A Day in Sacramento

This week I am in Sacramento working with a colleague. What should have been four days, sending me home on Thursday night, ended up being five. My colleague had to take a quick trip to Phoenix to speak at a convention on Wednesday. We worked Monday and Tuesday at one nursing home, she was gone on Wednesday and we will work Thursday and Friday at a different nursing home.

As a result, I had a day in the middle of the week to myself. I decided to be a tourist and go to downtown Sacramento. I stated off by trying to find the Governor's mansion where Arnold had lived. I actually found the historical Governor's Mansion Museum.

From there I drove to the California Capital Grounds and began an LONG walk. The grounds cover about four square city block and are beautiful!! The first garden I came across was the Cactus Garden.

From there I saw the Viet Nam Memorial for California servicemen who died or became missing in Viet Nam.

I was standing in the middle of the Memorial when I heard a voice and jumped. The voice came from another visitor, but I initially thought the Memorial was talking!!

From there I walked though out the grounds and finally arrived at the Capital Building. This is the California Governors Office and is well protected. I do not recall the Missouri Governor having such protection, but I don't think I have been there since 9/11.

A view of the California Capital Building.

After walking for about an hour in sandals, my feet and legs were tired!! I returned to the car and decided I was tired and wanted to go back to the hotel. The drive led me through streets with signs that kept pointing to 'Old Sacramento'. Since it was on the way, and I really had nothing else to do, I decide to check it out.

I'm glad I did.

It was an obvious tourist area and numerous troops of school children were there. The sidewalks were wooden and the shop signs designed in an 'Old Sacramento' language.

What I didn't expect to find was the Pony Express! I guess I should have. Being a St. Joseph person, it never occurred to me that there was somewhere else that was part of the Pony Express story. For some reason, they think it started there!

Here is the Pony Express Memorial, Sacramento style. Looks familiar, doesn't it?

By now my feet were totally tired and I was hungry. I found a cute little restaurant with outdoor seating.

Check out my lunch. This is the Vegetable Panini and it was very good. I couldn't eat the whole thing!!

All in all, a great day.

Tomorrow it is back to work.