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| We think this is San Quintin. (will research it) |
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| Houdini's Store |
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| this is a life size topiary! |
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| World Famous K-Dock |
Thursday, September 15, 2011
We had a great first day in San Francisco, CA. It started at 11am when we left for the port. We hoped on a ferry which took us across the bay. Once off the boat we ran immediately into a farmer’s market type of thing going on. A lot of vendors selling fresh produce, flowers, and crafts. We purchased some fresh plums and continued on. They were wonderful!
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| skyline of San Francisco |
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| Golden Gate Bride and Alcatraz |
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| The 'Rock" |
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We had a plan, sort of. We reviewed the map of the city and tried to figure out how we could stay off the beaten path and yet still see the things we wanted to experience. We headed in several blocks and jumped on a trolley car. They are too much fun. They are everything you see in pictures, and movies. Each ride cost $6 per person per trip. If you get off within 2 blocks and you decide to get back on, it will cost you another $6.
We took the trolley up through Chinatown. We got off on Powell Ave. and walked 1 ½ miles - all downhill! The city is up and down and angled very steep. We headed toward Fisherman’s Wharf. First stop at the water was Pier 39. It was fun.
Pier 39 is dedicated for tourist attractions. It is filled with shopping, dining and entertainment. It is truly, completely, the epitome of a tourist trap, yet Tommy was okay with it. The entire San Francisco area is spotlessly clean. Not a piece of paper or gum on the ground.
We entered into several stores and had lunch at Sea Lion Café. The scenery from where we dined was incredible. We watched the Sea Lions play on the world famous k-dock, and the entire restaurant overlooked the bay. The cruise ships would come and go, the tourist boats would go to and from Alcatraz. You can also see ‘The Rock’ from the restaurant.
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| Chinese Laundry? |
The food was good and plentiful. We were stuffed. Great clam chowder. We walked around some more after eating but at a much slower pace. Fisherman’s Wharf offers many different things for entertainment. They have a carousel for children, a stage set for Pirates of the Caribbean skits. There are street performers, panning for money, just like Malory Square in Key West, except that they are on the outside of the wharf on public sidewalks. Some of them are pretty good.
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| Navel ship, check out the sail boat |
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| Golden Gate Bridge |
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| Can you see the rainbow? (click to enlarge) |
Tommy was enticed by Houdini’s magic store so we went in. Holy Crow!!! The man behind the counter started doing card tricks. He was AMAZING!!! Of course, with my big mouth, I was like, NO WAY!! So he called me up and did 3 different tricks to me. One of the tricks he never, ever, touched the cards. I did all the picking, mixing, shuffling, cutting, and flipping. He got it right; I flipped the 7 of clubs, the one I originally chose. It was amazing! We thanked him profusely and continued to talk about it for at least 20 minutes afterwards.
We continued to walk and explore to take in all surroundings. We had a fantastic day. We walked back to the port along water frontage on Beach Street. It was a 2.2 mile walk. The weather was beautiful. On the ferry ride over it was a bit foggy. By the time we hit the ground downtown, the sun was out, and the skies were completely clear. We are the luckiest people we know when it comes to the weather and timing of things.
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| beautiful trees |
Before we got to the pier where our ferry was to take us back, we stopped and booked a cruise to Alcatraz. We will go there on Sunday and are very excited. They have a self guided tour with headphones to educate you as you go. They also have a cell block tour - creepy - but we will do it!
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| Jack Sparrow |
Once back on the other side of the bay we realized it was rush hour. We decided to stop at a local restaurant just off the boat, and had a glass of wine. It took another 30 minutes to get back to the camper with traffic. After walking Sire, we both collapsed and took a nap for an hour. The day, the walking, the salt air, and I'm sure the wine, all contributed to our need to sleep.
Tomorrow we plan on driving over the Golden Gate Bridge and to see Ft. Point and a National Park. Hopefully, the weather will hold out again for us. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.
We took the trolley up through Chinatown. We got off on Powell Ave. and walked 1 ½ miles - all downhill! The city is up and down and angled very steep. We headed toward Fisherman’s Wharf. First stop at the water was Pier 39. It was fun.
Pier 39 is dedicated for tourist attractions. It is filled with shopping, dining and entertainment. It is truly, completely, the epitome of a tourist trap, yet Tommy was okay with it. The entire San Francisco area is spotlessly clean. Not a piece of paper or gum on the ground.
The food was good and plentiful. We were stuffed. Great clam chowder. We walked around some more after eating but at a much slower pace. Fisherman’s Wharf offers many different things for entertainment. They have a carousel for children, a stage set for Pirates of the Caribbean skits. There are street performers, panning for money, just like Malory Square in Key West, except that they are on the outside of the wharf on public sidewalks. Some of them are pretty good.
We continued to walk and explore to take in all surroundings. We had a fantastic day. We walked back to the port along water frontage on Beach Street. It was a 2.2 mile walk. The weather was beautiful. On the ferry ride over it was a bit foggy. By the time we hit the ground downtown, the sun was out, and the skies were completely clear. We are the luckiest people we know when it comes to the weather and timing of things.
Once back on the other side of the bay we realized it was rush hour. We decided to stop at a local restaurant just off the boat, and had a glass of wine. It took another 30 minutes to get back to the camper with traffic. After walking Sire, we both collapsed and took a nap for an hour. The day, the walking, the salt air, and I'm sure the wine, all contributed to our need to sleep.
