The Giants Start Their Victory Lap

I'm sure the World Series trophy has had its share of tours in recent years. The team that wins the Commissioner's Trophy usually arranges a tour so that all fans can take a look at the trophy, up close.
The Phillies did it, and the Yankees, the Red Sox, even the Chicago White Sox.
Now, it's the Giants' turn.



The last time I got close to any championship trophy was the Stanley Cup, and that was when San Jose hosted the NHL All-Star Game.
At least the Gants think that they should bring the trophy to the fans. Sure beats trying to get to AT&T Park, although that is possible, too.

There were two ways to see the trophy. Many decided to wait in line for a very long time to see the trophy. This is how long...











Until at least you see this sign...



and room 211 on the State Senate side....



It was a pretty long line, but at least people got out of the cold that morning.

Later that afternoon, the trophy was placed in the big lobby at Sacramento City Hall. I had expected the line to stretch out to the Downtown Plaza. It didn't, but the line was still long...





These fans were officially the last in line, according to the police department.



Otherwise, it would have gone on all night. After all, it may take another 56 years to bring the trophy back. At least with the Sacramento Rivercats, they have a couple of Pacific Coast League trophies and a Triple A World Series title. You can see those anytime at Raley Field.

And for those who forgot the World Series Trophy was in town, I took these pictures to symbolize the envy of those who wished they came sooner....





However, it's not too later. The Giants website says the trophy's tour has just begun. It'll stay within Northern California for the most part, except for stops in New York, Scottsdale and Medford. It's supposed to tour the city before the home opener on April 8th.
Still it was quite a thrill to see the World Series Trophy up close.

Christmas in Downtown Sacramento Isn't the Same

Time for me to add holiday cheer to my blogs, web page and Twitter page. Before I do that, I took some time to see what Christmas is like in downtown Sacramento.

The recession has already taken a toll on Downtown Plaza. The annual lighting of the traditional tree was cancelled. Instead we have this...



A toy display in front of the former Hard Rock Cafe. If that is not symbolic of hard times in downtown, this is...



A dozen small trees with lights is not the same. We could have just one in my house.

So, it's left to Old Town to bring in the big Christmas cheer. They have a new show called Theater of Lights that happens twice a night from Thursdays to Sundays. It's a bit of Disneyland in Old Town. It's hosted by a guy who says he's Mark Twain.....



He gives a brief history of Old Town, but the highlight is a reading of The Night Before Christmas. The performance I saw on November 27th was actually a hoot. We have Santa with his eight reindeer...



Then he ho-ho-ho'ed just a bit too much, resulting in this...



He should perfect this part of the job in no time, and do it perfectly by Christmas Eve.

There's also the tree as the area's centerpiece. This is a lovely view at sunset.



I also liked this row of trees, with hats instead of angels on top.



So, if you happen to be at Old Town this holiday season, take some time to enjoy the way they celebrate Christmas. It also shows the advantage of having local businesses. I bet Westfield decided to pool all their holiday cheer at the Roseville Galleria and neglect Downtown Plaza because people would rather go to Roseville and its better variety of shops. Well, adding a Hyundai store to Downtown Plaza doesn't make up for not having a tree this year. Not in my opinion.