Ah, California. There's nothing like it. I had the pleasure of traveling to San Jose recently on business and I return with a few photos and at least one story.

 

The really cool thing about when I was there was that it was snowing in the mountains around San Jose, so when I got up in the morning I was greeted by this kind of scene.

 

 

It being California and all, you have the nice palm tree lined bouldevards, but in the back lurks some weather, man. Yeah, I got a kick out of this. But anyway, I was visiting a company downtown and I happened to meet a very interesting guy. I can't identify him, so I'll just call him, and why not, El Soldador. Sénor Soldador could see that I liked the vista and graciously showed me around, including a few open-air balconies that I would use later for some shots of town. Northern California, especially all around the Bay, is notorious for cloud banks, fog and all kinds of weather. So even though I had to stick my camera out over a several hundred foot drop, it was worth it to get this shot.

 

 

That little white tower on the top of the hill is the Lick Observatory. At least, I think it is. Anyway, El Soldador was gone at this point. He had gleefully showed me how the inter-building catwalk had a big patch from the last earthquake and so I was edgy enough already (we northeasterners really don't like earthquakes) when I had the crap scared out of me by a lowflying plane. I was thinking it was 9/11 all over again. Man, I guess I was a little nervous out there on the balcony. Still, these suckers fly over really, really close. Apparently this building is smack-dab at the end of the runway for San Jose International Airport. And so I waited a few minutes, and sure enough:

 

 

Then I basically got a cab and took a red-eye home so I wouldn't miss Katherine's recital at school. And I didn't. But I was really, really tired.