The hike up was so rough that I couldn't take a picture of the cathedral.
Just kidding. I just forgot. I was too busy gabbing with Lance and getting distracted by all the other buildings in the area.
So I stole this picture from the interwebs.
Yep, that's what it looked like. Actually, this looks better because they were redoing the front steps so it was all under construction. They didn't even have those beautiful Doors of Paradise, which I was pretty bummed about. (Oh well, I guess I'll just have to get Lance to take me to Italy to see them. Hint hint.)
The inside was pretty standard cathedral-like. Okay, that's weird, because all the cathedrals I've been in (and I've been in a lot) are pretty amazing, just in sheer size. The vaulted ceilings, the arches, the stained glass - it's all pretty impressive. But this cathedral had something extra - an art installation.
Apparently the cathedral has taken on an artist in residence who has strung 20 miles of ribbon from the ceiling. It was really, really pretty. (The pictures really don't do it justice.)
We walked all around the cathedral, looking in the little chapels and corners. My favorite part was a wall that had framed pages from the bible, dating back centuries and centuries. (I studied this sort of stuff in college - it was pretty exciting to me. I'm sure Lance thought I was crazy for reading the little description of every single page. I don't care - it was cool.) ((Random side note: when my brother and I went to London we went to the British Library and I got to see an original Gutenberg Bible, an original 1215 Magna Carta, and original Beatle's lyrics, all in one place. It was aaaahhhhmmmaaaazzzinnnggg!))
So, anyways. We hung out at the cathedral for an hour or so. Here's my feet in the cathedral's famous labyrinth. It felt a little weird just walking across the labyrinth instead of following the lines, but I'm a rebel like that.
Eventually we made our way back downtown, stopping for the first Jamba Juice I've had in probably 5 years. We hung out at the hotel for a bit and then it was finally time to go. I was sad to leave, but also anxious to just get the traveling over with. Am I the only one like that? I love to travel TO a destination, but going HOME is never fun. Not that I don't love home, but it's just not as exciting as vacation!
We decided to take BART to the airport, since it is faster and far cheaper than a shuttle. Our train car was full of other people with luggage and the ride was uneventful. We got to our terminal at SFO only to realize that we were in the Smallest. Terminal. Ever. Seriously, I've been in a lot of airports, and I've never been in one so small. And this was at SFO! We had planned to eat something quick and easy at the airport, like McDonald's or something, but our options were either some sit-down place called Perry's or Amazingly Overpriced Crepes. (Okay, that was not the name of the crepe place. But it could have been.) We went for the crepes.
On the way out we had flown on United and they were great. On the way home we flew on Frontier.
Never again.
First of all, they didn't even seat us together. Seriously? I mean, okay, we didn't notice this until we were boarding the plane, but who thinks to check that they're sitting together when you bought the tickets together?! Am I weird to expect seats next to each other?
Well, the list continues. Our flight was an hour late taking off. They charge TWO DOLLARS for a soda during the flight. What the what?!!?! I mean, seriously, it's the principle of the matter. How much money do they actually save/earn in selling a can of soda? Not enough to make up for the definite feeling of bad customer service it creates in the customers, that's for sure! The flight attendants were extra grouchy and even rude to several passengers around me. And then they had the gall to hawk a Frontier Airlines credit card during the middle of the flight. They didn't even ever acknowledge or apologize for the flight being late.
Since our flight was late into Denver we basically had time to run to the bathroom and then get on to our next flight. The second flight was pretty much the same, although the flight attendants didn't seem quite as grouchy. On the drive home Lance and I both swore that we would never fly Frontier again, no matter how cheap they are.
We got home pretty late, and even though we were jet lagged I fell right to sleep; traveling wears me out. Besides, I knew that the next day would start bright and early - and it did!
Only Josh seemed to care that we were finally home, so he was my favorite child of the morning. (Everyone else took it in stride.)
When the boys got home from school we gave them their stuffed animals and all the little tchotchkies Lance had picked up from the conference. They were all quite thrilled! (Which is a relief. Who wants to be the parents who bring home bad souvenirs? Especially after all of the dang effort we put into getting the dang things!)
Tess and her hard-won pink pig. Thank goodness she liked it! (She's sleeping with it in her bed as I type.)
Josh and his red dragon.
Spencer's black robot.
And Cole's... wait a second. Nope, that punk wouldn't let me take a picture of him.
But I did get a couple of good shots of all four children.
As great as my trip was, I sure was glad to get home. I sure love those kidlets of mine.
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