Carly Gnas

A Trip to California

During the summer of 2004, my family and I went to California to visit my Dad’s uncle and aunt, see Yosemite, and explore San Francisco. The first place we visited was my great uncle and aunt’s house. When my family and I arrived at their house, it was a perfectly clear, warm, sunny day. Their house was in Napa Valley, in a pleasant forested vineyard. There was a small deserted lake nearby surrounded by rows and rows of vines. My great uncle Rich Fohr seemed very friendly and kind. My dad’s aunt smiled at my brothers and me. As we walked into the house, the first thing we noticed was a huge window with a fantastic view of mountains scattered with trees. Before my family and I arrived, we had plans to have lunch with my Dad’s aunt and uncle. We ate at a fantastic café only ten minutes away from the vineyard. After lunch, my great uncle took my family and me on a tour to the building where the wine is made, and on the second and third level was an Art gallery. As boring as it may seem, the tour was actually interesting. The art was mostly sculptures and paintings that would play tricks on your eyes and would stand out compared to a regular art gallery. Lastly, my dad, my brothers Aaron and Zack, my great uncle, my great uncle’s dog, and I went to the lake. Going to the lake was the best part of that day. The dog would swim after a tennis ball when thrown into the water while Aaron, Zack and I would be standing knee-high in the cold water waiting for her to come back. The trip to California was one of my favorite trips that I can remember. Yosemite and San Francisco were fun too, but I liked this part of the trip best because I had never been to a vineyard before, or met my great uncle and Aunt.