The Googleplex

Today we headed down to Silicon Valley, home of some of the world's largest and most influential tech companies. While down there we visited the headquarters of one such company: Google.

Google's corporate headquarters, known as the Googleplex, sprawls over a large area of land and features many low rise buildings. We had a bit of a drive around looking at the buildings, but the main attraction, especially for the girls, was the collection of Android lawn statues located in front of Building 44. The statues were a huge hit with the girls as they're all based on the deliciously sweet code names of Android mobile operating system versions: Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean and Kit Kat. What kid wouldn't love statues of such delicious treats?

Here's a look at the girls with the Android statues. Oh, and that silly hat that they're wearing? That's a "Noogler" hat given to new Google staff, otherwise known as "Nooglers". Hats with propellors are always the best!

Lola in a "Noogler" hat with the statues

"Noogler" Lola

"Noogler" Ava

So many sweet things

Cupcake hugs

Donut sprinkles

Mmm... eclair

Froyo: it must be healthy, look at all that fruit!

This gingerbread man isn't running anywhere

Ready for a big bite

Watch out for that bee on the honeycomb

Ice cream sandwiches aren't the girls favourite but they still liked the statue

An Android jar of jelly beans

The girls thought the "chocolate" of the Kit Kat looked pretty real

Not so delicious but still fun

I'm avoiding sugary treats at the moment thanks to gestational diabetes, but we did find a special parking space for me!

This would've made a good pregnancy announcement!

As the Googleplex covers such a large area, Google provide "G Bikes" for staff to ride between buildings. These colourful bikes are dotted around the grounds of the office buildings and were a huge hit with the other site-seers visiting the campus. We didn't take any for a spin (they're not there for us after all) but the girls did have fun posing on them. Ava was pretty excited to discover that she could reach both the pedals and the handle bars! Lola is still a little far off!

Ava hops on a G Bike

I'm big enough!

I'm not quite big enough!

Lots of colourful bikes in the parking lot

So much colour

Let's ride

I was surprised at just how many other people there were visiting the Googleplex grounds in the short time that we were there. At one point a tour bus from San Francisco even turned up and a large number of tourists popped out with their cameras (and iPads) ready to snap photos of the Android statues.

The girls really enjoyed seeing the Android statues and had a lot of fun posing with them. We'll have to head back next time a new version of Android is released so we can check out the next statue. I wonder what it will be? Lolly pop, liquorice, lemonade, lemon meringue pie...