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Published: December 13th 2010
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After their long 40+ hour day kids crashed out big time. Caitlin fell asleep at 4pm and Reuben held onto 7pm - both then awoke at 9am this morning. Quiet day just to get bearings and plan next 3 days.
Its another overcast day so limited views over the Bay. Still pleasant enough as no wind or rain and was supposed to be around 16 degrees.
Started the day with a cable car trip. The car itself was built in 1904 and really is great way to travel as we were seated on the outside. Some of the streets quite very steep and lined with very neat, restored townhouses, lots of colour and good feel to it all. Guys driving the cable car were a bit of humour and even gave the kids candy canes. Went all the way down to Union Square and a Westfield, Nordstrom or something shopping centre. 10 storeys of pain! GAP across the road, in fact everywhere were familiar labels and logos.
Had a look at Macy's...like Reuben said, "just a big Farmers". (okay that's a little bit harsh)
Wandered into Union Square where they have set up an ice rink and
loads of people were skating. It was pretty manic being a Sunday. Lots of street performers and some are really good, some aren't - such as the 10 year old with a cornet who thought he was Wynton Marsalis...more wincing that Wynton!
Caught the MUNI (some cheaper form of tram or something - street cars!!) but also very quaint. Seems San Francisco bought up a lot of the cable cars, street cars etc when they went out of vogue and refitted them and set them up here. The one we were on today was built in 1948 and was active in Philadelphia until about 1988 before then ending up here in San Francisco. Fascinating...
Went onto Pier 39 for a while and had a wander around. A total tourist hook but still interesting place. Kids rode on the famous carousel there. Found the sealions, only 12 in residence at the moment instead of the up to 1,700 that have been here in other years. A marine biologist gave us the run down just because we were taking an interest. She had samples of the pelts of the different types of seals and says the sealions being absent is
probably due to the herring not having come in yet. Who knew? Still kids were fascinated.
Alcatraz visible straight off the end of Pier 39. Wispy views of the Golden Gate as the fog thinned occasionally around it.
Been asked twice today what language I am speaking...Sandy needed an interpreter to order her lunch.
Boudin's for dinner this evening...the restaurant as opposed to the cafe this time and again the food was fantastic. Heavy focus on sea food funnily enough.
Its dark here not much after 5pm...
From the casual look of the little bit we have seen so far it seems a very cool place. In the main the people are very friendly.
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Richard King
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Brilliant!!!
Loving the blog!! What a great way to put a shine on an otherwise crappy work day (It's 5:42pm here) I'm am so freakin jealous!!!!