Yosemite - Day 2

On the second day in the park we headed toward the Tuolumne Grove, home of the giant sequoias.






It was even more incredible that we had expected. What a natural wonder!




Can you imagine a tree that big? Astonishing!










After lunch we took a walk on the northern part of the park, toward Lukens Lake. There, we found a complete silence. Nobody around. It was extremely emotional and scaring at the same time. I was thinking all the time "I hope no bear will show up and kill me". We even saw some blond hair (or fur?) on a tree. Maybe a Mountain Lion or a Wild Cat had scratched his back there. Beautiful!

Yosemite - Day 1

For Luca's birthday we decided to visit the legendary Yosemite National Park! We rented a room in the nearby town of Mariposa, lodging at the Mariposa Lodge, really nice and comfortable.





On Day 1 We left the car at the Sentinel Dome parking lot and went up on foot. I was a bit dizzy for the altitude, but the view soon repaid me.





Then we moved toward Glacier Point and enjoyed the amazing view of the Half Dome in the sun.





But it wasn't enough so we took the Panorama Trail down to Illilouette fall, and way back.







At the end of the day we walked for 9 MILES (14,48 km!). I still cannot believe I did it...

Biking in Tilden Park

One of the best thing of being here in Berkeley, California, is the wonderful nature that you can reach in no time

Like Tilden Park. It takes only 10 minutes bus ride from Downtown Berkeley

And soon you are immersed in the wilderness, more or less

I love California!

The Golden Gate

Going forward from the Embarcadero, we took a walk in the San Francisco Marina







And finally we saw it. With no fog at all...









The Golden Gate Bridge!







With us, some San Francisco bay residents








The Bridge at its best. Photo by Dan Heller

The Embarcadero

On our way to the Golden Gate Bridge we took some time at the Embarcadero, San Francisco tourist's port. Where you can see sea lions, the Alcatraz Island...










...this very weird floating restaurant









...have French crepes in the sun









...or walk on the beach

San Francisco, CA

Dashiell Hammett street!

Historic cable cars

Chinatown Entrance, gateway to the Eastern World in a Western Town... hemm...

welcome to Haight-Ashbury, the "punk" neighborhood, where we've found the Amoeba Music store. Tons and tons of CD and DVD used and new. Sweet!

Student Life

Good old times...

UC Berkeley

First day at work for Luca!









Exploring one of the most famous campus in the world: UC Berkeley









The famous "Campanile Tower" inspired by Campanile di San Marco in Venice (!!!)

New Home, New Friends

First, a quick look outside








Then the first -safe- encounter with another feline... Kitty meets Amos








And this is Harley, a beautiful incredible cat with eyes of different color








You might not believe it, but there's a cat in the fig tree

Moving to California!

On September 1st we moved to Berkeley, California for the Fall Semester

Here a few ancient Berkeley Houses

The conquer of the West has begun!