We had a really great trip to San Francisco last week- here are some pictures!
Our apartment:
When we first arrived on Friday, we went on a car tour of the city in an old open-air Packard tour car:
This is our driver, "The Captain" showing us some sights:
This is a picture of Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. The tower is a monument to SF firefighters, who have been a busy bunch of guys over the years. We learned that years ago ships would come to harbor loaded with cargo, then they would dig out chunks of this hill to load into the empty ships for ballast on their return voyages:
Cablecar!
This is a bar named "Maggie McGarry's" that we snapped to show Zanny, Jack and Mitchell:
The famous Lombard Street, the short and winding road:
We stopped in Chinatown to see a fortune cookie factory:
The workers are putting fortunes into the folded-up pastries here:
This actually happened!
Sam and I in the back of the tour car:
Hanging out at the park in Pacific Heights:
One of the more colorful "Painted Ladies":
In front of the Golden Gate Bridge:
At the base of the bridge:
************* ************** *************** *************** ***************
On Saturday, we took a tour of Alcatraz Island:
This is the ship we took across the bay to the Island:
We took an audio tour of the cellblock that was really well-produced:
The city is only a mile or so away, and on some nights when the wind was blowing the right direction, they could hear the voices of people laughing and having fun:
5 ft X 9ft:
Some of the wildlife outside the cellblock, which is a protected area for sea birds.
The snowy egret:
Gulls on the rocky coastline:
Sam out in the exercise yard:
Tessa and Sam on the boat back to the mainland:
You can see Alcatraz way off in the distance:
Pier 39, where sea lions rule:
Sam trying on stylish Tiger hats:
************ ************** *************** ************* **************
On Sunday we went to Golden Gate Park, which has a cool new science center/aquarium/rainforest menagerie:
T-Rex!
Poison dart treefrogs:
Big a$$ spider:
Tessa with Rango:
They thought it was cool to watch an egg hatch on Easter Sunday:
Across the park there is a beautiful Japanese Tea Garden:
The park was designed by William Hammond Hall, who wanted the park to be wild and hated statues. Every time someone would donate one, he insisted upon planting trees around them so they would be barely visible:
Tessa Jean chilling in front of the Botanical Center:
We finished the day with ice cream at the epicenter of the 1960's peace and love movement:
************** *************** ************** ************** *************
We had to come home on Monday because school was back in session the next morning, but we had some time to shop at Union Square:
WHOA! What does this mean?!?!?:
We took another walk through Chinatown on our way to have lunch in North Beach. It's like walking from China right into Italy:
This is for our friends Kirt and Rose: the bookstore where beloved beat poet Alllen Ginsberg first read his poem "Howl":
A really great trip! The kids are great to travel with, and I can't wait until our next adventure.
Love the great pics. Did Tessa meet anyone because of her Iowa jacket?
Posted by: Jim (Grampa) Smith | May 03, 2011 at 02:35 PM
I loved San Francisco when I briefly got to visit many years ago. It looks like you all left your hearts there, too. Great pics! Thanks for sharing. Love, Kelly
Posted by: Kelly Hostetter Thomas | May 03, 2011 at 07:21 PM
Grampa-
Believe it or not, I bought that Iowa jacket at the Memorial Union bookstore 28 years ago! It delights me to see her wear it (so don't tell her!)
Rob
Posted by: Rob | May 04, 2011 at 12:29 AM
Awesome pictures from an awesome city. Keep Boston and Montreal in mind for next adventure, my other two favorite cities. Lots of history and culture, just like San Fran. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: G-man | May 04, 2011 at 10:06 AM