San Francisco

The list of attractions in San Francisco goes on. Visitors to San Francisco are never far from one of the many attractions that has put this coastal city on the map. From grand, sweeping views of its neighborhood color and character, from glimpses of history to the world-class dining and shopping - San Francisco is home to a little bit of everything.

City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the fourteenth-most populous in the United States.

As a result of the California Gold Rush in 1848, the city entered a period of rapid growth. After being devastated by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt. It is located on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and is the focal point of the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco is the second most densely populated major city in the United States.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of SFO is the Most Magnificent beautiful Rust Colored Suspension Bridge I have ever seen. Its the Golden Gate Bridge, the Icon of the SF Bay Area.

Below are the Pictures that I shot whenever I visited this hustle bustle city.

Other than the Golden Gate Bridge, the Many things that come to my mind when I think of San Francisco are the Beautiful Lined Houses, The Lambard Street, The Alcatraz, Chinatown, View of the SF Downtown from the Vista Point, Ancient Magnificent Tall Buildings and a network of Cables and the Union Square.

Union Square is one of the main retail and cultural centers and is a vibrant heart of downtown San Francisco. Its a spacious park surrounded by shopping centers of famous brands like Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Tiffany & Co etc.

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse of San Francisco. Don't forget to drop by at these attractions when you visit the San Francisco Peninsula.

Sri Siddhi Vinayakar

We are really fortunate to have Temples to worship our Hindu Gods in America. One such temple is Sri Siddhi Vinayakar Temple in Sacramento. Monolith Statues of Sri Siddhi Vinayakar, Lakshmi Devi, Saraswathi Devi and other Gods and Goddesses Adorn this Temple. The speciality of this temple is the Navagraha Gods are seated with their wife.

We had a great privilege in attending the Temple’s Kumba Abhishekam in 2002, and were fortunate to see the Big Statues being Installed. When we lived in Sacramento, we used to visit this place very often, almost every weekend. It’s a beautiful temple situated in 4679 Aldona Lane Sacramento, CA 95841 Phone: (916) 483-4760. Sri Siddhi Vinayaka Cultural Center is the official name of the Temple. You can visit http://www.svcctemple.org for more details. Every Hindu Festival is celebrated in a grand manner. We used to take Prasadam during lectures and Milk, Buttermilk and Orange Juice for Abhishekam of Lord Sri Siddhi Vinayakar. Below are some of the Pictures that I shot in 2003.

Sri Siddhi Vinayakar Swamy

Lakshmi Devi

Saraswathi Devi


Sri Subramanya Swamy and Shiva Limgam

Sonoma County

Trip to the Sonoma County

A trip to the Sonoma county of California was very relaxing. We enjoyed the drive in the Scenic route of Hwy 12. This county, being the Wine Capital, we went past a number of Vineyards. The long stretch of the Vinery was a wonderful sight. Both the sides of the Freeway were enveloped with lovely colors of the fall and were a treat to the eyes. Beautiful and Colorful Flowers decorated the Vineyards. We visited the Kenwood Vineyard and the Chateau St. Jean. Both the Vineyards owned acres of Vinery. Below are the Pictures I took in the Vineyards. I liked the Chateau Vineyard, which displayed a real Chateau with a lovely garden. (Chateau means an impressive country house or castle in France). The Tall Palm tree in the middle of a green lawn was a wonderful sight.

We also made a trip to the Burbank Home and Gardens located in the Santa Rosa. This too showcased beautiful flowers and landscaping.