We got there the week before St. Patrick's Day by chance. I had no clue prior to planning our trip that it was so close to this holiday. We had one heck of a road trip that's for sure. My mom didn't go along with us this year so I had to try to keep my 2 year as content as possible on a 9 hour drive. Sounds harder than it was. Amazingly she did really well at keeping herself entertained. With the occasional singing in the backseat and asking for snacks. It was a nice a drive both ways.(The Pacific ocean on our drive)
When we arrived at our hotel it was close to eight so we decided to just stay in instead of wandering the streets of San Fran. The hotel room felt like our home away from home. We love it here and wish we could live up here as a second home. Too bad we weren't born millionaires. I hear houses over here start at about a million dollars, ouch. After we finished unpacking we did take a stroll down to our favorite pizza shop on the corner where my hubby always gets a slice of his favorite pizza. I accidentally ordered the wrong sub for myself. Boo! Oh well, the minestrone soup was really good and their garlic bread too.
The fallowing morning we had a bunch of appointments to go to so I'll fast forward. Got back to our room at about 6 or so. Again didn't really feel like exploring. We were jet lagged big time and beginning to really feel it this day. We again took a walk down to the pizza shop and actually got some really good grub this night. The Italian sub I had originally wanted the day before and pasta this time with cheese garlic bread. Yum! One of the best meals we had all week while we were there.
Next morning we had to rush for more appointments but lucky fro us we got off early. The downside- it was starting to rain. Yeah, San Fran has that sorta weather. Rain. Rain. And more rain. This time we were getting out, rain or shine!
It took a bit of navigating thanks in part to my savvy husband and hes skillful driving skills that we were able to find our way through the city and find the Japan Center. Really awesome and inexpensive oriental mall. Literally 1.50 or more inside a few of the stores. Daiso being one of them. I must have walked out with 4 large bags and only paid under 50 bucks. Good times:) (Japan Center in the rain)
Afterwards we did our usual run of Fisherman's Wharf. Bought a bunch of souvenirs for all our loved ones to bring back to the O.C. Had dinner and all that tourist jazz. Got back to our room at about 10 or so. We had a major snack attack before bed. Chips galore and Pepsi max. Nom nom nom!
Our final day there we were trying to decide what to do. We were planning on checking the aquarium of the pacific but plans changed. While we were loading our stuff into our car I over heard another hotel visitor talking to the checkout clark about getting a shuttle to near museum. It was pouring outside worse than the day before and I started feeling bad for them. She ended up sitting by us and I started talking to her and asking how long they'd been here visiting for. Small talk, just to see how they were doing. She had a daughter as well but she was about 10 or 11. Eventually I offered them ride. How could I not. It was pouring outside and they didn't have a ride, when we have a car with nothing else to do.
My husband walked by and looked shocked when I explained to him about giving them a ride. Lol. It was still a shock to him since we didn't know them. Eventually he got why I offered them a ride. Being a good samaritan feels good. When you do something good for someone and it's within your own means, why not? Wouldn't you appropriate the help if you were in their shoes. I know I would.
We dropped them off at the museum of science and we went on our merry little way. Of course we got lost trying to find the freeway to get back on the road. San Fran has some crazy streets and if your not aware of the one way streets you'll be in a mess trying to find where your going.
I normally wouldn't plan any special event to celebrate this occasion on the calender since it really has no real importance in my life. To be honest I had completely forgotten what Leap year was. The only reason I was even reminded is when I logged onto my facebook and one of my friends on there commented about Disneyland being open for 24 hours. WTH? So I thought to myself they must be full of it and are lying or there really is something going on and I was not aware about it.
Turns out they were telling the truth and I had no idea it was going to really happen.
I guess Disneyland was celebrating and allowing the park to run 24 hours like a normal day would but all the way through the night until 6 a.m. the next day after leap day. This, to me, was history in the making. What if they decided never to do this event again. I had to go. I went there with a friend and her sister. We got there a little after nine at night. We didn't get to the parking structure till after ten. Yeah, parking was insane all the way to the street. Cars were so jammed up that cops had to keep escorting cars to get by.
Eventually we made our way to the gates only to discover a huge line from California Adventure all the way leading to the front Disneyland gates. We had waited in traffic that long why not wait in these lines too? Hell, we were waiting for over an hour and a half! Our patience running low we finally ditched the line and headed to IHOP across the street to go eat.
Afterwards we walked back. The line was almost all the way in and very short. We quickly jetted in line to get in. Thank goodness! Yay, we got in! By the time we entered it was 15 after one in the morning. We rushed in to get in line to Indiana Jones- which was not as easy as I write but I'm cutting this short in details because it was crazy packed inside. The wait- over 2 hours. Yes, for one stink'n ride. Well worth it once we got on it but still 2 freak'n hours!? I could've gone on 5 rides in that time on a regular weekday!
Oh well, all for a Leap Year's experience in the most Magical Place on Earth. I didn't get home till almost five a.m. Thats the latest I've been out since my early 20's. Fun times!
