back from Yosemite

I just got back from Yosemite National Park with my parents. Dad realized we hadn't been there in over five years and decided to take us there over the weekend. It was a refreshing trip!

Day 1

The traffic was light and allowed us to arrive earlier than expected. Our only stop along the way was Merced Fruit Barn. The place had a homely feel, especially the café. I wouldn't mind having lunch here in the future.

Dad had originally booked the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. The lodge is located inside the park and supposed to be quite beautiful. But because it was closed for repairs, management gave us a room at the Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp instead. This was actually a better deal because the latter was more expensive. I'm not complaining about the free breakfast either. :-)

Though it was raining when we arrived in Fish Camp, the weather cleared up shortly afterwards. The timing couldn't have been better. From our experience, the alpine air is always fresh after a shower. This made for a great hike.

The afternoon ended with a visit to Yosemite Village, one of my favorite stops. Seeing that it would take an hour to get back to the lodge, my parents bought dinner at the Yosemite Village store. The chicken drumstick was slightly overcooked, but the carnitas was delicious.

Day 2

The breakfast at Tenaya was wholesome. We decided to explore the park some more as the weather was even better. Hiking on the Yosemite Falls Trail was the best part of the trip. Of course, all good things must end: my parents didn't want to stay too late because tomorrow is Monday and they didn't want me to go to work tired. The drive home was mostly uneventful, although we had dinner at Applebee's in Tracy before heading to the nearby WinCo Foods for groceries.

On the whole, this was an awesome trip. Feel free to check out the pictures on Flickr.

Currently listening to: "Oh My Darling, Clementine"