Sittin' on the dock of the Bay

I got to sleep in this morning, yah! The digs in San Fran are great except for all the city noise I can hear through the window. I had to keep the window open thanks to no air conditioning so I heard every ambulance and every cop car.

I got up and headed to the local Post Office to send some clothing I had bought back home to lighten up my luggage. It didn’t cost too much and should keep me safe from overweight fees for another two weeks before I may do it again. Where I am staying, Union Square, is the centre of everything, it’s fabulous. On the way back to my hotel I checked out the shops, more window shopping as I didn’t want to buy more as soon as I’d just unloaded some of my existing luggage. It was another really hot day. I hear later on that it’s a heat wave for San Fran and very out of the ordinary. At least until the famous fog rolls in.

I went to the closest cable car pick up. The cable cars basically stop whenever you tell you attendant, but they do have main stops they always stop at. My stop was Mason St and Powell St, basically Union Square. Cable cars start to pass me totally full; at this point I can’t believe I may not get onto one. I find out from another disgruntled person that today all the transport is free, this includes the cable cars. The cable cars are $5 per ride so I’m not surprised it’s very busy whilst it’s free. From observing the crowds on the cable cars, my guess is that most of the people that catch them are tourists. The biggest giveaway is the fact they are all taking photos of themselves on the cable cars. I think locals just take the bus. I will say, San Fran locals really sell their cable car heritage and it’s kinda nice. So many places, shops, etc are all about the cable cars.

I eventually got onto the cable car headed to Lombard Street. Lombard Street is the home to the 'crookiest street' in San Fran because of it’s inclination they made it winding to slow cars down, as evident in the picture below. It’s very well manicured and I wouldn’t be surprised if the houses along the street go for millions, as they are stunning. The Victorian architecture always reminds me of San Fran and relates back to many film scenes.

I took some pics of the street, then headed down the hill. I am struggling with the area and getting my head around north, south, east, and west, and what direction is what. Hopefully I’ll get the hang of it soon! I got to the closest cable car pick up in the vain hope to get onto the Fisherman’s Pier cable car line. I scored. I managed to get to Fisherman’s Wharf in 5 minutes; it’s the end of the line for the cable cars.

I got off at Pier 41 and had a quick look around. It became quite clear that for my lunch I would have to have seafood and it would probably have to be Clam Chowder as that’s what’s on all the restaurant boards along the street. I headed past the famous Boudin’s Bakery, past the hugest seagulls known the man, and sat down for some fish and chips with an entrée of Clam Chowder. I didn’t know what to expect, but when it hit my table it was basically seafood flavoured soup. It is a weird choice for such a hot day, but hey. So the Clam Chowder turned out to be not that bad after all. I can see why a seafood lover would like it. As I’m not a huge seafood fan I was so so about it. Would I eat it again? Probably. After lunch I traveled into Pier 41 where a permanent ‘museum’ exists that’s dedicated to all arcade games, dating back to the 1920’s til about the 1980’s. It was really fascinating; particularly as they all still work. I put my quarter in to a machine called the Grandmother’s Prophecies. It’s much like what was in the movie Big. My fortune? It told me i was a strong believer in fate, we’ll see! It also said I had a neat and tidy nature which is very true normally, but seeing my hotel room at the moment, one might disagree.

I continued to head along the piers until I got to the famous Pier 39. Surprise, surprise, it was full of shops. Mainly touristy shops and over priced restaurants. The pier had a fantastic view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and Alcatraz Island. The shops are filled with Alcatraz themed goodies. Towards the end of the pier there are dozens and dozens of Sea Lions soaking up the sun on barges for all to see. From huge ones to baby ones they play and rest on the barges and make these howling noises constantly. It was kinda cool to see. When I first saw Alcatraz, I have to say my thoughts were, ‘man, I could totally swim that’. I think it’s further than it appears, but I’d love to try it! Sacha, you game? ;) I’m told it’s about 2 miles out, which isn’t nothing I guess.

I decide to head back to the hotel as I had a cracker of a headache that would only go if I slept it off. I’m asleep till 9pm and get up to go grab some Subway for dinner after quickly sussing out the hotel’s grand opening party which wasn’t exactly going off.

What I learnt in San Francisco today:

• I think only tourists catch the Cable Cars. Given it’s $5 I can see why locals would go for the $2 bus instead.
• Clam Chowder is basically Seafood Soup.
• Housing in San Francisco is incredible expensive. 80% rent and a studio will cost you about $1,500 per month.
• Subway doesn’t have BBQ sauce! Devastated.

Lombard Street. As you can see the gardens were lovely. I wouldn't have minded one of the houses along the street either!

Heading to Fisherman's Pier to eat my Clam Chowder in a little restaurant to the left in this picture.

I just had to put this pic in as i couldn't get over how frickin' big these seagulls were. Compare them to the birds next to them.

One of the arcade games on show at Pier 41 museum as old arcade games. That didn't really do much like today's games.

The Seal Lions basking in the sun on barges at the end of Pier 39. In the background very faintly is the Golden Gate Bridge.