“Every day may not be a good day, but there is something good in every day.”
Leaving from our respective homes at around 10:30 AM, my friend, Bill Rothenberg and I passed his old neighborhood, including the ten-acre Congress Springs Park in Saratoga, where he proudly pointed to his son Tyler’s name listed as along with his teammates as 1998 Baseball Champions for his District (Photo).
We then proceeded on the long straightaway dirt and gravel path along the old railroad tracks that cross past D’Anza Boulevard, past the Saratoga Country Club, stopping to photograph some colorful wild turkeys on the way to the 739-acre Fremont Older Open Preserve, part of a constellation of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. We made our way up to Hunter's Point, a 900-foot hilltop offering a stunning, sweeping panoramic view of Santa Clara Valley. A couple that came out of nowhere was kind enough to take our photo and I reciprocated. On the way back "it was all downhill from here, as they say.” I saw two women admiring a female statue enshrined within the stone grotto. There was no marker to define who the figure represented. It had a timeless quality about it and drew me in, making me wonder what the statue represented. I left satisfied not knowing. The mystery surrounding it was enough.
After completing our 16-mile bike ride, Bill recommended lunch at Tamra Mediterranean Grill. With 20 years of experience working in the food and beverage industry, growing up on a produce farm, and selling fresh produce at local markets in Israel and Palestine, the Shaqir brothers, Esam and Milad cultivated a passion for cooking with the most wholesome and freshest ingredients.
A very pleasant waitress of Palestinian descent took our order. I had Lamb Shawarma Salad: Romaine hearts with grilled lamb, tomato, cucumber, parsley, cilantro, and house dressing. Bill enjoyed Kofta Kebabs (Middle Eastern Meatballs) on his salad. Both seasoned perfectly.
Postscript: A shout out to Nick Shain who had recommended this biking path several months ago. It was all that he said it would be and of course Bill who scouted out the park and led the way.
