San Francisco Trip - Day 4

On our last day, we walked over to the Palace Hotel to check out their courtyard. Ellena was all monku and you can see it in her face. On our way back to our hotel, we came across a toy store. I told the kids we could go look, but we weren't buying anything. Well, turns out this toy store carried all the discontinued Legos! Specifically, the Power Miners Crystal Sweeper that Evan is set on getting for Christmas ("But you can't find it in stores" - "Santa can make anything.") So we got the Lego set and Evan will be "paying us back."

We took the streetcar to Pier 39 and ate lunch at Wipeout Bar and Grill - pleasant experience! The kids found a sea lion sculpture they enjoyed playing on.

We then took the Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruise - a one hour boat tour which went under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz. When we asked Ellena what her favorite part of the trip was, she said Alcatraz. Not sure if she liked seeing the former prison island or if she just liked saying the word. You'll notice the wood railing behind the kids. Ellena was dragging her hand along the wood as we walked onto the boat. I told her not to do it or she would get splinters. Not one minute later, she gets this shocked look on her face and realizes she got 2 splinters! Needless to say, it was not a pleasant boat ride for her.

We caught the streetcar back to the hotel and I went in search of a sewing kit so I could dig the splinters out of her fingers. That's when I realize that I left my credit card back at the Wipeout restaurant. We book it back to our hotel to ask the concierge to call the restaurant and make sure it's there. We then go back to the streetcar stop and waited and waited and waited. Finally, it arrives and we go 2 stops when Ellena declares she needs to go potty. Serious?! So we get off and find a restroom for her. We are now running short on time and go in search of a cab. Happy ending - we make it to the restaurant, grab the card, cab it back to the hotel and grabbed a quick bite to eat in the hotel's restaurant (Ducca at the Westin Market Street: really excellent Grandmother's cake - basically a lemon tart, and meatball sliders) where Pops met us and the towncar was ready to whisk us to the airport! Phew! It was a lovely time, but it's always nice to be back home!