A DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO OR OH MY GOD THOSE HILLS!

I spent one day in San Francisco, California as I was in Las Vegas, which is an hour and 10 minutes flight away.

For a week or so before my trip, I was trying to decide just what I wanted to see for just that one day.

I only had a few hours, landing at 8am and getting back to San Francisco International Airport by 3:45pm for a 5:25pm flight back to Las Vegas.

I wanted to see as much as I could see.

Good luck with that I said to myself as I kept crossing off things to see and do.

Being the Sports Diva that I am, one place WASN’T coming off my list no matter how much time I had in town.

It was a visit to the Chase Center, the new home of ‘Dub Nation’, better known as the Golden State Warriors basketball team.

Another thing not coming off my list was a visit to Lombard Street, which is easier to walk down than up, but more on Lombard Street in another post.

From the moment you arrive at San Francisco International Airport, you notice something.

Is every neighborhood in the city trying to outdo each other when it comes to hills?

Chinatown was even hilly and even though I didn’t get to see the famous Chinatown Gate, I did get to walk through the Chinatown tunnel that separates Chinatown from Union Square.

For some reason, while walking through the tunnel, there are signs asking you to be silent.

Don’t ask, I just kept walking.

The flight back to Las Vegas McCarron was even shorter and I arrived back at 6:30pm.

After walking up more hills than I really needed to see in my entire lifetime, I will be more than ready to fall asleep when I finally get back to my hostel.

IT’S NOT A JOKE ANYMORE, IT’S SERIOUS NOW

The Sports Diva is interupting her usual funny and upbeat 30 Plus Teams Tour posts for something very serious.

It’s not only affecting people in the United States, but everywhere.

Two countries, Italy and China are on basically lockdown because of it.

It’s something called the Corona Virus.

It’s not the common cold or the regular flu.

This virus can kill you and it has.

Every day someone seems to contract it and unfortunately many have died from it.

It started in Wuhan, China and then spread.

Peeps weren’t taking it seriously.

Social media was full of memes making light of it.

One of the most popular ones was of a six pack of Corona beer standing by itself and in the far corner with a face mask on was a six pack of Heineken beer.

Then it happened.

It wasn’t just people in China who were dying from this disease.

They say you don’t care until it affects you.

Then it did and for some reason, people all over the world were going crazy and panicking over something that they really should have had before.

Hand sanitizer.

We don’t know how this virus started but my peeps really some of you don’t wash your hands coming out of the bathroom.

Are you for real right now?

This virus has hit everything and everybody.

No one is immune.

The actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson contracted the virus in Australia.

It’s hit the United States very hard to the effect that governors are declaring a state of emergency.

My governor, Andrew Cuomo, of New York is one of them.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade here in New York has been canceled for the first time in years.

258 of them to be exact.

After a member of the Utah Jazz basketball team contracted the virus, ALL NBA games have been suspended until further notice.

Soccer matches in England and Italy have been cancelled because of this.

As of today, the NHL may or may not follow the NBA because many of the NBA and NHL teams share arenas.

The President has even issued a travel ban on Americans flying to Europe, although for some reason, the UK isn’t on that banned list.

What does this mean for those of us who travel whether we’re doing a 30 Plus Teams Tour or not?

Do we suddenly stop traveling?

Or do we continue and enjoy life the best way we can.

I say, it’s up to the individual.

I can only speak for the Sports Diva.

I’m concerned about this virus yes, but I don’t live in a bubble.

I will continue to enjoy my travel as long as the good Lord allows.

But I will stay aware of all the goings on with this virus.

It’s not a joke anymore.

FEBRUARY TRAVEL QUOTES

What happened to January?

Didn’t we just begin this year?

Month 2 all ready?

Gotta ask, have you travelled anywhere yet ?

What are you waiting for ?

It’s time to travel my peeps and let these travel quotes inspire you .

WAITING IN THE RENAISSANCE WASHINGTON HOTEL FOR MY BUS

It was my last day in Washington DC after having a great time visiting my family for Thanksgiving weekend .

My Flixbus back to New York City was leaving at 1:30pm and due to arrive at 5:45pm.

Because of the Winter Storm Advisory issued for New York City , I was going to try to get on an earlier bus, say like the 12:30pm one.

No such luck.

It was full and unlike my bus, it was stopping in Baltimore.

My bus was going non stop back to the city.

We ended up getting in at 6pm which wasn’t bad seeing that the weather was awful .

As it was raining cats and dogs while waiting for the bus, one of the valet parking people suggested that I do what other people were doing , waiting in the lobby of the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel, which is where the bus picks you up, 904 9th Street NW.

I had never stayed in this hotel, either in Washington DC or anywhere else.

But I knew that it was one of those fancy, smantzy hotels.

They’re so fancy that if you want to use the bathroom in the lobby, you have to go up to the Front Desk and get a room key , which you have to give back, of course .

As I couldn’t get on the earlier bus, I had some time to kill.

So I did what a few people who were either waiting for the bus or hotel guests did .

I went into Starbucks and got a Cheese Danish and one of my favorite coffees whenever I go to Starbucks , a small Vanilla Latte.

I went back to the entrance with the revolving door and listened to the music that was coming out of the loud speaker.

It wasn’t Christmas music , thank God , but something you wouldn’t expect from such a fancy place.

Try Alternative Rock.

By this time it was 1:15pm and I was ready to leave rainy Washington DC and take my bus to snow, sleet, and just gosh awful weather in New York City .

DECEMBER TRAVEL QUOTES

It’s month number 12 and where did this year and this decade go to so wicked fast?

The weather is getting colder and colder and some places in the world have had snow all ready not to mention hurricanes.

Be mindful of the weather in the places that you’re traveling to , wether it be a 30 Plus Teams Tour or not.

Don’t let that stop you from doing some traveling though.

Get those boots, that heavy coat or even some warm weatger swag and start travelling, fam.

Let these quotes as usual , inspire you.

WHAT’S IN MY SUITCASE ?

Here we go again, another Autumn season 30 Plus Teams Tour of somewhere for the Sports Diva .

You know what that means.

Another edition of the ever popular what’s in my suitcase .

This time I’m staying, God willing ,for 5 days as it’s the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States .

There may be some sports stuff going on but who knows .

I can say though, that I will be with family members and doing lots of walking and looking around .

Can you guess?

In the meantime , this is what’s in my suitcase.

Serena and Julian will be making an appearance

Boots and sneakers on top of one of my bags that’s on top of my suitcase. It’s gonna be cold and lots of walking .

My suitcase, gloves and bag from Payless

Two other bags and my hat on top of my suitcase.

My going away outfit. Grey pants from Rainbow Shops , blue sweater from a thrift shop , and grey shirt from Uniglo.

My coming home outfit. Sweatshirt from New England Patriots store and sweatpants from my cousin .

Skirt from Telco Store and sweater from a thrift shop

Jacket from a thrift shop and dress from Forever 21.

It’s gonna be cold when I leave New York , so I’m gonna need this coat that my auntie gave me for my birthday last year.

That’s what’s in my suitcase, or at least some of the things.

My packing cubes , which I rave about, are in the suitcase all ready .

Some of these things, I might not wear or carry .

Yes, I maybe carrying two bags because that’s what some of us women do.

Have you guessed where I’m going?

You’ll have to wait for my next post to see if you’re right.

Happy guessing .

A VISIT TO THE NATIONAL ZOO

When I was younger, the singing duo of Simon and Garfunkel had a popular at the time song titled, “At The Zoo.”

One of the lyrics to the song went something like this, ” Something tells me it’s all happening at the zoo. I do believe it, I do believe it’s true”

Many years later, in my 30 Plus Teams Tour of Washington DC , I went to the famous Smithsonian National Zoo to see if the line in the song is still true.

It is.

Number 52 on my bucket list is the National Zoo of Washington DC .

Like so many museums in the city, admission is free.

I arrived at the zoo around 8:45am before the crowds arrived .

Some of the animals were out already , including the “star” of the zoo, Bei Bei, the panda , who will be returning to China around November 19.

So if you happen to be visiting the city around that time, stop by and say hi to Bei Bei, he’s very entertaining.

There’s so many animals to see at the zoo, but because of my fear of snakes, birds and bats , I avoided seeing the Reptile House and the Bat Cave like the plague .

I was as happy as a pig in you know what when I saw the sign saying “Bird House Closed”.

The first trail you see when you enter the zoo is the Asia Trail, which features animals from, you guessed it, the continent of Asia.

There’s also an American Trail, which features animals native to the Americas .

I enjoyed seeing the big American Bison.

They aren’t Buffaloes , they’re Bison as one of the signs on the exhibit informs you.

They even tell you what the difference between a male and female Bison.

(Male is bigger with a lot of hair. The Zoo has two female Bisons)

A walk around the zoo just doesn’t give you a peek into the animals cages, but some information about them, including the information that would be considered TMI.

Some of the animals weren’t in their cages or exhibits while I was there.

If this happens, the zoo will put up a sign reading humorously , “NOBODY HOME”.

I spent 2 hours at the zoo, but that just isn’t enough time to visit.

Like a lot of things in the city, it’s easy to get there by the Metro.

It’s on the Red Line and you can get off at one of two stations, Woodley Park Zoo/Adams Morgan or Cleveland Park Station.

Some people like to get off at Cleveland Park and walk back but I like the Woodley Park Zoo stop even though it’s an uphill walk.

Plus what I love about Washington DC, there’s signs to point you to the place you want to go to.

No matter which station you decide to get off at , the walk prepares you for all the walking that you’ll be doing once inside the zoo.