DAY FOUR: BIG

Our final day was Tuesday, and we had most the day to poke around before we needed to catch our plane. We rented a car and drove down the crookedest street.

Despite the beautiful views, I'd hate living on this street--all those annoying tourists, and the next-to-impossible task of turning your BMW or Lamborghini into your tight driveway space.

 We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge

and drove a short distance to Muir Redwood Forest.

Those trees really are astoundingly tall.

I felt pretty tiny, even after 4 days of nonstop ice cream products.

Here I am, doing my spot-on impression of Megan.

Meanwhile, Megan was recreating the tai chi hippie moves we saw

whilst segwaying through Golden Gate Park. Those crazy Californians have contaminated my baby....

Megan, doing her best Keebler Elf impression.

 Wait, what is she....? IS SHE TEBOWING???

Megan, can you explain to me again how WE are the embarrassing ones?

Our next stop was the Winchester Mansion. It was built beginning in 1884 by Sarah Winchester, widow and wealthy inheritor of the Winchester fortune. She lost her only baby to a rare genetic disease, followed by her husband 15 years later to tuberculosis.

Sarah was told by a medium that she was cursed because of all of the deaths caused by the Winchester rifle. The medium convinced her that she had to atone for these deaths by adding on to her home unendingly. Mrs. Winchester did so, 7 days a week, 365 days a year until her death 39 years later.

The home is a labyrinth of halls and stairs that go nowhere, windows covered by new additions, doors that opened to walls or 3 stories from the ground into open space, and some of the most beautiful Tiffany stained glass I've ever seen. It has 160 rooms, 40 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, cost $5.5 million to build.  At one time it was 7 stories high, but lost 3 stories during the SF earthquake of 1906, which were never rebuilt. We were not allowed to take pictures inside, and had the most annoying tour guide imaginable. Still, it was a fascinating home and a fun tour.

All during the tour, the only thing I could think was "What a shame the medium didn't tell her to atone by helping the poor!"