The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco seen from an outlook on Conzelman Road on the north side of the bridge
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The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco seen from an outlook on Conzelman Road on the north side of the bridge |
On March 7, we flew to San Francisco where we met Eric who had arrived a few minutes earlier from Honolulu. Since it was late already, we immediately took the shuttle bus to our hotel near the airport and made it an early night. The next morning we took the BART train from the airport to downtown San Francisco where we picked up our rental car. Eric had conveniently researched the best locations from where I could take photos of the Golden Gate Bridge, so that's were he drove us.
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On the BART train from the airport to downtown |
At the intersection of Broadway and Franklin Streets |
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San Francisco sister cities sign on Market Street |
Driving north across the Golden Gate Bridge |
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We are heading for Conzelman Road with its several lookouts |
Looking down on Kirby Beach from Conzelman Road |
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San Francisco seen through the Golden Gate Bridge |
The Pelican Harbor in Downtown Sausalito |
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Sausalito floating homes |
Sausalito boats |
The plan was to go to Muir Woods next; we had been there in 1980 and had been the only people there! Now, 44 years later, we learned we had to reserve a parking spot, and as none was available until after 2 p.m., we decided to drive back to Sausalito, have lunch, and return to Muir Woods afterwards. Where one could once walk over a carpet of moss and soft earth before, there are now paved and boardwalk-like trails, presumably to protect these beautiful woods. We enjoyed our visit and drove to our hotel in the late afternoon for a short rest because we had ticket to Koozå, a wonderful Cirque du Soleil production. What a great first day to start this vacation!
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A tree trunk over Redwood Creek |
Coastal redwoods in Muir Woods |
Along Redwood Creek |
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In Muir Woods |
In Muir Woods |
In Muir Woods |
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The grounds in Muir Woods are like a soft carpet |
Looking straight up at the canopy |
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This is the only surviving primordial redwood forest in the Bay Area |
One of several bridges crossing Redwood Creek |
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The walks along Redwood Creeks are beautiful |
Heading back to the visitor center and the car park |
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On Redwood Highway on the drive back to town |
Southbound on the Golden Gate Bridge |
The next morning, we wandered from the Russian Hill to the Nob Hill neighborhood on our way to the Cable Car museum. The San Franciso Cable Cars are the only system of its kind in the world today, and the small museum does a good job explaining how it works. It also serves as the station that powers the cables for all lines, so the cables one sees moving in the museum are the very ones that run under the streets and propel the cable cars. Eric insisted that we visit the museum, and I'm very glad he did! From the museum, we walked to Hyde Street from where we took a cable car down to the Powell & Hyde Cable Car Turntable.
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Whether one walks downhill... |
...or makes one's way uphill... |
...San Francisco streets are steep! |
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Cable car on Washington Street |
Inside the cable car museum |
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One of the original cable cars |
The cables used are reassuringly thick |
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The machinery that actually moves the cables below the streets |
Labels above show the line each cable moves (Click to see a video clip!) |
We then walked along Jefferson Street to Fisherman's Wharf from where one has a great view of Alcatraz Island, the former penitentiary made famous in movies such as Escape from Alcaraz and The Rock. For many years, Alcatraz was believed to be the world's most secure prison. We strolled along Pier 39 for a while, people watching and observing the Sea Lions that have become quite a tourist attraction. We took a streetcar (not a cable car!) along the Embarcadero and up Market Street to 2nd Street where we had lunch before taking the same streetcar line up to the Haight–Ashbury District.
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The Powell & Hyde Cable Car Turntable |
On Jefferson Street heading towards Fisherman's Wharf |
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Mural on Jefferson Street |
Clown with a soap bubble machine |
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Zombie |
At Fisherman's Wharf |
Mooring posts |
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Boats along Fisherman's Wharf |
Looking at Alcatraz Island from Fisherman's Wharf |
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Switching to a longer lens for a closer look |
A couple of the famous Pier 39 sea lions |
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Two of the males are showing off... |
...while the females are taking it easy. |
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Looking towards the city from Pier 39 |
The San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge seen from a streetcar |
This neighborhood is known as one of the main centers of the Hippie movement during the 1960s and 1970s. It is not hard to see why: there are many buildings painted in vivid or psychedelic patterns, the stores all seem to cater to an artsy crowd, and an odor of Marijuana wafts around every other corner. This is a fascinating neighborhood that probably comes closest to what people imagine when they hear terms like Flower Power. From here, we took an Uber back to our hotel. Tomorrow, we are leaving San Francisco and driving south!
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Bat mural with a speed limit sign |
Outdoor Art Fair on Haight Street |
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A cocktail of different architectures |
Eclectic offers |
Decades of Fashion |
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At the intersection of Haight and Cole Streets |
Lively colors and architectural details |
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On Haight Street |
On Haight Street |
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The colors in this neighborhood are amazing... |
...as are the decorative details of the buildings. |
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The Love Emporium |
Like being back in the sixties |
The photos on this page were taken on March 8 and 9, 2024.
Stay tuned for the next installment of our California trip report!
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