated both kayaks this time. The water looked calm and we didn’t feel like we’d be tossed around. Sammy and Josh hiked down to the launchpad with the kayaks over their heads. I was told it’s not heavy. I’ll just take their words for it. I brought along the life vests and our paddles. We launched the Banana Boat (two-person) and the Green Boat (single-person) into the water and paddled up and down the shore. I took pictures of the daddy and daughter dual in the Banana Boat. The Golden Gate Bridge was to their back. It was a fun exercise and we got to see the houses along the shore. There were some nice big homes with private beaches.
After about an hour, we headed back in. I booked for a place called Luna Blu Restaurant which has a view of the bay. When we arrived at the downtown area, we took a stroll around the area. The streets were quiet. Residents were out walking their dogs and probably delighted their town was not overrun by tourists. The store owners, on the other hand, seemed to be suffering. No shoppers in the stores. After a short walk, we headed back to the restaurant and had our dinner. The cioppino Josh had looked delicious.
After a productive day in Tiburon, we drove home, past the Hippie Tree which we couldn’t find. Maybe that’ll be for another trip.
We got back early enough to take a short stroll through the Sonoma Square. We scoped out the shops and the goods for the next morning. I spotted a mug: “NURSES CAN’T FIX STUPID BUT WE CAN SEDATE IT.” Can’t pass up posting that on FB 🙂
Day Seven:
Sonoma’s Valley Bike Tour and Rental, Sonoma’s Best, Cook St. Helena
Today was the day for the bike trip. We set out for the bike shop we saw on our way in – Sonoma Valley Bike Tours and Rentals. There were many bikes available for our picking since tourism is down and it’s a weekday.
For fear of not making over the hills and valleys, I chose the electric pedal assist bike while the other two decided to have a more challenging ride. “Sara” mapped out the trails which would take about two hours to ride. She mapped us to Sonoma’s Best (a coffee and gift shop), to the Depot Park Museum, and the Sonoma Square. We got our helmets on and peddled off. We biked through nice, big homes and open roads with vineyards sprawling on both sides. At times the roads were bumpy. I wish I had picked a bike with CUSHIONED seat.
Our first stop was at Sonoma’s Best where we enjoyed a cup of coffee, ice cream, and sandwich in their backyard. After our bellies were full (not that we were ever NOT full on this trip), we made our ways back on the road. This is our first bike trip with Sammy on the busy traffic roads. She was superb. We biked down to the Train Depot which was not opened due to COVID-19. We decided to head back at this time since it was almost two hours. I guess our relaxation at Sonoma’s Best was a little too long.
By the way, the electric pedal assist bike was not necessary. The roads were flat and did not required the extra juice. I guess that’s why “Sara” gave me an odd look when I insisted on the electric bike. Like I said before, what I should’ve asked for was a bike with extra cushion for those extremely bumpy, unpaved parts of the trail.
The day was still young and we can’t leave the wine country with only one day of wine tasting. We made a reservation for Landmark which is a sister winery of JUSTIN winery in Paso Robles. Since Josh is a member, we thought we make use of the membership. We arrived at Landmark and was led to a big wide open space with canopied trees. There were tables/seats and lounge chairs spread throughout. A big fountain was at the other end of the yard. Beyond the fountain is a big grassy area for picnicking.
We were seated at the table of our picking since there were not that many people around. “Judy” came by with our tasting flights. She told us their setting for tastings has always been mostly outdoor. They didn’t have to make too many adjustments to stay open.
The 2018 Grand Detour Pinot Noir tasted just like I remembered. The pinot was introduced to us at an elaborate dinner at the JUSTIN WINERY where we celebrated Josh’s birthday.
From the Landmark winery, we made our way back to the Rombauer Winery where we recently became members. We figured we won’t be back for a while so best to take advantage of our membership. This time, we were on our own with complimentary wines – a Rombauer Chardonnay and 2018 Proprietor selection Zinfandel. We enjoyed their wine so much so that we ended up leaving with another six bottles of Chardonnay and 6 bottles of limited release Zinfandel. Actually, we asked for 6 bottles of non-alcoholic chardonnay (pictured below) for Sammy but the host brought us Rombauer Chardonnay instead. We didn’t want her to have to carry that heavy case back (wink) so we decided to keep it.
By the time we were done with bike rides and both tastings, it was dinner time. We booked on Opentable for a restaurant called – Cook St. Helena which was described as “a family-owned business…neighborhood establishment…casual atmosphere.” Descriptions sounded perfect. We wanted to support local businesses.
We arrived in downtown St. Helena, which was quiet and empty. We’ve passed through this area in the past during this time of the year. The street as I remembered was extremely busy. There were people everywhere and lots of cars on the road. This time when we got into town there was barely a soul on the street. The shops were all closed and it was only 6 p.m. We parked at the corner of Main and Hunt and made our way to the restaurant. We entered through the front and was immediately led out back. The dining room was located in the parking lot. The 10 tables and seats spread out were covered by a pop-up shade. Our waitress was probably in her early 60’s. She was the only server until about an hour later when another server showed up.
Every time we dine out at the restaurants, I always am grateful for these people who show up and try to make the best during this terrible time. I had a conversation with my mom a few weeks after our trip. We talked about having to flee from Vietnam after the Vietnam war. She commented that we feared for our lives back then because of the guns, bombs, and military force. Now, we can’t even see what’s killing us. How time has changed.
Day Eight:
Sonoma, Kennedy Park
Second to our last day before departure to home, we’ve done everything we could think of – wine tasting, biking, kayaking, hiking, and, of course, EATING! What have we NOT done? SHOPPING!
In the spirit of supporting local stores (and pretty much nowhere else to go), we headed to Sonoma Square. We wanted to have breakfast at the Sunflower Caffe but it was closed. El Dorado hotel which was next door had tables set outside. Only one table occupied. We took our seats on the other end and soon the meals came.
Before we left the restaurant, Josh tells Sammy she should use their bathroom. “It’s the nicest bathroom you’ll see for a while.” I quickly went. It was a nice bathroom just like any nice hotel bathroom that we’ve been in before. Except this time, we truly appreciate it.
We set out in search of the combat boots that Sammy saw several nights before. We went to Sole Desire Shoes where we thought they would be. As we entered the shop, the lady asked us to sanitized our hands using the alcohol gel pump. I haven’t been to a retail store for a long time. I was taken aback because I wasn’t going to touch anything so why did I have to clean my hands! We didn’t find the shoe so we left.
We went down the street to Summer Vine, Corner Store, and Sign of the Bear Kitchenware where we picked up gift items. I think we made the most damage at Sign of the Bear. Should’ve known with that kind of store name we would be mauled. We picked up a paella pan hoping to replicate the meal at Coquetta.
We still have half a day to kill. I wanted to head back to Tiburon for kayaking but that was going to take almost an hour to get to. We wanted to conserve our energy for the next day’s long drive. Josh scouted out a place 26 minutes from the house. We headed onto Highway 12 then exited to Ramal Rd. We passed through fields of vineyards and a few scattered homes. We finally reached our kayak destination. The place looked deserted with only a couple of cars. It was also extremely windy. Our inflatable kayaks would be blown all over the place! We had no choice but to turn around and head for option number two which was the Kennedy Park on Napa side.
We arrived at Kennedy Park half an hour later and inflated our kayaks.
After we launched, I had mini panic attacks. The wind was quite strong. Even though we had our life vests on, I was not comforted by that fact. I’m reminded of Naya Rivera’s recent death.
Sammy and I were in the two-many kayak because of the weight distribution. If one of us were in the single kayak, I think we would have been sailing with the wind, not in a good way. Josh, who’s in the single-person kayak, was sailing towards us. We decided to seek shelter in an estuary close to the launch site. We hugged the shoreline and found our way into the body of water. Unfortunately, it was just as windy as it was out in the open river. We paddled towards the marsh grass looking for a short cut back to the park. Josh headed into an area where he thought was closest to the baseball field. Meanwhile, trying to make the best of it, Sammy and I paddled around the area looking for fish or any living animals.
Josh appeared from the marshy grass and shouted “B-O-Y-O.” Or was it B-Y-O-B? At this time, I was starting to get a little frustrated and concern that we would not be able to paddle back safely. I was not humored by him shouting: “BRING YOUR OWN BEER.” Sammy, on the other hand, heard him shouting “B-O-W-Y.” At the same time we were trying to make sense of what he was saying, we were fighting to keep the kayak heading towards the launch site. When he got closer, he spelled “B-O-D-Y.”
“BODY?” I said. ” What do you mean body?!”
“Dead body,” he said.
We quickly paddled away from there. In my mind, I’m thinking why in the world would he be spelling out the word B-O-D-Y. Sammy is about to enter 8th grade! I’m sure she knows how to spell BODY.
As we quickly paddled towards the opening of the estuary, a dog came running into the water! He was fetching a block. His owners came around the bend.
Hallelujah!! We are saved.
We quickly docked and got out of our kayaks. All I can think of at that time was getting out of my sandals that have dead human juice in them. I know, it sounds gross. I’m sure there are many dead animals, bodies, etc in the open water.
Sammy found herself entertaining the dog who’s our new friend and savior. The dog had these interesting eyes. As it turned out, it is part coyote. At first I thought the owner was pulling my leg but dogs and wolves do breed. Didn’t know that. The Sonoma native pointed us the way out. We told them of the body that was found. It didn’t seem to faze them. They headed back down the trail towards the park and disappeared around the bend.
Josh headed back into the marsh and took some pictures as evidence of what he saw. He definitely found a severely decomposed B-O-D-Y.
We took our kayaks out of the water and headed for the car. Josh hoisted the one-person kayak down the trail and we followed with our banana boat.
The Sonoma sheriff and police cars arrived shortly. They took our reports and went on with their investigations. At this time, I was reminded by Sammy that whoever reports it is usually the murderer. Thank goodness her dad was with us when he found it!
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/decomposed-body-found-on-napa-river-police/2340008/
https://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/napa-county-coroner-identifies-body-found-in-napa-river/article_d2becf26-88ef-527a-8d00-3eff5dc15f3b.html
I refused to end our vacation on this somber note. I booked us a table at Layla. The restaurant is a part of the Macarthur Place Hotel & Spa. Modern, tasteful design. Sammy looked at their indoor seatings and said, “Look how cush and comfortable it is!” Alas, no indoor dining option. We ate outside under the canopied trees, open sky, and heating lamps just out of reach. The restaurant ran out of blankets and, since the COVID-19, they were not allowed to have their guests share blankets. We kept warm with our beach towels and jackets from the car.
Day Nine:
Home
The next day, we packed up our belongings and headed for the road. We listened to talk on “Microaggressions…” Didn’t even know the terminology existed till that day.
When I think back on the planning and everything that led up to this trip, I think we were meant to help this lost soul be put to rest. In the process, we have learned to navigate the world during this humbling time. Long trips seem to be impossible at one time. Now, it is doable.
The town of Sonoma taught us that as long as we know how to take care of ourselves and others, we can safely interact and live our lives. We wear masks, keep our distance, sanitize our hands when we enter a store. We learn to play and stay safe.
Till Next Time…
(July 29 – August 6, 2020)
