A sunnier day than I thought it was
Mar. 20th, 2012 03:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
peterbirksWe headed off first with the intention of catching the cable car, and we succeeded. The queue was not too long (although it got quite long very quickly, so a 9am turn-up during the week clearly works).
I didn't take many pictures on the route because I assumed that would be coming back on the same cable car, but as it turned out that was not the case. Although the Rough Guide pooh-poohs the use of these cars as a functional means of transport, they are actually quite useful for getting up the steep hills. Last night we seriously thought of waiting for one, rather than hacking up five blocks to Bush Street.
After we got to the Hyde St pier, about a 25-minute trip on the cable car, we wandered around the pier, looking at a number of historic craft and gazing unbelievably at a Chinese woman swimming in the bay. It had been well-cold overnight and the water temperature couldn't have been more than 10 degrees -- and she was about 200 yards out into the bay.
Here I came across the Musee Mechanique which I thought was a museum of old arcade machines. Well, it is, except that they all work! All 200-plus of them. Two 1960s pinball machines of designs that I haven't seen for decades. I shall return later in the week.
After a stroll along Fisherman's Wharf, we saw the hop-on-hop-off bus, and it was about to leave. So we took it.
This took us on a great tour of the city, although obviously it can't get to the really hilly parts. We bought the two-day pass,so we could use it again today and drop off at the interesting places. But we did get off at the South Side of the Golden Gate Bridge, and then walk across.
The weather was much nicer today. When out of the wind it was positively pleasant.
Unfortunately the lightly cloudy weather and strong breeze led me to fail to realize that the sun was having an impact on my face. By the evening I'd caught the sun quite badly. And the last thing that I'd thought about bringing was sunscreen!
In the afternoon we stopped off at the Wharf and looked at some horribly tatty shops, and then ate in a nice burger restaurant (Wipe Out, recommended) on the wharf. Then it was a matter of wandering about until it was time for the evening trip to Alcatraz.
This was well worth the trip, although perhaps not as sensational as I had been led to believe.
The trip is nearly three hours from start to finish, so by the end we were shattered after a long day. Barb has been heroic as she has been battling a virus all the time that she has been here (one on a par with mine in Vegas, TBH), so getting through the day must have been really tough, because I was feeling it myself, and I was healthy!
Today, breakfast with Mr Berlin, who is over here for a holiday as well. Then back onto the hop-on-hop-off, probably going to Haight Ashbury and then Union St.
At the end of the Powell-Hyde cable car
One of the many fantastic machines in the Musée Mechanique near Pier 45, all of which machines are in working order. A true paradise for lovers of amusement arcades.
Looking up Russian Hill from the Hyde Pier
One of the many old boats on the Hyde St pier
Looking up to Lombard.
At the top of the Embarcardero by the Aquatic Park
Barb in the same spot
"The Stinking Rose" on North Beach.
Barb on the cable car.
A nice shot of City Hall
On the bus at a place that defines itself. We should be returning there today for longer
In Golden Gate Park
On the hop-on, hop-off bus, heading towards the Golden Gate Bridge
View From A Bridge
One of the main pillars of Golden Gate Bridge, still coloured "international orange" (i.e., primer)
Looking fown from the bridge to the south side and the National Heritage beach. The odd thing here is that the building by the beach has a sunken centre that goes tens of yards below sea level.
Just to prove I was there.
Standard tourist shot, I know.
the warden's house on Alcatraz, possibly for sale with estate agent's comment "suit diy enthusiast".
a visitation window
inside a cell
a cell block
a cell
view of Alcatraz from the ferry.
At Alcatraz as the sun went down.
+++++++++++
I didn't take many pictures on the route because I assumed that would be coming back on the same cable car, but as it turned out that was not the case. Although the Rough Guide pooh-poohs the use of these cars as a functional means of transport, they are actually quite useful for getting up the steep hills. Last night we seriously thought of waiting for one, rather than hacking up five blocks to Bush Street.
After we got to the Hyde St pier, about a 25-minute trip on the cable car, we wandered around the pier, looking at a number of historic craft and gazing unbelievably at a Chinese woman swimming in the bay. It had been well-cold overnight and the water temperature couldn't have been more than 10 degrees -- and she was about 200 yards out into the bay.
Here I came across the Musee Mechanique which I thought was a museum of old arcade machines. Well, it is, except that they all work! All 200-plus of them. Two 1960s pinball machines of designs that I haven't seen for decades. I shall return later in the week.
After a stroll along Fisherman's Wharf, we saw the hop-on-hop-off bus, and it was about to leave. So we took it.
This took us on a great tour of the city, although obviously it can't get to the really hilly parts. We bought the two-day pass,so we could use it again today and drop off at the interesting places. But we did get off at the South Side of the Golden Gate Bridge, and then walk across.
The weather was much nicer today. When out of the wind it was positively pleasant.
Unfortunately the lightly cloudy weather and strong breeze led me to fail to realize that the sun was having an impact on my face. By the evening I'd caught the sun quite badly. And the last thing that I'd thought about bringing was sunscreen!
In the afternoon we stopped off at the Wharf and looked at some horribly tatty shops, and then ate in a nice burger restaurant (Wipe Out, recommended) on the wharf. Then it was a matter of wandering about until it was time for the evening trip to Alcatraz.
This was well worth the trip, although perhaps not as sensational as I had been led to believe.
The trip is nearly three hours from start to finish, so by the end we were shattered after a long day. Barb has been heroic as she has been battling a virus all the time that she has been here (one on a par with mine in Vegas, TBH), so getting through the day must have been really tough, because I was feeling it myself, and I was healthy!
Today, breakfast with Mr Berlin, who is over here for a holiday as well. Then back onto the hop-on-hop-off, probably going to Haight Ashbury and then Union St.
At the end of the Powell-Hyde cable car
One of the many fantastic machines in the Musée Mechanique near Pier 45, all of which machines are in working order. A true paradise for lovers of amusement arcades.
Looking up Russian Hill from the Hyde Pier
One of the many old boats on the Hyde St pier
Looking up to Lombard.
At the top of the Embarcardero by the Aquatic Park
Barb in the same spot
"The Stinking Rose" on North Beach.
Barb on the cable car.
A nice shot of City Hall
On the bus at a place that defines itself. We should be returning there today for longer
In Golden Gate Park
On the hop-on, hop-off bus, heading towards the Golden Gate Bridge
View From A Bridge
One of the main pillars of Golden Gate Bridge, still coloured "international orange" (i.e., primer)
Looking fown from the bridge to the south side and the National Heritage beach. The odd thing here is that the building by the beach has a sunken centre that goes tens of yards below sea level.
Just to prove I was there.
Standard tourist shot, I know.
the warden's house on Alcatraz, possibly for sale with estate agent's comment "suit diy enthusiast".
a visitation window
inside a cell
a cell block
a cell
view of Alcatraz from the ferry.
At Alcatraz as the sun went down.
+++++++++++
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no subject
Date: 2012-03-20 03:55 pm (UTC)I always thought the Cable Cars were a tourist trap. The last time I was there (2009),in the interests of warding off the effects of another Denny's breakfast and an over-large slice of pie for lunch I walked from one end of the Powell and Hyde route to the other, whilst my brother and grey-haired old mother waited in the queue and caught the tram. I won by about 10 minutes, even allowing for the hills. The truth is that they look more photogenic from the point of view of the pedestrian rather than the person sat on the tram.
I love the place and the residents but after 3-4 days I'd want out and to head South towards Santa Cruz and beyond.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-20 05:00 pm (UTC)Never heard of the Musee Mechanique (hmm, need to find out how to do e-acutes in this OS) but it does sound spectacular. We hired a GoCar for a self-driving tour with commentary based on your GPS position and loved it, more for the gimmick than anything else, but if you've done a hop-on, hop-off tour then it's probably a little redundant. We considered, and just rejected, doing a Segway tour instead. I think you're far too sensible to fall for novelties like that, but if you've ever liked the concept of trying out a Segway then it would be a good opportunity.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 09:37 pm (UTC)For a great view of the city, go to the bar at the Top of the Mark.
If you're up for a serious walk, take the ferry to Sausalito and then walk back over the Golden Gate Bridge. I've done that twice now and I highly recommend it if you don't suffer from vertigo.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-21 11:14 pm (UTC)We've done the Golden gate Bridge Walk. Yes, a bit vertigo-inducing in places. Still bundles of things that I could get to see, and only two spare days left. May do some random bus-catching now.
PJ
no subject
Date: 2012-03-20 05:17 pm (UTC)