12 DAYS IN MAY
~PART FOUR~
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
I was born beneath the rolling Oakland Hills, a proud child of the Bay Area.
I used to ride a bike around my neighborhood without any thought of danger. I was raised to be courageous, to not let fear rule my life. When part of the Bay Bridge collapsed during a massive earthquake, my beloved Oakland Hills were engulfed in flames, our home was robbed while we were at church, and our car was stolen in the middle of the night- my parents would encourage me to not be afraid. I fell asleep some nights to the screams of sirens, the distorted voices of police speaking through megaphones, and the buzz of helicopters, woken up by the flashing of their spotlights...
 |
| This is the hospital where I was born! |
I lived in Oakland for about 16 years of my life. Even after moving to an adjacent city, some nights my Dad would take me for drives around our old neighborhood, the schools I attended, our old church, and we would simply enjoy the time talking and being together.
 |
| My Dad & I at Sqaw Valley. 5/2014 |
Even though I grew up in Oakland, I went to school in Alameda which is a really quiet and pretty community. After our extensive tour of San Francisco, my parents and I went to one of the best breakfast restaurants in the world (my opinion) called OLE'S WAFFLE SHOP
After the filling breakfast (my meal pictured above) we drove around our old neighborhood and to a church I featured in my Oakland city drawing.
 |
| St. Elizabeth's |
 |
| My childhood home featured in my "OAKLAND, CA" drawing |
Driving up through eucalyptus tree lined streets, our journey took us to the side of the Oakland Hills where a magnificent LDS temple stands as a beacon, shining as a watchman over the entire SF Bay Area.
Every year during Christmas we would drive up to this temple (even though we were not Mormons) and we'd admire their magnificent manger scene, lights, displays, and enjoy the music of their choirs echoing over the bustling river flowing from the foot of the beautiful temple.
Our short trip through Oakland continued through Downtown. I have only recently come to appreciate the glory of architecture, the history of buildings, and the details in structures so this was a very special time for me to see vaguely familiar places with a new eye. (All of these buildings are in my drawing by the way! Can you find them all?)
Our time in Oakland was an important part of my yearly visit to the Bay Area and I'm so glad I got to spend time with my parents talking about old stories, our times together, and my hometown.
My journey was nearing it's conclusion, but first we went to Sacramento...
12 DAYS IN MAY PART 5 OF 5
THE CAPITOL
Follow Me!
No comments:
Post a Comment