The heat is on as we head for Wine Country

We headed to the Golden Gate Bridge in the morning, top down and feeling sassy. We've decided to drive up to wine country and get some serious sunshine. We hadn't realized that the sun had also decided to go to wine country today and have a bit of a sit down. Wherever the sun sits it is phenomenally hot for miles around.

Just after crossing the bridge, we pulled in to the view point to get a look back at San Francisco. There was a definite holiday feel everywhere as people took advantage of the exceptional weather to enjoy the views and just generally hang out.

Anyway, we had places to go so jumped back into the car and headed for Sonoma. It wasn't long before the temperature had nudged up to the high 90's!!! I had to put my cap on to stop my brain from being fried in the heat. Normally it's not too much of a problem as I don't really use it that much. But right now, even with Antonella navigating I was having to focus and concentrate in order to stay on the right road and in the right place on the road. Why? you ask and no I haven't been drinking...

You see, American roadsigns are very secretive about giving away any advanced information. preferring instead to wait until you are about to commit before giving you the smallest hint of which direction will get you to where you want to go. And then the ones they stick up prominently read like they are from the series " Roadsigns for Dummies. Anyway we made it to Sonoma and drove up to one of the wineries to have a look around.

We were pleasantly surprised to see hummingbirds drinking in the gardens. Not sure how they got the corks out of the bottles even though they'd claim it was water flowing into the fountain from the winery press!

We walked around the main square in Sonoma looking or something to eat and thinking how nice it would be to be to suddenly come face to face with an iceberg. The temperature was searing by now so lunch was more an opportunity to go and sit in air-conditioning rather than sample the culinary delights of the city.

After we ate we drove on to Napa - which was basically shut! They were probably going to open the shops and everything again later when the temperature cooled down a bit but it was a bit of a ghost town while we were there. It looks very well to do and I'm sure we will pay it another visit in the not too distant future.

Then oh the fun we had driving back home. No wonder Americans are always keen to subscribe to the services of a guide when on holiday. They probably are used to this from not having any decent signs to anywhere here in the States.

We made back without too much trouble anyway, taking in Sausalito before finding an amazing view from a vantage point before driving back across the bridge and into San Francisco. I think Antonella is starting to feel withdrawal symtoms now knowing that the car will be sent back home soon so she's taking pictures of it "on vacation" in california.

Putting the car away after another day out.