The Jelly Belly

Our last couple of days in San Francisco were very well spent I´d say. The red wood trip we wanted to do did not really work out. The shuttles there stopped going by the end of Septemberand we'd have to take a cab the last bit of the way (likely there will be a cab waiting for us by the woods late afternoon to take us home..not.) if we weren't to take one of those tourist trips there. The latter was really not an option since no company offered a day of free time in the woods. Sitting on a bus for 2 hours just to be let out in a group for another two before going home just was not worth it. I really wanted to see the huge trees, but I'm sure we'll be back in the states to see them, and then to have an opportunity to take our time while there.

One of those organized bus trips we already had planned and prepaid before coming here, and that was a wine tour in Napa Valley. Without a car, it's pretty hopeless to go testing, but with this tour we'd visit 4 places. In retrospect, 3 would have been enough. With 4-6 wines to try at each place, things felt a wee tipsy, but it was very interesting to challenge your pallot. Many nice white wines, and also nice bubbly ones at Chandon (yes, subsidiary to Moët), but just one good red wine. I'm very hard to please there, and I'm starting to realize I might not really like red wines, most of it is to heavy for me to really enjoy drinking. I'll just whiff on those from now on. ;)



The country side was absolutley beautiful, with all the (veeery expencive) wine yards, nice small wineries everywhere, and rolling hills by the horizon. Our guide was VERY enthusiastic, practically never stopped talking duing our time in the bus, EVER, but we had a very good time, and leart a lot. For instance, did you know that all juice that comes out of grapes ar clear? It is contact with the grapes skin that gives the wine it's colour.

But, the big field trip of the week, that we organized all by ourselves, went to the Jelly Belly Bean factory in Fairfield. Fairfield is a fairly small place in the bay area. We went there by tube and citybus/baylink, travelled for about two hours and were not disappointed. We got a factory tour, got to take cheesy couples photos with a big and soft jelly belly bean, hade jelly belly bean shaped food (not particularily good acctually, totally dry and boring, but felt like a must we had to endure), tasted all new kinds of jelly beans in their flavour bar and then bought merch and bags with our favourites. Buttered popcorn of course, cream soda, bubblegum, kiwi, apple pie and mint chocolate, but also the new ice cream and smoothie collections. We also bought their scary halloween-"dare to compare"-collection with flavours such as booger, baby wipes and vomit. Dare to try'em? Come by our house!



We learnt so much on the tour, mainly about how the jelly belly beans are made of course. 150 flavours, and each flavour takes 20 days to make. They have a unique centre, all flavours, and then different coatings etc. The factory was strange to experience with all the huge piles of candy in all imaginable colours and big blenders (like those for cement) where flavours and coating were added. Apparantly the little bean hade a true fan in former president Reagan. Due to his sweet tooth, all meetings were held off until the bowl of jelly beans had been passed around, and Air Force One back then had jelly belly bean dispensers, for safe munching while in the air.

Best trip ever, but walking to/between the buses was getting harder by the hour for me. The day before we had been out like forever, visiting the Golden Gate Park, but also the San Francisco Zoo. We left the hotel at no later than 10, and walked and walked and walked and walked. Ended up at the zoo at 16, one hour before they were to close up. Many of the animals weren't out anymore, unfortunatley, but we were there for the feeding of the giraffes at least, and that was quite something. Upon arrival my feet hurt SO MUCH. Our plan was to just bite it together, run around the zoo to see EVERYTHING and then hail a cab back to the hotel. After the zoo closed we hade to walk for hours before finding a tube station. No cab. Many blisters for Mika, out in her stylish but painfully flat sneakers. I'm getting old folks shoes from now on, that's for sure. Just over 36 000 steps we took that day. Crazy, great yet somewhat frightening..

Läs även andra bloggares åsikter om San Francisco, Zoo, Jelly Belly Bean, Factory, Candy, Ronald Reagan, Air Force One, USA, Blåsor, Ecco, Napa Valley, Vingård