Nath and I have loaded our backpacks again, this time bound for Vancouver, British Columbia, in Western Canada.
As we were flying through the US anyway we thought we'd stop off in San Francisco for a week and do a bit of exploring as this is my first trip to North America.
Unfortunately our flight was delayed by two and a half hours in Sydney due to fog, so by the time we got there on Monday, through customs and checked into the hotel, the day was a bit of a write-off. However we got in our first cable car ride and had dinner at North Beach, the Italian district. As we were looking at menus a homeless person came up to me and started singing "My Girl". He was black and had one of those really amazing soulful voices. One thing I've noticed in San Fran is that the people who ask you for money are really friendly, even if you say no!
We got a late start on Tuesday as jet lag had overwhelmed us - it has never bothered me much before so I was surprised. We spent the day exploring the city - we walked through the financial district to the Ferry Farmers Market at the wharf, then along to Pier 39. It's famous for its amusements and the sea lion colony that lives just off the wharf on a series of pontoons. I found it all a bit tacky and commercial but it's one of the sites of San Fran and the sea lions were interesting, if a bit on the nose.
Following the piers around the bay, we visited Ghirardelli Square where we treated ourselves to some of their famous icecream, which was recommended by a few past visitors - yum!
Another cable car took us up the hill to Lombard St, the most crooked street in the city. I wouldn't fancy trying to get the car out of the garage in a hurry on that street!
From there we walked down to North Beach then up the steep hill to Coit Tower, which affords great views of the city and bay.
The day was beautifully sunny but the wind was really cold - I was wearing a jacket, jumper and scarf but also sunglasses and had to keep applying sunscreen.
From there we headed east to Yosemite National Park for a few days (see next entry in this trip).
Back in San Fran, we checked into the local YHA for our last few nights in the city. Unfortunately they'd mucked up our booking so we had to change rooms, then in the second room Nath discovered the bed was broken when he went to lay on it and we had to get them to change it. It was all fine in the end but I think it made us realise we are now "flashpackers" and a bit over hostels.
On Saturday morning we hired bikes and rode along the foreshore to Fort Mason, near the Golden Gate Bridge. We climbed up the top and got some great views of the bridge (the fort was built much before the bridge!). As a few people had warned us, the bridge is actually a fair way from the city centre so we are glad we didn't try to walk it! Then we cycled over the bridge itself, which was a pretty cool experience.
On the other side, we stopped for a picnic lunch accompanied by views of the city and the bridge, before heading downhill to a little town on the bay called Sausalito. It's obviously a very popular spot for locals and tourists alike as the place was heaving, and we locked our bikes up with hundreds of others from rental places. It was a relaxed atmosphere though - again lots of cafes and upmarket shops. We walked around the seawall and I thought it was rather apt when I heard a busker start singing "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay".
Riding further north, we left many of the other day trippers behind and cycled for about another two hours to Tiburon, where we caught the ferry back to the city. The ferry trip was nice as we got to see the city, the Bridge and Alcatraz from the water.
On Sunday we caught the tram to an area called The Castro, then walked up the hill to Buena Vista park for good views of the city, as its name suggests. Back down the hill on the other side, we reached Haight Ashbury, the trendy, hippy area with lots of antique record shops, alternative clothes shops and second hand stores. We were happy to stop for coffee and people watch. It was a good day for it as the Bay to Breakers run had just finished - a fun run where people dress up in weird costumes. Some even go naked!
We followed the crowd down to Golden Gate park, where there were lots of people chilling out with a bit of "herbal" help. A few people asked us if we wanted to buy some weed - it was quite weird because it seemed to just be in one pocket of the park. Further over we saw the evidence of the fun run - people in costume sprawled all over the grass having picnics and drinks, and dead drink bottles and rubbish all up the road. I'd hate to be on the clean up committee.
From there we trekked quite a way to Alamo Square, where the beautiful Victorian houses you see on postcards of San Fran are. In fact that whole area has hundreds of old houses that have been renovated in the old styles and I shudder to think what they are worth but they are lovely.
Later we went out for margharitas and Mexican, something you apparently have to try in San Fran. The city is renowned for having good food and each district has its own cuisine.
Then we went on a night tour of Alcatraz. The history of the island and its prisoners was interesting but not very spooky, which I thought it would be. The escape attempts were pretty adventurous and quite a few people never made it to shore, despite escaping the prison itself.
That was a good end to our San Francisco trip. It seems like a very liveable, friendly city but we felt like we did it justice on this visit and I am now keen to visit some other places in the US, especially Seattle which is really only down the road from Vancouver.
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San Francisco Hotels
