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Published: February 10th 2009
Golden Gate Bridge Viewpoint
After hiking the 1.7 miles across the bridge then up a hill. Still got to walk back...San Francisco was instantly likable. We have found that with many of the cities we have been too, the opinion we form on what we see initially is generally the lasting one. Our route into the city took us over the Golden Gate Bridge, which we would explore in more detail later. The bridge sits at the entrance of the bay area, a natural harbour that is the largest on the West Coast. The city looked beautiful from this distance, bathing in the afternoon Californian sun, creating a bright symphony of colour combining orange, blue and white.
The days of our rifling through our coupon booklet for motels and doing daily rounds of the best choices were over for now. The motel network is enormous and reaches every remote corner of the country with great value lodgings always there to be found. Our hotel in San Francisco was an absolute bargain. It was centrally located and was very nicely decorative. As with the motels, self catering was the way forward but with only a fridge available to us salads were very much the staple of our diets. This isn't a bad thing though as fast food has certainly been central
to our diets so far. It is the most affordable option on the road though as well as being very tasty. In fact I think McDonald's, Burger King and Taco Bell have been some of the biggest beneficiaries of our travels!
We dropped our rental car off (which was conveniently near our hotel) eager to begin exploring. To begin, we embarked on our first cable car trip, one of the quintessential San Francisco experiences. The city comprises of many hills. The roads are laid out on top of these hills and are perfectly straight but not perfectly flat. They are weaved into each other like waves of ribbons. Getting up and down these hills today is pretty easy, but 100 years ago it was a different matter. Horses and carts found it difficult and made a mess and the engines of the day could not drive buses up the steep gradients. It was an immigrant Brit (whose Dad had invented the steel cable) who invented the cable car system which still today pulls the cable cars around streets and up and down its hills. The cable cars are old wooden carriages and feel wonderfully traditional. One of them had
a sign which stated that Humphrey Bogart had rode in that particular one, which gives you an indication of their age.
On one day we visited the Cable Car Museum, which details the history of this mode of transport and showed us how it all works. Inside this museum is a viewing area of the three electric motors which power the 3 cables that run from this central building out and under the streets. The cable cars simply grip the cable on a system that is bolted on underneath the of the carriage which drags them around at about 9.5mph. The driver is responsible for the strength of the grip which thus determines the speed of the carriage. The amount of cable used and the mechanics underground is astonishing. The cable is constantly checked and tested as it is fed back through this central point
The cars are slow but each journey is excellent. There are just the three lines which run across the peninsular that the city centre is sprawled onto. The main one we travelled on was Market and Powell, which indicates the streets that it runs between. It was great fun as the cable car
crested the hill that leads to Fisherman's Wharf, a steep incline that is controlled by the driver. The view at the top of the hill is excellent as the bright blue water of the Bay of San Francisco begins at the bottom of the hill and Alcatraz sits isolated off the coast. The hill was so steep it felt as if we were looking down onto the water. At either end of the cable car route is a turn-table which spins the car around to begin the journey back.
Fisherman's Wharf was a very agreeable place to spend the afternoon. It is a bustling pier on the waterfront containing many shops and dining options. The salty sea air whisks through the main wooden walkway which is alive with music and colour. On the piers second level we had a look at the Pier 39 seals. They are a family of sea lions that have been here for years, enjoying the sun on the floating blocks. Fisherman's Wharf also allows great views of the Bay Area, Alcatraz and the two bridges - the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge.
The Golden Gate Bridge was our route onto the peninsular
but it was difficult to stop and have a proper look at that point. We caught a bus to the bridge on a different day in order to trek across it. The bridge sits as a giant reddish-orange guardian at the mouth of the bay and is one of the most iconic bridges in the world. It was built in 1937, designed by a man called Joseph Strauss, who was responsible for its red-orange colour. Originally the military wanted to paint it black and yellow, the caution stripes, which thankfully didn't happen. Instead Strauss built something that would harmonise with the surrounding environment. The art-deco styled structure is magnificent and incredibly long! It is so long that it is continually being painted by a crew we spotted on our walk across. I was tempted to tell them that they had missed a spot.
The bridge walk took us a lot longer than we expected - the centre span itself is 4200 feet long and is 1.7 miles in total length. Each tower soars high at 746 foot above the bay but the view from the centre of the bridge is spectacular enough. The endless Pacific Ocean sits on one
side and the busy harbour and city on the other. Also very impressive are the two cables on either side of the bridge. They are incredibly thick and are made up of 80,000 miles of cable! The whole structure is very impressive, from its style and grandeur to the obvious engineering complexities that had to be overcome to build it.
We walked across the bridge and then hiked up another hill which gave us an awesome view. We were standing up behind the bridge with the city and bay in the background. It was also up here that we read that the bridge can sway up to 27 feet in high winds!! We wouldn't want to be on it when it does that!
The surrounding area also contains lots of military bunkers and installations. Just up the road is a Nike Missile Silo, which was aimed at Russia in the Cold War, ready to bring down any incoming planes. The whole bay has a beautiful blend of history and picturesque landscapes. Although at this point we realised we had to walk all the way back across the bridge, which was tiring to just think about.
Whilst in
View downhill
Of the San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz island. San Francisco we also visited the legendary Alcatraz island. The island lies just 1.25 miles off the coast of San Francisco and is clearly visible. It began life as an island fortress to protect the bay area. San Francisco became a massive boom town, sculpting it into the city it is today when gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada in 1846. Thousands flocked to the area in search of their fortune and the military created various forts in the bay area to protect this wealth. Alcatraz was one of these forts and was instrumental in protecting the gold that flowed out of the port of San Francisco.
The island later became a maximum security prison for the worst of the worst including Al Capone and Robert 'Birdman' Stroud. It was a foggy day when we embarked on our trip over to Alcatraz, which is now under control of the National Park System. The island slowly came into view, looking very menacing in the gloomy morning fog. We disembarked our ferry and began exploring after a short talk by a park warden.
The main path winds up and round to the main cell block, with buildings of various ages
on the route up such as a power station, guard tower and quarters. The prison guards actually lived on the island with their families, right next to the prison, which must've been a little unsettling.
Inside, the cell block was very interesting. We saw the cell blocks that the inmates stayed in as well as the wardens office and isolation cells. The normal cells were quite small and contained just the basics. The sound of all the door locks clunking open and closed was quite deafening. Each of the metal doors weigh about 500lbs and the sound of them slamming shut simultaneously made us jump.
The main cell block comprises of various rows of cells that were named by the prisoners, but then a separate block next to this held the worst of the worst. The cells were slightly bigger but their inhabitants were not allowed out at all. It was said that at this part of the building you could hear the sounds and smells of the city, which was torturous for its inmates. Next to these rows were the isolation cells, which were small rooms with no light at all. Standing in there for a few
Victoria on GG Bridge
City and Bay Area in background. minutes was quite scary, let alone the longer periods that others stayed in here. Still, I'm sure they deserved it!
The Rock was a very chilling and eerie experience and is exactly how we imagined it to be. We undertook the audio tour in the prison, which was incredibly insightful. On this we learned of the various escape attempts over the years - none of which had apparently been successful and all of them quite ingenious. Some of them had been immortalised in various films and one involved an elaborate tunneling plan which included scrambling up the utility area between the cells, up the onto the roof and out into the icy bay waters. Alcatraz is supposed to be inescapable, not just because of the islands isolation from the mainland. The swim to the mainland is treacherous in the cold waters and strong currents of the bay, which sweeps swimmers out to sea. If that wasn't enough the water is shark infested. Of the escapees, all were caught or killed apart from two that were never found but presumed dead. Or as we believe are currently living it up in South America. It was known that they were both
studying Spanish.
Other parts of San Francisco that we explored included Union Square, which is a open space in the middle of the retail centre of the city. It is an area that is full of cafes and designer shops from which we watched the cable car roll past, ringing its iconic bells. It is also a central area where all of San Francisco's homeless people congregate. At a time when a lot of US cities were cleaning up their streets, San Francisco embraced its homeless population. As a result though, there are a lot about and they seem to wander the streets in this area holding cards and asking for money. Every city has its homeless
problem, but it was more evident here.We also explored Chinatown, which was fabulous. It resides in a few streets not far from central San Francisco. The streets are busy with fresh vegetable markets and Chinese decorated buildings. It is a very congested area and shuffling along next to vegetables, cheap DVD's and chicken feet is all bound up in the experience. It is also crammed with delicious Chinese food outlets and was the perfect place for lunch.
Our final trip was
Suicide deterrent!
In middle of GG Bridge. up another of San Francisco's hills to a viewpoint tower called the Coit Tower. It gives a commanding view of the wavy San Francisco hills, the Bay Area and the skyscrapers of the downtown district. But it is from street level that we discovered what a pretty place the city is. Despite the city being nearly decimated in 1906 by an earthquake and fire the buildings look wonderfully historic and ornate. Each individual house is part wooden and completely different in design and colour from its adjoining neighbour. It is this wonderful staccato of size, colour and variation that makes it such a beautiful place.
Flying ended up being the most cost-effective (and quickest) option to take us to the Pacific Northwest and the city of Seattle. Homeland security took a particular interest in my backpack and rifled through it very thoroughly as I tried to explain that the white powder in a zip-lock bag is actually washing powder. I blame my increasingly bushy looking beard for the unwanted attention.
Seattle is situated in the state of Washington and is home to corporate giants such as Microsoft and Starbucks. We stayed in the city central area which was
Mike & Victoria at GG Bridge
DIY shot after walking back. ideal for exploring the sights that the city has to offer. The downtown sits next to a waterfront with a particularly ugly by-pass running across it.
The downtown area is a very nice place indeed and full of shops, cafe's (a Starbucks on most street corners) and tall skyscrapers, which reflect the surrounding mountains. One of these is one of the tallest in the country - Mount Rainer. One of our highlights of downtown was finding an excellent Thai restaurant which brought back memories of Thailand with their delicious dishes and familiar unpretentious eating area. We really do miss Asia.
The Seattle skyline (as seen in the 'Frasier' credits) is unique because of the Space Needle that soars into the sky like a flying saucer on a tripod, which was built in the 60's. The saucer-level is actually an observation deck that looks out over the city, providing excellent 360 degree views. The day we chose to ascend the tower it was a wonderful clear day. We could see Mount Rainer looming large in the background with thick snow on its winter slopes. Other Mountain ranges box in the city with its high-rise city centre standing over a
the glorious deep blue water of Puget Sound. Tankers flowing in and out of the dock leaving flowing white ribbons of watery froth behind them.
The essential downtown experience is the famous produce market of Pike Place. This congested indoor market sells a variety of fresh produce such as fish packed in ice, fresh fruit and veg and meat. It comprises of various levels which are also made up of various bookstores, souvenir shops and other retail outlets. The food choices are quite varied from Greek kebabs to Clam Chowder. Whilst it does not compare to the awesome Chatuchak market experience in Bangkok it was a good to see some of the local catches still wriggle and squirm at the fishmonger's and enjoy some of the street theatre.
We also visited an area called Pioneer Square, which is the historic centre of town. The tall skyscrapers sit beside this area near the water front which comprises of traditional brick buildings. It is a historic area which we wandered though and out to the waterfront area for a stroll to take in the icy sea breeze. The climate is definitely chilling the further north we go, with the warm
sun of San Diego feeling like a very long time ago. We're now sporting thick winter coats on our icy city walks.
Most of the frosty evenings in Seattle we spent wandering around the shops in the central area our hotel was located. The streets are busy, bustling and very pretty at night. Buildings and trees lining the streets are decorated with bulbs, giving the city a wonderful glow. Other than that we spent a few chilly nights just messing around in our hotel room - enjoying the cable TV as well as stuffing as many cotton buds into my face as possible - utilising any orifice. I'm sure we broke a Guiness Record.
We ended our Seattle, and in fact, entire USA experience by winding down with a coffee in a cafe called Cyber Dogs. The owner was a very chatty lady who insisted on playing dysfunctional love songs in celebration of the upcoming Valentines Day. It was a decidedly odd, unique, yet ultimately very friendly place which pretty much sums up the whole country.
And so we leave, swapping one dollar for another, boarding our Greyhound bus to make our way to the USA's northern
neighbour and the final country of our travels - Canada.
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Mum Dad and boys
non-member comment
Danger is my middle name!!
Hi you two, not long now until we see you both on Saturday, cannot wait. Loved this blog as I have all the others but this one reminded me of Eddie Izzard (danger is his middle name), especially the cable cars towards the waters edge and Alcatraz. The cell block pictures reminded me of Prison Break as they seem very similar in the photos. GG Bridge looked fantastic as it did on the post card. Is there a Chinatown everywhere then? I would love to see Alcatraz and it does look eerie. Love to you both. xxx