Cable Cars, Ribbons and Hearts

No visit to San Francisco is complete without a ride on the famous cable cars. Last time my parents visited us from Australia we somehow missed taking a ride on a cable car so this time we made sure to fit it in.

Riding the cable cars is definitely a fun novelty, especially if you get to stand on the outside, however as it's at the top of most tourists' "must do" lists there can be a long wait. To avoid the long queues we always avoid the Powell/Mason and Powell/Hyde lines and hop on the California line. While the California line doesn't take passengers to popular tourist destinations like Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square or Lombard Street it does have some of the most breathtaking views over the Bay and, in particular, the Bay Bridge. And the best bit? There's never a queue to hop on! 

Mmm... Meal worms

Over the last week or so I've been trying to introduce Ava's gecko Cookie to a variety of foods. He is used to eating only crickets every day however it's good for him to have a little variety in his diet. One such "food" that is supposed to be a delicious treat for geckos is the humble meal worm. But do you think I can get Cookie to eat a single one?

I've tried serving the meal worms up with his usual crickets, I've tried giving him nothing but meal worms, I've tried hand feeding him meal worms, I've tried coating the meal worms in vitamin powder in the hope that he'll recognise the smell/taste and eat them thinking they're crickets... So far none of it has worked. 

While Cookie isn't interested in the meal worms one bit there is one little person in our family who is: Lola!

Back in November last year we attended the Bay Area Science Festival Discovery Day at AT&T Park in San Francisco. One of the first stands that we came across when we arrived at the fair was offering samples of a strange treat. When she saw what the sample was Ava wouldn't go anywhere near it, but Lola, hearing the word "caramel" in the title, was more than happy to grab a sample. She crunched down on it, swallowed it happily and then asked for more. I thought it best that she know what she had just eaten: a meal worm. She didn't care what it was. It tasted good and she wanted more. So she went back for seconds. And then thirds. 

Caramel meal worm

Mmm... crunchy