California Fly-Drive

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Arrivals was easy having completed pre-check in Dublin. The long flight was noisy and cold but the taxi driver was enthusiastic and helpful, leaving us right to the door of the Palomar hotel after an introduction to this fantastic city. First stop was the Cheese Cake Factory for a quick dinner (one hour wait for a table) and fast track to bed.

Day one kicked off with traditional American Diner breakfast followed by a walk through the Dragon Gate into Chinatown. We wandered over to Fisherman's Wharf to get our bearings for tomorrow. Pier 39 has the classic boardwalk sea food restaurants,ice cream stalls and gimmick shops. We watched the sea lions laze about and before joining the long queue for the San Francisco Cable Car. The wait was prolonged but made to feel like purgatory by the old timer playing a beautiful Fender Stratocaster shakily at best with a voice like a demented mix of Tom Waits and Neil Young. One of the Cable Car attendants approached Susan asking if she wanted to take the old dog away with us!

The Cable Car ride was epic. Blaise and Lucy stood at the side hanging on old wild west style. We passed the crookedest street in the world (Lombard St) and rocked and rolled up and down and round the hilly streets back to Powell.

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