The Windy City
Mar. 19th, 2012 03:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
peterbirksI came to two conclusions about San Francisco yesterday. The first was that its location is actually 400 miles north of Portland, just south of Anchorage. All of the atlases and the tourist brochures are a lie.
The second is that Chicago's claim to the title "The Windy City" is complete nonsense. There can be few tougher experiences than walking back to the hotel of an evening, up a steep hill, into the teeth of a 50mph wind and a windchill factor of about minus 10.
Hills, strong wind, chilly. More like Brighton, except bigger in every respect.
Notwithstanding that, it was s fun day. We got the number 5 bus out to the Pacific, and promptly retreated from what could perhaps be most kindly termed "great weather for surfing".
Walking through the Golden Gate Park we saw the Dutch windmill and a lovely flower garden. Then, following our noses, we chanced up "the bison paddock". Then there were a couple of lakes, plus what I thought was a golf course, except the people I saw waiting at the "tee" didn't look like golfers, and I couldn't see any golf clubs.
It turned out that it was a "disc golf course", i.e., a frisbee golf course. And there are warnings for passers-by to beware of flying frisbees.
We only managed about a third of the park's distance before deciding to get the bus back. Lunch in Lori's Diner was excellent, although I really shoould not have had the "black and white" vanilla and chocolate ice cream dessert.
After a nap we headed out in the evening onto the F-route trolley car. That took us up to Fisherman's Wharf, where we shall be returning today. On the way back we discovered that, basically, there are no ways to avoid the hills. All we managed this time round was to walk up a different hill.
Pizza at St Vito's and then bed. Still haven't got my body clock right. Perhaps today.
Today we're going to try to get an early start to get the cable car without too great a queue. Then a two-day ticket for one of the hop-on, hop-off, buses, and this evening it's offf to Alcatraz!
A bison
The Dutch windmill
A very pretty garden that we caught at just the right time! Tulips in full bloom.
One of the paths through Golden Gate Park
Bird having a rest.
A pretty little water feature running down into Spreckleys Lake.
The Pacific Ocean. It was very windy here...
...as evidenced by the mini-sand dunes. A pity; it would have been fantatic on a nice day.
Lunch at Lori's. Enjoyed the "signature burger" of mushrooms, cheese and onion topping. Enjoyed the burger and bun very much. Not so sure about the sweey potatoes instead of french fries.
Walking back to the hotel, a couple of cable cars were parked, prior to picking up people heading a queue about a hundred yards long.
The third attempt (of three) by Barb to use my camera. This was the best. Well, I did say "point and shoot, I've set up the light and focus"....
Later in the evening, the Bay Bridge from the Ferry Terminal.
The Ferry Building.
Back to timed camera. Barb was using the rest room...
Something of a surprising statue.
The second is that Chicago's claim to the title "The Windy City" is complete nonsense. There can be few tougher experiences than walking back to the hotel of an evening, up a steep hill, into the teeth of a 50mph wind and a windchill factor of about minus 10.
Hills, strong wind, chilly. More like Brighton, except bigger in every respect.
Notwithstanding that, it was s fun day. We got the number 5 bus out to the Pacific, and promptly retreated from what could perhaps be most kindly termed "great weather for surfing".
Walking through the Golden Gate Park we saw the Dutch windmill and a lovely flower garden. Then, following our noses, we chanced up "the bison paddock". Then there were a couple of lakes, plus what I thought was a golf course, except the people I saw waiting at the "tee" didn't look like golfers, and I couldn't see any golf clubs.
It turned out that it was a "disc golf course", i.e., a frisbee golf course. And there are warnings for passers-by to beware of flying frisbees.
We only managed about a third of the park's distance before deciding to get the bus back. Lunch in Lori's Diner was excellent, although I really shoould not have had the "black and white" vanilla and chocolate ice cream dessert.
After a nap we headed out in the evening onto the F-route trolley car. That took us up to Fisherman's Wharf, where we shall be returning today. On the way back we discovered that, basically, there are no ways to avoid the hills. All we managed this time round was to walk up a different hill.
Pizza at St Vito's and then bed. Still haven't got my body clock right. Perhaps today.
Today we're going to try to get an early start to get the cable car without too great a queue. Then a two-day ticket for one of the hop-on, hop-off, buses, and this evening it's offf to Alcatraz!
A bison
The Dutch windmill
A very pretty garden that we caught at just the right time! Tulips in full bloom.
One of the paths through Golden Gate Park
Bird having a rest.
A pretty little water feature running down into Spreckleys Lake.
The Pacific Ocean. It was very windy here...
...as evidenced by the mini-sand dunes. A pity; it would have been fantatic on a nice day.
Lunch at Lori's. Enjoyed the "signature burger" of mushrooms, cheese and onion topping. Enjoyed the burger and bun very much. Not so sure about the sweey potatoes instead of french fries.
Walking back to the hotel, a couple of cable cars were parked, prior to picking up people heading a queue about a hundred yards long.
The third attempt (of three) by Barb to use my camera. This was the best. Well, I did say "point and shoot, I've set up the light and focus"....
Later in the evening, the Bay Bridge from the Ferry Terminal.
The Ferry Building.
Back to timed camera. Barb was using the rest room...
Something of a surprising statue.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-03-19 03:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 11:18 pm (UTC)PJ
no subject
Date: 2012-03-19 07:19 pm (UTC)Despite working 30 years at Kodak I still hate being asked to use someone else's camera. Its all right to say it's a PhD camera (Push here dummy) but they are all different and I can never see through the viewfinder clearly.
Anyway enjoy the trip, but go easy on the American sized portions or it will be compulsory extra gym sessions.
Cheers. Richard
no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 11:19 pm (UTC)Yes, I fear some tough gym sessions will be required in April! Especially with Nice coming up in mid-May and (the real food disaster when it comes to putting on weight) a week of top restaurants in Bermuda....
PJ
no subject
Date: 2012-03-19 09:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-19 11:02 pm (UTC)Fisherman's Wharf is touristy but fun, Ghiradelli Square nearby used to be great but the last time I went it had turned into a bit of a dump. Maybe it's recovered. Alcatraz is, well, Alcatraz... There's a cool farmers' market around the ferry building a few days a week.
Damn, I just realised it's 4 years since we were there, and I could do with another visit!
no subject
Date: 2012-03-24 05:45 am (UTC)PJ
no subject
Date: 2012-03-20 07:20 am (UTC)Keith S
no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 11:16 pm (UTC)PJ
no subject
Date: 2012-03-20 09:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 11:17 pm (UTC)PJ