San Francisco East Bay Travel Group Meeting - Feb 11 and 21, 2023

Hi. I’d like to join the Feb. 11th meeting. Thanks.

me please

What Nigel said ;)

I'm glad you're joining, ponygirl813

Will you be talking about Rome?

ok Nigel, read the announcement. Yeah, all the words. Engage brain, let out clutch. Commence....

What a great chuckle to go with my coffee and the first few pages of Cloud Cuckoo Land. I can already tell this is going to be an intriguing book!

To be fair to you, Nigel, it's a lot of words.

I plan to be at both. And I really enjoyed Cloud Cuckoo Land.

Looking forward to the photos and the stories of special places and people.

Have you noticed that you take better pictures of a spot the second time you try to do so?

We plan to join on Feb 11. Sadly (not), we won't be here on Feb 21. We got Cloud Cuckoo Land for our granddaughter for Christmas in 2021 and she really liked it. She's supposed to lend it to me. So far I haven't seen it, but she is away at school.

I would like to join the February 11th meeting please. FWIW, I have also been to the Galapagos Islands and can share photos if there is time.

I’m ready for the 11th with my Galapagos photos as we planned.

We will try to get to the in person meeting on the 21st. My family is here from Germany and they don’t leave until the 13th, so there won’t be a quiet place in the house on the 11th, even if I wanted one. Five-year-old twins are LOUD!

I will be available on Feb 11 for the Zoom and hopefully on the 21st for the in person at Gepetto's.
Thanks for organizing Catherine.

Nigel, I'll be talking about Rome at the March meeting. I hope to have a fancy presentation, but no promises.

Fancy presentations not required!

Andrea, so glad you'll be joining us on the 21st! I completely understand about the 11th.

I just got started on Cloud Cuckoo Land: Hagia Sophia, the Bosphorous....it's very cool to read about places I've actually been!

Have you noticed that you take better pictures of a spot the second time you try to do so?

I've noticed that I remember places more the 2nd time I visit. Maybe our brains are on overload the first time around.

I have also been to the Galapagos Islands and can share photos if there is time.
And if we don't have time, can we still see them another time? I'll be visiting in Denver on the 11th so I can't let the meeting run too long. If it's March, maybe you can show us the pictures and then also show us how you assembled them into your photobook.

Of course, what I really can't fathom is how you choose (say) 80 photos from among hundreds and hundreds. It's such a commitment :-)

Carol, (not) sadly, for sure! The countdown to Italy is on!!

I don’t see the ex-pat topic from ponygirl listed for the February 11th meeting. I am hoping it was just left off by accident? Can we please have that as the first topic since it was cut from last meeting?

diveloonie, we already had Budapest and Diane's Galapagos Islands lined up for February because she couldn't get her pictures to work for an earlier meeting. Ponygirl813 is on the topics listed for the March 11 meeting. She's putting pictures together, and I think she needs some time to do that.

I know you're interested (so am I!) - will you be here for the March meeting or will you be traveling?

CW, I’m supposed to do a local trip to Talkeetna that day ( a 2 hr drive from my house), but going to try to leave after the meeting, however, I may have to cut it short.

OK, we will have ponygirl813 go first in March. And diveloonie, I'll move your "turning photo memories into photo books" mini-class to April, assuming you're available then. (February is full and if we have time, I'd rather let you share your Galapagos photos in February with Diane. We'll see .... I can't let the meeting run long in February.)

how many cats are you herding here????

Hah, Nigel, this is kitten's play compared to my former career. Now that was a juggling act. In fact, the "souvenir" from my 30 year career "journey" is a tiny dollar store toy clown juggling 6 plates on sticks. I keep it on the travel shelf.

you win

I've sent meeting links to everyone who has replied above. If you didn't get it, please let me know. The spam filter was being difficult this morning!

Hi Catherine,
Please include me in the Sat. online meeting and for the in person meeting at Gepetto's, too!

Yay, Christine! See you at Gepetto's.

Christine, I just sent you the link in a pm. I'm so glad we'll see you online, and also in person at Geppetto's!

Please add me to the list for the February 11th meeting online. I'm going to Budapest in June so I would love to see those photos. Thanks!

Finished my un-fancy PowerPoint today. :) Although it’s not in the same order as this, here’s my trip report that probably talks about the pictures much better than I will.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/2-weeks-in-budapest

annemargaret, I've just sent you a message with the link for Saturday, and special instructions for the meeting security.

TexasTravelmom, I went through your Budapest trip report a second time. I'm pretty sure I can copy big chunks of it into an itinerary for my next visit!

Thank you!

I will check this thread again 30 minutes before the meeting for anyone else who would still like to join.

See everyone online on Saturday!

There is still space for anyone who would like to join today's online meeting. Come with our group to relive travels to the Galapagos Islands and Budapest!

We start in 90 minutes :-)

We had such a good meeting today, and in unusual circumstances for many,
with a dark and tragic element that sees the Turkiye earthquake touching the larger RS community.
More proof that we should enjoy the time we have.

Couldn’t agree more, Avi. Great meeting, great presentations but with sad undertones. We really do need to take advantage of the time we have. So let’s make this a good year to travel, to have new experiences, and to learn!

It was fun to visit the Galapagos, a place that I really wasn't aware of previously. You both got some great photos! Thanks to diveloonie for her great dive shots so that I don't have to brave the cold waters and the current in a dry suit. What an adventure!

We really are so privileged to travel, and the devastating situation touching our tour guides' community in Türkiye is a reminder to take advantage of our time to do so.

Thanks again to Catherine and Avi for hosting. Here is the link to my diving photobook for pictures of the Galapagos. Two other dive trips in this book as well.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SH4g2HeRJGBW4sXc9

Tammy, I just skimmed through your travel books - great pictures!! I seems that you have already lived several lifetimes! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks so much for that Tammy. I was riveted yesterday and now I can cast these pics to the big screen so my vision impaired wifey can get up close and see them. Thanks

Those look like some great dive trips, diveloonie! Except the leg injury and the flooded camera, of course. I love that you got to see a Legong dance event. That would have been a big highlight for me!

I just think it's so cool that you have a group of adventure buddies!

Thanks, Diane and Tammy, for your wonderful Galapagos photos! Also appreciated CWSocial’s and Nigel’s travel-related personal stories.

Thanks Tammy for the link to your dive photos. Makes me want to schedule a dive trip.

Sadly I will likely miss the Tuesday in person meetings :( . I’ll try to remember to check back. I’ll miss seeing you again neighbor

Patty, are Thursdays better for you? We'll miss you this time!

Is Gepetto’s in Orinda?

Yes. It's where we met for the very first meeting that you and Jim came to.

If the new Guillermo del Toro version of Pinocchio is a hit maybe our Geppetto's cafe will attract new clientele. Ha.

Thanks, Tammy, for the link. I love the nudibranchs!

I'm looking forward to Tuesday.

Great, glad you can make it SharYn!!

I would like to attend the Feb. 21 meeting.

I’m still going to try to make it, but I have physical therapy at 4:00. I can probably make it back on time. I’ll try to let you know by Monday or Tuesday morning.

BG1, we would love to have you!

Andrea, I hope you can make it. If you do, will Jim also be coming?

I want to make sure I have the right count to secure tables at the limited outdoor seating at Geppetto's on Feb 21st:

CONFIRMED 5: BG1, SharYn, Barbara N, Christine, and CWsocial.
TBD: Andrea, Jim, annemargaret.

Would anyone else still like to join?

I will be there 11:00 - 11:15. Those who have been there will remember it's a small (outdoor) space, but I'm hopeful that on a Tuesday mid-day, I'll be able to get tables. I don't think there are enough of us to warrant the table setup out back, which is more roomy, but not too scenic. I'll throw a couple of camp chairs in my car, in case.

As a reminder, no outside food/drink is permitted at Geppetto's and it is very much appreciated if you purchase something while we occupy their limited seating. They have drinks and house-made sandwiches and salads, which you order inside:

https://www.geppettosorinda.com/menu

We'll be closer together than at the Veranda, so consider whether you'd like to bring/wear a mask. Since I was just on a plane, and I have tests that are about to expire, I'll use one to make sure I'm safe!

Jim and I are in! We can bring a couple of camp chairs and arrive a little early if that would help you secure tables. Let me know.

Terrific! Yes, please bring your camp chairs - in case we need them.

It is super nice of you to offer, but I'm concerned that if you leave early, you'll hit traffic leaving home.

I don’t think traffic will be a problem at that time of the morning. See you Tuesday!

Great, see you Tuesday!

CONFIRMED 7: BG1, SharYn, Barbara N, Christine, Andrea, Jim and CWsocial.
TBD: annemargaret, kerway723

There is a small (10%) chance of rain in Orinda on Tuesday. Hopefully it will amount to nothing. I'll check again tomorrow, but for now we're still on!

Please keep an eye on this thread in case there is a dramatic change.

Yikes! I hope if there is a change it happens before we head down there.

What time will you leave your house? I'll pm my phone number so you can check with me. The chance of rain looks slight.

I got the PM, thanks. We will probably leave around 9:15, as we may make a quick stop on the way. I don’t know if I would have time afterwards on the drive home.

Ok, if I wake up and it's raining, I'll contact you. Hopefully not!

The chance of rain seems to be steady at 7% or even decreasing. Wind looks to be more of an issue. I'll check once more tomorrow morning.

The hourly forecast shows the rain around 5pm tomorrow. So we're in luck!

The weather forecast has the rain at 0-1% chance from 11-4 with winds around 20 mph at noon and picking up later.

See you all in Orinda!

There is parking, both free on-street (maybe a 2 hour limit on weekdays, I don't recall) and an enormous free lot behind the cafe, entered via a driveway to the right side of the cafe patio.

Fun meeting, thanks for the lively conversations.