San Francisco Sea Lions

My sister, dad and I headed into the City (aka San Francisco) on Friday for her birthday...

I took several HUNDRED pictures (well, the sis took quite a few of those as well on my camera) while there.

I'm going to break them up into a handful of posts to share with you all over the next several days.

I hope you enjoy!!

These posts aren't really in order of the day - just in the order that I edited the pictures!

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One of the biggest "tourist traps" of San Francisco is the Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf area. 

But, it's beautiful too. Especially right now, all of the tulips are in bloom, and so bright and colorful.

Even as a "local" it is hard not to get sucked in. It has so much to offer.

Spectacular views.

Sourdough bread. In cute animal shapes (seriously, check it out).

Shopping.

Street performers. (See: Bush Man)

Restaurants.

Sea Lions.

Yes. Adorable, noisy, stinky, playful, wild sea lions.

Sometimes you will go and there will only be a few lounging on the rafts in the harbor.

Sometimes there will be SRO (Swimming Room Only).

We were lucky, and got a good amount of the cute little big guys on Friday. They were dog seal piled together on about 5 or 6 rafts, with a few stretching their wings flippers on their own.

The littler sea lions were causing quite the ruckus, jumping off the rafts into the water, and then back up onto the rafts right on top of some very sleepy, and very unwelcoming bigger sea lions.

See Exhibit A:

The very sleepy, very dry sea lions were sure to let this guy know he was being annoying. He jumped off a moment later and swam around to another raft, and jumped on there. Over and over. These guys are cute, but pesty!

Then there was this adorableness:

These guys like to snuggle. It is no wonder that whenever I play a game where you have to "be" an animal I choose to be a seal - and sometimes a hedgehog. (Are seals the same as sea lions? I think so. The Giant's mascot is Lou Seal - so I think, YES.) Me and Sea Lions, we love snuggles.


As to why I have a go to animal...well that's a different story for a different day. ;) Haha!


But seriously, look at these regal beasts. What is not to love? They are like puppies of the sea (okay, actually I would say otters are the puppies of the sea, but maybe seals are the dogs of the sea?).

Anyway, I think we could have stayed there all day and watched these guys lump around, but we had other adventures to get to. And the sea lions needed their beauty rest.