Sunday 26 March 2017

Day 1 San Francisco

I have just returned home from a two week trip to Western USA My friend M from Canada met me in San Francisco where we would spend a few days together before I joined a Gadventure tour. The first thing I noticed about San Francisco is how expensive it is compared to other U.S. cities I have visited. I later learned that it is now the most expensive city in the USA. Today was all about getting our bearings and what better way to do that than to walk. I have to admit it was hard work getting to the top of Powell Street but I enjoyed the interesting architecture on the way.








Bay bridge in the distance



We went up Coit Tower which gives some of the best views of the city. The tower is dedicated to firemen but contrary to popular belief the tower was not built to represent a fire hose, which I think describes it very well.
















We could just about see the Golden Gate in the distance. We were going to walk there but realised we needed to rethink that one.




But the best view was of the 'crooked street' with its 10 hairpin bends













The murals inside the tower's base were painted in 1934 to depict life in California during the Depression. When violence broke out during one of the strikes some of the controversial radical content in some of the panels was painted over and the tower was padlocked for several months.














Walked from the tower to Fisherman's wharf to watch the sea lions sunbathing and be overcome by the smell.


We decided to buy a $31, 3 day pass for the cable cars and buses seeing as one ride was $7. It turned out to be excellent value.
















We had great fun riding up and down the hills on the trams.













The final stop for the day was the Golden Gate Bridge. The number one attraction on the tourist trail and not to be missed. As it was such a gorgeous day we decided to walk the 1.7 miles across the bridge. Stopping to admire the yachts sailing beneath the bridge and the seals playing in the water






Once across the bridge we thought we could get a bus back but no such luck so we had to walk back again!






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13 comments:

  1. Gosia26 March 2017 at 20:10

    wow great trip

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  2. Cloudia26 March 2017 at 20:50

    So wonderful!

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  3. Anonymous26 March 2017 at 23:13

    Cable cars, tick. Sea lion smell, tick. Golden Gate Bridge, tick. Powell Street, tick. The tower murals are very good and unless they have been redone, they have kept so well. I didn't know San Francisco is so expensive.

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  4. Linda W.27 March 2017 at 05:12

    San Francisco is such an awesome city! I've visited there many times and never tire of it's cable cars and super-steep streets. And by the way, that "crooked street" is none other than the famous Lombard St - steepest in the USA.

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  5. Sara27 March 2017 at 09:01

    Great post! I have never been to San Francisco and I enjoyed your photos. Looking forward to seeing more of your trip.

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  6. DJan27 March 2017 at 13:50

    San Francisco is one of my favorite cities, and I would have wanted to live there if it weren't so expensive. Ten years ago I tried to move there but couldn't afford it. Thanks for the great tour! :-)

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  7. Author R. Mac Wheeler27 March 2017 at 14:54

    Sounds like you got A LOT of exercise :)

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  8. Betsy Banks Adams27 March 2017 at 17:32

    Glad you got to see San Francisco.. It is such an amazing city... I haven't been there since I was about 8 years old. My older brother got married in CA and Mom and Dad and I went on the train (Daddy worked for the railroad) to CA to the wedding... We visited San Fran --but I certainly need to go back sometime.

    Can't wait to see where else you all went.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  9. Marcia27 March 2017 at 18:15

    Looks like you had gorgeous weather for your first day in California. It is quite a hilly city to walk around. We were there for a day in 1995. We camped in Petaluma then drove in to the city. I had been there in the early 80s for work several times too. My nephew and my niece live there but rent because they can't afford to purchase. The nephew and his wife own a house at Lake Tahoe though. The niece is part of a midwife practice and has a birthing center. They love it.

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  10. Wendy28 March 2017 at 18:19

    Great photos. I bet you were glad to get back on a tram when you got back over the bridge!

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  11. Sallie (FullTime-Life)30 March 2017 at 00:32

    Public transportation is not quite as good as London is it? You walked a long ways -- and climbed the tower wow... wonderful pictures from the top. It really is such a beautiful city. When we visited it when our kids were grade school age, our youngest (about7 yrs.) jumped on a cable car at the top of a hill and none of the rest of us got on. I was a bit hysterical, but we eventually all caught up with each other. (I was afraid we'd keep passing each other up and down forever). Lots of other fun memories attached to several visits to this wonderful City. Glad you visited!

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  12. Cynthia30 March 2017 at 18:03

    It looks like beautiful weather for a visit to SF. I love the views of the crooked street and the murals.

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  13. Gattina6 April 2017 at 08:24

    Now I will read all your posts ! It's getting better with me. I have been twice in San Francisco and loved the city. The tram hasn't changed, and the old buildings neither. I loved China town where we got real Chinese food not adapted to the country. It's also so interesting. When we were there there were a lot of artists around.

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