USA = San Francisco

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Sunday 27^thNovember

We left NZ at 15.15pm on Sunday 27^th Nov and arrived in LA at 6.30am on Sunday 27^th November!!

We had allowed 5hrs ( as per internet advice!) to get through customs, collect baggage and get to the next terminal to check in again for our flight to San Francisco. I suppose it took about 2hrs so we had a 3hr wait in Terminal 5 for our 11.15am flight to Oakland. We all boarded the plane (50 seater!) and 15mins later we all disembarked due to mechanical problems! They were unsure at first whether the plane would be fixed and/or if another flight would be put on, but eventually they announced there would be a flight leaving at 13.30.

Arrived in San Francisco about 15.00 ish and then took the bus to the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Station at Oakland ,where we took the train to Powell Street and walked up to our hotel (Herbert) arriving about 17.00pm! So much for gaining a day!!

Anyway, we had a wander around Union Square and watched the cable cars going up and down Powell St, before crashing out at about 21.00pm!!

Monday 28^th November

A good sleep and up at 8.00am! Very foggy (normal here!) but decided to catch a cable car up and down to Fishermans Wharf, and bought 48hr tickets for the hop on, hop off bus. Cable car was brilliant – I know it sounds stupid, but I just thought it was one street that would be the ‘famous’ street where the cable cars went up and down – in fact, there are several cable car routes, as the whole city is built on hills, still on a grid system, creating a lot of steep straight gradients everywhere!!

Hopped on our bus and did the whole 2hr circuit, taking in all the main sights including going over the Golden bridge. Got off at Pier 39 – very touristy – but had a lovely wander around looking at all the little shops and restaurants – oh, and the seals that have made Pier 39 their home!

Wandered along back to Fishermans Wharf – saw a pelican flying around, a guy who had built himself a hedge and took great delight in popping up and scaring tourists for money (it was quite funny!!) another guy dressed as a skeleton – it was a fun place to wander!!

Had a look at the old boats on Hyde Pier before catching the bus again to the Financial District, where we walked back, past the church that Marilyn Monroe got married in, and Little Italy, to the bottom of Lombard Street – the most crooked street in San Francisco! The hill was so steep they made it into a series of eight hair pin bends where cars now queue up to drive the famous street! Fantastic views from the top and good fun watching the cars go down!

Walked back down to the waterfront and then took the Bus for the night tour to look at the City lit up at night before getting off at Union Square! Found an amazing American Diner that served 50 different beers and excellent, cheap food! The decor was very 60ish with lots of neon lights, jukeboxes and old cars in walls!







Tuesday 29^th November

No hurry to get up as fog was not due to clear until 11.00am....however by about 9.30am the sun was shining and we caught the bus to Alamo Park for a look at the famous ‘Painted Ladies’ (large town houses built 1892-6), and a walk around the park taking in the views of the City! Walked down the road to the Haight Ashbury district which is an old hippy 60’s area, where Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane used to live! Still very psychedelic, with lots of vintage clothes shops and record shops etc.

Spotted a gopher (small rodent – bit like a small guinea pig!!) whilst waiting for the bus to take us to the Golden Gate Bridge. When we got there the Bridge was shrouded in fog, which cleared periodically as we walked across and gave us some weird photographs, but obscured the best views of San Francisco! Picked up the bus again on the North side of the Bridge and went to Pier 39 before walking up to Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill.

Telegraph Hill was named because of a telegraph semaphore placed in 1850, on the 295ft summit, for the approaching ships. Coit Tower was erected in 1933 after Lillie Hitchcock Coit bequeathed $100,000 to build a tower shaped like a firemans hose! When Lillie was 8 years old she was rescued from a hotel fire and grew into a legendary figure, wearing a firemans uniform and following the engines on every emergency call until she died at 86yrs old!

Walked back down from the tower and had a wander around the shops at China Town before having a really nice Chinese meal there.

Wednesday 30^th November

Our last day in San Francisco and we took the ferry across the Bay to Sausalito – a very pretty (by American standards!) little seafront town with cafes and gift shops! Had a wander along the front and then decided to catch the 11.55am bus to Muir Woods with views over the Bay and then a twisty road down into the valley to the woods. Walked the main boardwalk to Bridge 4, passing loads of massive Redwoods and Giant Sequoias, and back again, taking in a 15min information talk as well!

Muir Woods is a remnant of ancient coast redwood forest that blanketed north California before the 1800’s. Many trees were cut down to build houses in most of San Francisco in the Gold Rush in 1849, but in 1905 businessman William Kent bought land in the valley to protect the giant Redwoods. After the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, there were attempts to cut down the rest of the redwoods to re-build San Francisco, but in 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the area a National Monument and it was dedicated to John Muir – a well known Conservationist.

The redwood trees need between 300 – 500 gallons of water a day and are only able to survive here because of the fog, which condenses on their leaves and produce water drops. Most of the mature trees are between 500-800 years old although the oldest tree recorded was 2,200 years old!

Caught the bus back – which was stopped by the sheriff because it was going too slow and holding 5 cars up!! – before getting the ferry back to San Francisco. Saw loads of cormorants flying across the bay and also quite a few pelicans flying around.

Caught the cable car up California Hill, which was the first hill they tested the first cable car because it was the steepest. Got off at Nob Hill and then walked back to the hotel via China Town. Had a meal in Lori’s diner again (next door to hotel!), before a relaxing evening and packing for Phoenix tomorrow.

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Comments

[Sandra Fox]

USA customs
2 hours wasn't bad to go through customs. San Fran is really lovely - all I know is that next time I go I will not walk it!

[Tracie]

Wow, you dont stop! Did you not get to alcatraz? Hope the weather is a little better in Phoenix. Had our first frost last night - not bad for the 2nd December. Bedding plants were still flowering! Take care and see you when I get back!!