Happy birthday to me! How to shop with no money? Wal Mart is huge, man! It's like K Mart in Australia. A 2l Coke going for US$0.99. Cheap!



If you have been paying about $10 a pint, you have been ripped big time! It cost US$2.75 ($4.50) in the States.



The burger chain that Kirsten Dunst recommend. Only available in California.



It's their famous Double Double. Meat is flame broiled a la minute so it's nice and juicy. The fries are freshly cut, not the frozen kind.



It was raining, so I thought this will be an interesting shot on the coach. Slightly moody eh?



The icon of San Francisco. Your trip is not complete before seeing the Golden Gate Bridge.



This is the bridge in the fog, very post card like ya? I reckon it looked better in black and white.



Wow! The team threw a surprise birthday party for me, with such a big cake!



I felt really loved, because they celebrated once for me back in Singapore already. I really didn't see this coming.



I pray that I will celebrate my next birthday in Sydney with Eliss with my new job there. This also marked the end of the US trip. Will be catching the plane home in a few hours.

I don't know why, I just love this picture. Maybe it's the cloud formation.



That little hut looked so cute, and was simply dwarfed by the backdrop.



We'll be going to the Rock, catching a 20 minute cruise ride from Pier 41.
The famous seals that always "relak one corner", are at their usual spot sun-tanning.



When the need for prisons increased with rising crime, the government looked at Alcatraz. In the Bay, close to land, but still so far away due to currents, tides, and water temperature, Alcatraz seemed like the perfect choice for a maximum security penitentiary. For 34 years it operated as such, harboring the worst of the worst.



Well, this is it. Welcome to Alcatraz. Let me show you around the island.



That's the building where the inmates are locked up.



I'm at the "Broadway", basically the corridor of the cells by the sides. The headphone is pretty cool as it not only illustrated, but also added some sound effects of the heydays.



This is a solitary confinement cell, where inmates were deprived of light and sound. A lot went mad inside. One of them entertained himself by trying to locate a button he cast on the ground. So poor thing.



The command post looked lonely between the 2 blues of the sky and sea.



I can imagine the inmates envious of the seagull, and wished they could just fly away from this place.

Well frankly, I prefer the atmosphere at Port Arthur, Tasmania. You could really feel the atmosphere changed when you stepped into the cell. Suddenly, you will feel a deep sense of hopelessness and depression.

Maybe Tasmania was also quieter, and it was winter at that time.



This is one of the toughest shot I've had in this trip. The bee just wouldn't sit still!

The Union Square area was beautiful with lots of things to see and touch.



I wonder if the prices inside Macy's really will make people jump. And please remove your shoes before you do.



I wonder if he was riding and talking to his mobile at the same time. Or the new Apple Hi Fi really create sound this big.



He sure knows that drinking lots of water daily is great for health.



Interesting ad on the cab. It's like a moving chorus board.



Notice how steep the road is at Chinatown.



My kind of music!



Oven baked escargots with herb butter. It has a melt in your mouth texture. Marvelous!



Too much beef for the whole week, had grilled shrimps for a change. A nice change indeed!



The famous ice cream parlour. What a great way to end the day after a heavy meal. Did I mention that it was rather cold that night too?



Now you see it...



Now you don't!

The Napa Valley Wine Train resembled the 1915-1917 Pullman Lounge cars. It has even been modified to include the Wine Tasting Bar. Sweet.



Here I am on board. It's surrounded with Honduran mahogany paneling, brass accents, etched glass partitions, brocade and velveteen fabrics, reflective of the finest in early 20th century Venice-Simplon Orient Express and the Andalusian Express European Railroads.

A gourmet luncheon awaits.



Soup du jour and Spinach, Radicchio & Frisée Lettuces & Candied Walnuts with Smoked Goat Cheese Honey Cider Vinaigrette Dressing



Grill Pork Tenderloin over Pinenut & Serrano Ham Salad with Baby Greens & Shaved Parmesan and Lamb Chops with half a Quail.



We arrived at the vineyard. We had a guide that shared with us about art of appreciating wine. I had a great time doing this kind of sampling. Bring it on!



Welcoming Spring as the weather warmed up after the few months of chill.



Was hoping to pluck some grapes, but too bad it's not in season. All botak (bald).



Tons of wine maturing in the oak barrels. Heard from the guy a barrel like this cost a US$1000! Gasp!

I remembered I had this toy of a pirate in a barrel like this, but it had many holes by the sides. There are many small colourul swords which we can use to poke the holes, and the pirate will jump out put if we poke into the right one. And you can reset the position right hole with a knob at the bottom of the barrel. Remember?

That game amused me for quite a while.



Not a bad idea to stay in Napa Valley, with lush greenery and lots of wine.

After this, the ladies all went to the Napa Valley premium outlets (again) for the last round of stocking up.

We ended up having dinner at a diner, instead of the proposed restaurant (doh!). Sigh. Well, the food is pretty good too.



A true blue American diner, serving the usual fanfare.



Grilled rib eye with succulent shrimps! The portion was enormous!

The City of Angels! We had a tour in the city, before heading to San Francisco.



Hey, check this out! Living cultural treasure, but they misspelt my family name.



Don't you think the Disney Hall looks like City Harvest Church?



I thought the school bus reminded me of the ones I saw on the Simpsons. So cute! I took shot this while I was on the coach, sitting beside the bus captain. I could only stretch my hands out, as I had the seat belt on.



Welcome to Hollywood! Did I mention that my dream is to make a short film one day? iMovie has this dream a little closer to reality.



So this is how they made stars in Hollywood.



Now wonder Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is so stiff on real and reel life!



One of my favourite songs when I was younger was Santa Monica by Savage Garden. I could still remember that Eliss (she wasn't even my girlfriend yet) accompanied me to WTC on the bus to meet my friends. That was also the first time that I went for a concert. She was my buddy then! Now, my dearest wife!

I can't believe that I'm finally here! Didn't see a lot of in line skaters, but more of sk8er boys.



Had one of those chow mein with sweet and sour ribs. So duh to eat this for lunch, but since it's included in the package, why not?

And some good ol' refreshing Lipton Ice Raspberry Tea to go along.



We arrived San Francisco in the evening. All of us just want to go for dinner!



The Crab House is known for its mouth-watering, addictive, crab menu. It sits on San Francisco's famed Pier 39 and featured breath-taking views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf.



Roasted mussels served on sizzling iron skillet. Mouth watering!



Ultra rich crab chowder, with a generous serving of Dungeness crab meat.



This is the famous "Killer Crab" (Whole Crab roasted in a secret garlic sauce)! Oh my goodness!



Killer Crab feast costing US$100 (S163) a plate. Good enough for 4 to share.



I tell you, Dungeness crab is nothing you have tasted before! It's naturally succulent sweet flesh, coupled with with garlic sauce was a match made in heaven! I must had a least 10 pieces that night. Bliss!

I don't dare to walk near any live crabs since then, just in case they know what happened to their cousins that night.