It’s the 18^th of July, 2008 and no earthquake so far. For those of you who haven’t heard, there’s a rumor circulating around via email that the Philippines will suffer from an 8.1 earthquake today and there will be thousands hurt. (You can see a post about it too here.) Needless to say, believers and non-believers alike are taking extra precaution. On to a lighter note, I just came back from a nice trip to the US to tour the west coast with family and visit a friend. It’s been about 10 years since my last trip there. I enjoyed each day (though it’s rather a short vacation :P) and I am looking forward to sharing some of the pics with you. I hope that you enjoy it too.

 

Though I’ve been to the West Coast of the US several times before, I planned this trip to include some of the places I’ve always wanted to visit but have not been able to because it’s not part of the normal tour package. I was fortunate enough to have a kind and generous friend Ski to take me around. She also opened up her comfy home for my stay.

 

First stop – Napa Valley, CA’s wine country. 

We visted several wineries, took a couple of tour and just enjoyed the place. Ski’s favorite winery is Peju Province Winery along St. Helena Highway.  As you drive past the front gate, through the swaying trees, past the welcoming sculptures, a French themed tower prominently stands in the middle of a reflective pool.

I took some more pictures inside, but I don’t think my friend would appreciate that her face would be on the pictures. Instead, here is the link to view their tasting room from Peju’s website.