West Coast Adventure... Oakland, CA.

JJ and I always wanted to ride the train on the west coast, we heard it was suppose to be a nice adventure so we decided to have the experience from Portland to Oakland.
Our journey was going to last for sixteen hours so we prepared for a long trip. The backpack was full with sandwiches, water and plenty of treats; we felt like excited teenagers who where about to have a new adventure.

We departed early afternoon so there was plenty of time to get to Oakland before starting our next house sitting assignment.
The train made its way out of the station, going away from the busy city and taking us through the picturesque countryside. I felt relieved leaving behind the gray curtain that covered the sky, we needed to see the sun. As much as we love Portland, it's hard to live in a city with so many cloudy days.
The views were amazing! On one side there were cottages nestled in the calm forest and the imposing river with waterfalls showing off its beauty on the other.
After all the excitement I began to feel mellow, perhaps it was the gentle movement of the train as it made its way through the mountains; it was siesta time.
The nightfall was upon us so it was impossible to see the outside through the windows, it was too dark; we were hoping to see more of the mountain views and the picturesque towns passing by. The ride was going very smooth and quite until some children started being noisy and playing all over the place. Few hours later the train stopped and the family left so we were able to relax again.
It was late at night when the train made another stop, it stayed in this town for almost two hours. We were told they were having some issues with the ventilation system, that was just the beginning. Our 16 hour ride turned into 22 hours of constant stops and many other issues on the train. Overall riding the Amtrak was a good experience but having so many delays made it a bit frustrating. We will definitely do it again but next time we will make sure not to have a set schedule so we can enjoy the ride.

We took Uber to Oakland Hills, this is a small and charming village close to downtown Oakland and Berkeley University where we spent the last days of 2015.
We made it to the house a little late so it was only Clementine and Biscuit waiting for us, the two doggies were very shy at first but we won their love over in a few hours.

The house is perched up on the hill so the views were amazing, we were able to see the San Francisco Bay in the distance. The sun shinning from the blue skies made us feel energetic again, bringing joy to our hearts; we were ready to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Sometimes we take for granted all the wonderful gifts that mother nature gives us. Waking up every morning with the rays of sun knocking on our windows is priceless, it's a whole new opportunity to start all over again and make the necessary changes that would lead us to be happier and better human beings.

The town has a very laid back lifestyle, there are plenty of small outdoorsy cafes and restaurants around the neighborhood. It almost feels like a small resort so it's very easy to get around by foot and enjoy the surroundings.

 

Our New Years Eve was a dinner at home with a bottle of wine to celebrate the wonderful travel adventures we had in 2015. We wished for health and great new experiences in 2016.

I've been in Oakland before but I didn't find the city very attractive so I didn't care much for exploring it. But, it was JJ's first time and we read good reviews about downtown being rescued so we went to check it out.

We took Uber to the historical district, then walked all over downtown. The beautiful architecture in this area is impressive; the neighborhood has become very trendy with plenty of artsy shops, hip hotels and restaurants. It's definitely not the downtown I remembered, this is a new upcoming eclectic place with lots of potential.

The waterfront in Oakland is only a short walk from downtown; this is the perfect place to escape from the hectic city and break the everyday routine by having a drink at one of the many outdoor cafes and restaurants. What I liked the most was the relaxing walk with some amazing ocean views. Here you can take the ferry to San Francisco Bay or perhaps you want to be more adventurous and take the train to another city.

After finishing house sitting, we spent two nights in Berkeley before departing to our next adventure; this is a beautiful college town with plenty of amenities and a great energy. We stayed in a charming Victorian hotel within walking distance to the university so it was easy to explore the surroundings. 

Berkeley University is a nice campus with beautiful architecture and landscapes. We spent a few hours walking around and learning some of its history. Something that called our attention was the clock tower that stands right in the middle of campus; this is an impressive structure that was finished in 1914 and opened to the public in 1917, the Sather tower is well known as The Campanile due to its resemblance to the Campanile of San Marco in Venice. 
We took an elevator to the observatory, right in the middle there was a metal structure with different size bells hanging from it; we learned it was a part of an instrument called a carillon. This is an ancient organ that controls 61 bells, we were lucky to witness a live concert that was played by a talented student.

We were glad to have a break from the gray days of Portland, our batteries were recharged so we were ready to go back for more but this time in the city of Seattle... To be continued.

Safe travels my friends!