Pull the Cable

A SFPD patrol car parked on the Wharf, Sunday night, 10 October 2010

Breakfast at Joanie’s consisted this morning of eggs ‘over medium’ (fried both sides) and two rashers of bacon. On the other side of the same plate was French toast which was sweet topped with a knob of ice cream. That diet starts again when we get home!

This morning we went for a Bay boat tour under the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. The water was calm and we saw a couple of small dolphins or perhaps they were porpoises? The views around the Bay were spectacular to say the least with new views of Alcatraz too. A commentary was available through a personal receiver each passenger got, a bit like the Alcatraz cells tour. This time the bridge was clear and spectacular although not as big as our Humber Bridge, nonetheless, a great sight!

A view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Bay Tour Boat, about 11.15 am, Monday 11 October 2010

After a walk through the various Piers toward the Hyde Street Cable car terminus and a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, we went on a Powell and Hyde cable car to the city centre terminus where we had a coffee among the contrasts of huge and expensive department stores and the occasional homeless people selling the UK equivalent of the Big Issue.

We stopped off at the cable car museum on route which was alongside the cable machinery that works today to pull the cable cars up and down the hilly streets of San Francisco.

From our view on the back of a Powell & Hyde cable car, another car passes us going into town, Monday 11 October, 2010.

The weather has been fabulous all the time we have been here with not a cloud in the sky and the temperatures today have been in their eighties, topping out at a record 88 degrees this afternoon according to the Weather Channel, whilst New yorkers are experiencing a violent electric storm.

Frascati’s restaurant tonight has been booked for 8 pm with another trip on the cable car to get there. Travelling back to the UK on Tuesday afternoon and I will miss this great city, that's for sure.

Chat soon

Ta-ra

The (Steep) Streets of San Francisco

San Francisco Fire Department Engine, polished for the public on Pier 39, Sunday 10 October 2010

Today has been a much gentler and more relaxed day but no less exciting and informative. Sunday morning started with a cafe breakfast in Columbus Street, San Francisco, a great tradition of which I fully approve followed by a guided three hour bus tour of the city on a bus. As a matter of interest, there are many red English right hand drive buses here, some with the roofs taken off to provide open top facilities for tourists.

British town and country planners would have a heart attack looking at the houses here, they're all different. They are packed close together (with an inch space between them to act as a firewall) and very few have any gardens at all in some districts, their front door is on the street. Quaint could describe some, down beat could be said of others.

We saw the steep streets of San Francisco where famous films show cars taking off as they speed over the bumps, (Steve McQueen in Bullet is just one) and locations of many other films. The Golden Gate Bridge isn't golden it's actually 'international orange,' but what some of us would call 'rust red.' The trouble is we didn't see it today, it was shrouded in a typical fog that this city sees most days. Indeed from our vantage point at the top of Twin Peaks, overlooking the city, you could see the extent of the fog mixing the cold sea air with the warm air of the land. In some districts, the summer months of June, July and august are under a permanent blanket of grey.

Golden Gate Bridge (honest guv) Sunday 10 October 2010

We had seafood lunch - Dungeness crab, a San Fran speciality on the Wharf next to the sidewalk and witnessed dozens of huge motorcycles arrive of all shapes and sizes, all polished, glinting in the sun, some home made and others adapted to make them unique.

There were celebrations today and roads were closed off because of the marches taking place, but we managed to see the beautiful and extensive San Francisco Golden Gate Park (designed and built by a Scotsman by the way) and some of the new museums and galleries that have been built post 1989 earthquake. The afternoon entertainment on the Wharf continued with tens of thousands of people packing the place out. All the shops were open and there were bands, Fleetweek displays music aplenty and we saw the seals on Pier 39.

Seals making themselves comfy on Pier 39, Sunday 10 October 2010

Our last day tomorrow but nothing planned as yet, other than a nice meal at a restaurant that was recommended on Hyde Street (thanks Emma) - we'll see how it goes.

Chat soon

Ta-ra.

Flying the Flag

US Navy Blue Angels in part of their hour long display over San Francisco Bay Saturday 9 October 2010

I guess being in America, it's reinforced a belief I've held for quite some time, and that is, that one thing cannot be denied is their fierce patriotism.

The Stars and Stripes fly proudly from many buildings, and not just public ones. A Blue Angel US Navy fighter jet flew over San Francisco today very low during their birthday celebrations causing ear splitting noise and ordinary Americans stood in the street and cheered openly and a those with hats waved them and one man shouted at the top of his voice, 'Come back home safe boys!' An ordinary American mind you, a man in a suit.

I don't think us Brits are any less patriotic, perhaps we just don't demonstrate it openly. Nevertheless, there is no holding back the very open displays of their love of their country and their respect for their military and public servants. Proud is a good word to use.

San Francisco from Alcatraz Island Saturday 9 October 2010, forgive the blue haze.

Why the hell do people then criticise those who fly Union Jacks and flags of St George as racists and xenophobes? Americans have a few things to teach us - not least of which is to love who we are as a nation of people.

It's manic here in San Francisco. The weather has been a hot but comfortable 75 degrees and Alcatraz Island was an amazing experience. Manic - in a positive way with so much hustle and bustle. There are thousands of families out with young children in arms to old retired folk and people SMILE! Yes, smile. It's an absolute delight. People shake hands, ask where you are from, when they see me taking a picture of my wife, or her of me, they spontaneously ask if they can take a picture for us with both of us in it.

A rock band on Pier 39 as part of Fleetweek celebrations, Saturday 9 October 2010

The smell of food pervades the air wherever you go, seafood, steaks and a lot of salads too; the word 'healthy' appears on lots of food adverts and flyers - well at least it's a token gesture in some cases. Footpaths are thronging and you can't walk anywhere in a rush.

Crabs (dead) waiting to be cooked at one of many seafood restaurants on Fisherman's Wharf. Saturday 9 October 2010.

Alcatraz is something else. It wasn't quite as big as I imagined it, and in part that's probably due to Hollywood's artistic licence. Nevertheless, it was humbling and not a little emotional at times. Conditions must have been dreadful at times with little in the way of rehabilitation. Some of the cells are just 5' by 6' and bad guys who didn't like to conform with the rules sometimes were locked away seven days a week and let out once a week for exercise and shower in the early days. Believe me, there are still spirits from those days walking the landings.

The Recreation Yard at Alcatraz, you could imagine Clint Eastwood as Frank Morris on the steps. Saturday 9 October 2010

The Island is part of the National Park which seems to have done wonders in preserving the fascinating and varied history of 'the Rock.'

Time for a soak in the bath!

Chat soon

Ta-ra!

Postcard from San Francisco

Picture of Fisherman's Wharf sign taken at 1700 hrs local time Friday 8 October 2010

After a mad, hectic, exhausting four days in Las Vegas, Nevada, I've arrived in another mad city, San Francisco in California about 2.30 pm local time today (Friday). We were greeted with a Blue Angels US Navy aero display (the equivalent I think of the RAF Red Arrows) over the Bay area. It's Fleetweek (US Navy) here, they are celebrating their birthday and the town is absolutely FULL of people just full of life and fun and we've hit the jackpot with events and displays put on by the US Navy.

The four days in Las Vegas were great and I'll report more on that when I get back, suffice to say that you have to be bloody fit walking all over the Strip; I've already taken 270 pictures and some video of the fountain display at the Bellagio, which again I'll post when I'm back home.

We've just got our tickets for Alcatraz which is tomorrow (Saturday), followed by a city sightseeing tour - so another busy day. We've literally used our hotel rooms just to sleep in, we've hardly caught our breath.

Like the postcard should always say, "weather nice, digs good, wish you were here."

Chat soon

Ta-ra.