Founded in 1797, Mission San Jose quickly became one of the most prosperous. Nearly 2,000 Indians lived here, tending the land and animals.
The Mission is named after St. Joseph, Jesus’ stepfather, who also lent his name to nearby San Jose, the unofficial capital of the Silicon Valley.
Mount Diablo is the highest mountain of the San Francisco Bay Area, a sacred Indian shrine and a Mecca for outdoor lovers. The mountain towers high above the flat surrounding landscape, resulting in a geographic oddity. From the summit, you can see more of the earth’s surface than from any other location in the world, despite its relatively low elevation of “just” 3849ft. Only Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa offers even more viewable land from its summit.
The park also provides a fantastic diversity of picnic areas, secluded or with a view, and no less than three separate campgrounds. The park is a favorite weekend destination for Bay Area Residents. A few easy trails and many strenuous trails reach the farthest corners of the park, offering a fantastic diversity of sights to hard working photographers.
Keeping with the high art of form of Japanese Gardens, the Hagiwara Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco delivers an astounding array of sights, sounds and smells in a small, easy to explore garden. The manufactured miniature landscape skillfully creates the illusion of natural scenes. Japanese Gardens have their roots in Buddhism and Daoism and thus, invite visitors to quiet contemplation, offering a retreat from the hectic day-to-day life. Besides creating a peaceful sanctuary, the Japanese Tea Garden also exhibits elements of Japanese culture and design that appeal to our western civilization. No wonder the Garden is one of the biggest attractions in the Golden Gate Park.
Makoto Hagiwara originally developed and expanded the garden from its small beginnings at a Midwinter Fair Japanese Village attraction. Unfortunately, authorities threw him into a camp during WWII and the park fell into disarray. Today, the restored and enhanced park shines again.
Christmas time should bring cheer to our hearts and bring people closer together. In our consume driven society, corporations have succeeded in distorting our views and changing our perception of what matters and what does not. Consequently, people fight each other throughout the month of December in order to serve their new masters, department stores.
As the only survivor of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exhibition, San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts echoes the grandeur of past times in a modern city whose defining character is progressive thinking and high technology. The Palace of Fine Arts resembles a Roman ruin with purely decorative purposes. It is in strong contrast to the hypermodern and functional Downtown but fits the diversity of San Francisco, a city that has room for everything, despite its small footprint.
Skyline Boulevard follows the mountain ridge between the Silicon Valley and the more popular coast Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Bikers love Skyline Boulevard, a curvy road winding through the mountains with a few restaurants, scenic overlooks and many regional parks. During the summer months, the restaurant in Sky Londa boasts the largest motor biking lot in this region of California.
Highway 1 is the most scenic route in California and very popular with tourists. One of the most beautiful stretches lies just south of Pacifica, where the road hugs the coast tighter and road closures are common in winter due to, you guessed it, slides and cracks caused by the unstable geography. The drive is treacherous even during good weather, but especially in the rain and at night. The curves are steep and sudden and the incredible scenic beauty of the landscape distracts drivers.
Point Bonita lighthouse is one of three lighthouses marking the entrance to the Golden Gate, the most important trade route during the gold rush of the 19th century. The US coast guard still operates the lighthouse today and the National Park service gives visitors access. The lighthouse is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which boasts to be the largest urban National Park in the United States.
Lands End is a fitting name for this rough patch of land at the far northwestern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. The rugged windswept landscape and the many shipwrecks scattered throughout the area awe tourists and locals alike. Owing to its remoteness within the confines of San Francisco and the many other attractions the city offers, many photographers do not visit this area despite its photogenic value and immense beauty. Tight travel itineraries and pre-planned tours rarely include Lands End.
The best skyline view of San Francisco is from Treasure Island, an artificial island in the San Francisco Bay. Originally built for the 1939 expo, Treasure Island is open to the public, although owned by the Navy. Its windswept location in the bay makes it a chilly place, even in the summer.
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