No, I didn't wear flowers in my hair, but I loved San Francisco! Marshall had visited a few times already, but it was my first time there. What an interesting and unique town. There is a definite culture there, cool architecture, fresh seafood, a diverse mix of people, gorgeous scenery. I don't think I'd like to live there (earthquakes and all), but we will certainly be back to visit.
Leading into San Francisco, the landscape changed again. It was sandy, hilly and covered in windmills. Very odd-looking and unexpected. (This is one of the Susan Special pictures, so please excuse my hand in view.)
We made it to San Francisco with plenty of time for fun and sight-seeing. And thanks to Harrah's Lake Tahoe, we were able to upgrade our room a bit. :) We switched from a hotel on Fisherman's Wharf to one in Union Square, with this view:
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| Beautiful San Francisco |
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| Busy San Francisco |
We decided to wait on a tour of the city for a full day and just headed over to Fisherman's Wharf to amble around. We took a streetcar, my first ride! Thankfully I hung on tight and we made it in once piece. It was so much fun and such a neat way to see the sights. I think the best way to ride is hanging off the side; the seats inside are cramped and you can't see as well.
They also collect money at certain spots along the route. I know it's organized but seemed really confusing at first. They keep track of who jumps on and off and also expect you to be honest about whether you've paid. I reminded me of the old way they charged on the Chicago el (for those in Chicago).
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| My view from the trolley |
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| Lombard Steet |
We hopped off a bit early to walk down Lombard Street, the curviest street in the United States. What surprised me was that people had driveways and parking spots on Lombard. A few of the cars in the picture are actually parked in a designated space. We also saw a gutsy skateboarder ride down the street with no problem. That would really freak me out. We did drive down Lombard later in this stop, but that will be another post. :)
We saw Alcatraz plenty of times but didn't take the tour. Marshall went on it within the last year and we decided to wait until the next visit. It will still be there!
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| Alcatraz |
Fisherman's Wharf reminded me of most touristy areas on the water: loud, busy, traffic, t-shirt and souvenir shops, tons of hotels and restaurants, street performers. But it was fun and had an outstanding view. We saw the famous sea lions at Pier 39, and one swimming in the marina heading toward the pier. They were really cool to see, albeit a bit smelly. For those that don't know the story, they just showed up one day for no apparent reason in 1990. They have been an attraction ever since. They spent most of the time sleeping and sunning themselves, but they woke up and were agitated when boats went by.
We ate a wonderful dinner at Scoma's, which is on the wharf. Marshall and I avoided seafood for most of the trip, apart from Louisiana. We figured we'd eat plenty in Alaska and tended to lean toward beef and chicken throughout the trip. But we finally succumbed in a city known for fresh seafood and indulged in some gorgeous-looking Alaskan salmon. And it was a good as it looked! We are in for a treat once we start catching our own.
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| Night-time on the Wharf |
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| Ready for salmon! |
We decided to wait on a tour of the city for a full day and just headed over to Fisherman's Wharf to amble around. We took a streetcar, my first ride! Thankfully I hung on tight and we made it in once piece. It was so much fun and such a neat way to see the sights. I think the best way to ride is hanging off the side; the seats inside are cramped and you can't see as well.
Fisherman's Wharf reminded me of most touristy areas on the water: loud, busy, traffic, t-shirt and souvenir shops, tons of hotels and restaurants, street performers. But it was fun and had an outstanding view. We saw the famous sea lions at Pier 39, and one swimming in the marina heading toward the pier. They were really cool to see, albeit a bit smelly. For those that don't know the story, they just showed up one day for no apparent reason in 1990. They have been an attraction ever since. They spent most of the time sleeping and sunning themselves, but they woke up and were agitated when boats went by.
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