Alameda Island (part 1)

Since I've been cooped up during the entire month of July, now I just can't wait to get away from familiar surroundings whenever I can. So last week-end, I grabbed my camera (finally!), stuck it in my bag, and drove up to the island of Alameda near Oakland, on the other side of the San Francisco Bay.



It was the end of the afternoon when I got there, and the light wasn't very good anymore, but I decided to post these pictures anyway.



The Alameda island is small and has a great deal of charm. I once entertained the thought of living there, but it didn't happen. I had fallen in love with the peaceful neighborhoods filled with Victorian houses, the green lawns in front of them, the friendliness of the residents, the cute little downtown area with the little shops, and the general peaceful / small town atmosphere throughout the island, just minutes away from SF.

The island of Alameda is also well known for its former Navy base, and the famous USS Hornet (now a museum ship), which I will gladly show you some day.



On this picture if you look carefully, you can see some of the San Francisco skyline almost completely fogged in on the left, then (I believe) the Bay Bridge, and to the right, behind the children playing, the Port of Oakland with its huge cranes necessary to unload the container ships that come in every day.



When the weather is nice, a lot of locals drive from Oakland to Alameda to go to the beach. Some just want to have fun, play with the waves or fly kites, while others are busy trying their luck...