Christmas in the City

Sun, 25 Dec 2005 23:59:59 -800

As is our newfound family tradition, we travel to my aunt's in Santa Rosa for
Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since Santa Rosa is north and west of where we pick
up grandma (in Oakland), this usually means that I find myself travelling south
on the Eastshore (I-80) through Emeryville on the way back, and gazing at the
reflections of
San Francisco across the water. Christmas Day this year was unusually dry,
which meant that I could see straight across the water at the individual rows
of lights in downtown, and the lights running up and down the sides of the
waterfront buildings and Embarcaderos 1-5. It was so beautiful to see the lit
outlines of the skyscrapers and the Bay Bridge running off to the left to
Oakland, yet the element that really touched me was the glowing blue light atop
the Transamerica Pyramid(?). It just sat there, perfectly centered above the
tall yellow waffles of buildings, glowing and flickering quite brightly like a
star. I sat staring, mesmerized by the sight, and was moved. Nothing like
seeing your favorite city from afar, ablaze with lights.