This entry was posted on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 9:23 am and is filed under Bay Area Backroads, Holidays, Out and About, Pictures. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I’ve decided, as we get closer to the end of the year, that I am going to make every effort to write about the holidays that have passed in 2009 before they come around again in 2010. That said, I was looking through some of the pictures that we had from Mother’s Day 2009 and realized that I hadn’t shared a wonderful experience brought along by my beautiful wife, mother-in-law, and my two daughters. If you don’t see it, the symmetry in those three things is that combined they are my joy.
As a special treat this year, San Jose’s famous Tech Museum of Innovation was offering free admission for mother’s and their family, and we decided to take advantage of this special treat. Surprisingly, there was a very short line, and after a little song and dance from the girls (mostly Sofi) we were into the museum exploring all it has to offer. And, if you haven’t been, The Tech offers more than can be imagined by most non-scientist types. We even got to take in a IMAX film called the Grand Canyon: River at Risk (which was a bit above the girls), and that added an even greater special twist to an already great day.
Coming from a somewhat geeky background, it’s amazing to see how easily the girls interact with technology. It’s like second nature for them and it’s not because I spend a ton of time showing them how to use things. They just have innate abilities based on a foundation of curiosity that is unmatched by any adult I know. The Tech definitely helps foster that creativity and rewards those willing to reach out and explore. Everything is touchable and for those willing to step outside their normal comfort zone the opportunities are huge. In the pictures above, for example, both Sofi and Natalie spent a little time driving the earthbound equivalent of the lunar lander. Using air thrust to drive around a small circle. It was loads of fun to watch.
All the computer stuff was probably more entertaining for me than anyone else, but all the same everyone seemed to have a marvelous time – even Babi. I’m sure, of course, that all the technology was lost on Babi for what it does today, but it’s always interesting to see how someone that hasn’t been surrounded by technology all their life adapts to what’s going on around them. Even things that seemed so simple to me – the earthquake simulator – were at first a little intimidating. Very neat, and fun none the less. Fortunately for all of us, the children’s wishes won out and Babi joined us on almost everything.
You don’t always realize how much there is to do in San Jose until you get out and start exploring. After taking in the tech we headed out to Almaden to enjoy some time at the park and then on the little man-made lake in the paddle-boat. The girls had loads of fun, and even though we didn’t get Babi out on this one it was a great time for all. The secret here, as I’ve learned it, is not to go too far from the dock – it can be a long, long paddle back.
Definitely a day to be repeated, and hopefully many more along the way.
Papa
