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Published: September 17th 2011
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So as we write this we are getting ready to leave San Francisco and make our way to LA. We’ve had a great time here it is such a beautiful city. A quick overview of what we’ve been up to below…
We arrived around 6pm Sunday evening, absolutely shattered but excited! Darren didn’t make it thru the (very!!) strict security, probably more strict that usual with it being 9/11 and was sent to ‘secondary’ security where he was asked why he’d had so many passports since last time we came - was quite funny explaining he put one thru the washing machine - she didn’t look impressed!
We then got on the Bart over to Powell St station, where the famous cable cars turn around - we thought people were just watching but turns out people queue for around 2 hours for a cable car trip, crazy! Then made the (what felt like mammoth) trek uphill to Sutter to find our hotel. We walked thru Union Square on the way, oh my god never seen shops like it, amazing! Finally 20 mins later arrived at Hotel Vertigo very tired and sweaty, its hard work carrying 10kg on your back
thru a packed city centre in the sunshine!
We dumped our bags at the hotel and headed out to a bar down the road called Fly for THE best nachos ever and a beer. both so tired tho we were falling asleep whilst eating! Tried to stay awake but passed out about 8pm (in the comfiest king sized bed in the world!) and then woke up wide awake at 6am, body clocks all over the place!
So day one we had a wander down to Civic Centre area, City Hall is rather impressive and the other buildings too, immaculately kept. Further downtown is a bit scruffy and there are homeless people everywhere. You just cant get away from them! We’d already been given a heads up so were expecting it but I imagine its quite intimidating if you were travelling alone.
Went back up to Vertigo to have a last half hour nap in the amazingly comfy beds before check out, as for the next 4 nights were in bunk beds!
Another 20 minute walk uphill through Chinatown took us to the Green Tortoise Hostel - our home until Friday. First thing we couldn’t ignore is that the
hostel is surrounded by strip clubs and ‘saunas’ ….yep! we were right in the middle of the red light district! Hostel seemed fine tho, tiny room but clean, great communal area called the Ballroom, huge with loads of seating for people to just chill and booze the night away, free breakfast (bagels and fresh orange) every morning and free meals 3 times a week - we were happy!
Started exploring the area and took a walk east to Pier 7 and walked all the way round to Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf. Had our first look at Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge - just amazing! Would have made a bigger deal of taking pictures of the bridge if we’d known that it was going to be covered in fog for the next 4 days, dammit!
Tues we were up 7.30a.m for breakfast then did yet more walking! Went to find Darren some contact lenses as he has now acknowledged he is blind as a bat and needs them to truly appreciate everything we are taking in! once that was done we decided to give our legs a rest and go on a tourists open top bus tour
for $30 each, proper geeky but it was actually really good! Took us to all the main sights of …China Town (where Bruce Lee was born), Alcatraz Landing, Pier 39 (sea lions), Fisherman’s Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge, Haight Ashbury (this was where Jimi Hendrix used to live), Alamo Square (most famous row of houses in the world, films with Clint Eastwood - dead pool etc were filmed here. The pale green house in the pics below is the 2nd most photographed house in the world after the White House and was recently sold for $5 million!), Civic Centre and Union Square.
We got off in Haight Ashbury, fab place, where the summer of love in ‘67 took place. Gorgeous vintage clothing shops and loads of shops selling various ‘smoking accessories‘, needless to say full of hippies - loved it! Oh and had very yummy super cheap pizza here too, happy days!
Headed over to Ghirardelli Square in the afternoon and took a walk up Hyde to the ‘crookedest street’ section of Lombard St, has to be seen to be believed, its ridiculous! Then made our way through Little Italy back to the hostel as they’d arranged a night
of cheap Thai food at a local bar ($5 for the most amazing red chicken and pumpkin curry ever!) then hit a couple of bars, ended up in Bamboo Hut opposite the hostel, total dive but $4 margaritas and it’d be rude not to!
Weds was a bit of a write off. The weather was cold, very windy and drizzly - dare I say, Manchester weather! So we thought we’d do something indoors and headed over to Presidio to visit the Walt Disney Museum which was really good. We were frozen all day and a bit fed up in the afternoon so there was only one thing for it - Cheesecake Factory!! Those of you who have been to a Cheesecake Factory will know that it is the best place on Earth - especially this San Fran one as its on the top floor of Macys with a gorgeous roof top terrace, those of you who haven’t been - it is worth booking a holiday to USA just to visit one!!!! After our lovely fulfilling lunch and a big hot chocolate, we strolled through Chinatown taking it all in. Loved it here, so safe and clean the people are
lovely, great shops, great food - its apparently one of the safest urban areas in the whole of the States and also has its own government laws and regulations.
Then had an afternoon nap at 5pm and woke up at..5am! How did that happen?!
Thursday - THE ALCATRAZ tour. We were extremely excited this morning, as we’d been looking forward to this trip all week (and it didn’t disappoint) The tour was a bargain at $26 each, a 45 min audio tour around the prison, showing you Al Capone’s cell and the ACTUAL cells where the 3 escapees broke out from. The whole experience gave you goosebumps and Darren even got a picture with the daughter of the Warden who was in charge during the 1962 escape and lived on the Island at the time.
I could go on and on about Alcatraz but you’ll just have to settle for the pics below for now.
After the tour had finished, we decided to go to the Aquarium of the Bay for an hour looking at the marine life that’s here in the bay. Whilst we were at the bay, we decided to treat ourselves to a proper
seafood meal. I had my beloved crab with fries, Jen had mixed grill with prawns, swordfish and salmon…Mmmmmmm The best meal I have had in years, you just cant beat fresh seafood!
As we were about 30mins walk away from the hostel we decided to get the famous cable car from the bottom of Hyde street at fisherman’s wharf and hang on until China Town, near our hostel. I thought it cant go that fast seen as though we were just holding onto a pole, but you’d be surprised! It was fun!
OK so we must apologise for the above ramblings, you are probably all asleep by now! Promise that not all blogs will be this long, but we have just done so much! Will miss San Fran dearly and cant wait to come back but looking forward to LA and to feel some hot weather and hopefully pack away our waterproof jackets!
TTFN xxx
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Rachel Harley!
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Love reading about your travels, although making me very jealous sat here in raining Hyde with nothing much to do!!! Cant wait for the next installment!!! Miss you both xx