A Day in Sacramento

When I visited with Ric in California I found various ways by which to amuse myself while he was at work. Sometimes I took day excursions outside of the Bay area. As I really enjoy train travel, one day I decided to take Amtrak from Richmond to Sacramento.

I had been to Sacramento before then but that had been to the Biannual  Conference of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in the summer of 1985. While there I was so busy with Conference meetings that I did not do the 'tourist thing'. Coming ahead to 2004 I was in California to visit Ric and, while he was working, I looked for ways to amuse myself. One day  I decided that a day trip to the State Capitol would fill the bill.

Amtrak trains are quite comfortable to ride on. While they do stop at other stations along the way, I do not find the ride to be tedious in the least bit. Richmond is the northern terminus of the BART System on the east side of the Bay. It is there where Amtrak and BART share a station complex.

From Richmond Amtrak follows the shoreline of the estuary as it narrows to where the Sacramento River meets salt water. Therefore the scenery is quite pleasant. Once in the river valley the terrain is rather bleak until the line approaches the college town of Davis - there the valley is flat and very fertile so the scenery is lushly green.

The Amtrak Station in Sacramento is adjacent to the city center and very  close to 'Old Sacramento'. This is where the beginnings of the city are located - and they are well preserved.

Quite near the Amtrak Station is a walkway going down under the tracks and emerging on the main street of the original settlement.

                                                    The main street of Old Sacramento

                                                  The view in the opposite direction

I was amused by this tired older 'lady' who was resting her feet outside of a shop.

 
I spent a few minutes there and then I went for lunch in a nearby restaurant and then wandered along a grand avenue which leads to the State Capitol Building.

The area around the Capitol is a huge rectangular green space. There are beautiful trees and flower beds.

Towards the far end of that park is the very poignant Vietnam War Memorial

The Church Conference was held in July and then I experienced how hot that city can be at the height of summer. However, it is a pretty place - and often in the news - so it is well worth a visit.