California 2017 - Day 3 - San Francisco, Alcatraz

Monday

Route

Our last day in San Francisco, the flags are at half mast today in memory of 9/11.


The day started with a walk through the Dragon Gate into Chinatown where there were some great wall murals and some rather unappetising delicacies!


We caught the cable car to Market Street and found out that the cables are changed every 90 days!


One Market Street is the home of Autodesk and there is also a public gallery with high tech exhibits, we had a quick browse around but it felt rather too much like work, Steve Hobbs was even in residence although we didn't see anyone we knew!


We had a wander around the Port of San Francisco area and picked up a picnic from the food court. After a brief stop at Pier 9 and photo opportunity at another Autodesk workshop we made our way towards Pier 33 where we were to catch the ferry to Alcatraz.


Time for our picnic before departure on the 1.00 pm sailing which was a nice smooth crossing today.
We spent a most interesting couple of hours on The Rock but wouldn't like to miss the boat, the accommodation is rather grim, the flies most irritating and the bird poo smells horrendous.


The weather has been unusually warm again today in this often foggy city. On our return we walked along to Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf before catching the F line tram to Powell St. Col has been looking for a SF Giants Cap but despite our best efforts looking at the sports shops in the Westfield Centre and the flagship Nike store on Union Square we couldn't find the right one.

Thunder and lightening as I write this blog but no rain yet, we may be eating in the hotel restaurant tonight.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

France 2025 - Day 8 - Normandy Landings

Image
Wednesday Today was a day of reflection on the horrors of occupied Europe and the bravery and sacrifice of the Allied Forces that landed on the Normandy beaches on 06/06/1944. 81 years have passed but these men are celebrated here in almost every street. There are many flags and memorials lovingly tended even one in our hotel grounds.  Our first stop was at The American Cemetery which has occupied it's current site since 1956 ( before this time the men were buried in temporary cemeteries close to where they fell). When the permanent site was being built the families of the fallen were given the choice of burial here in France or repariation to USA. There are almost 10,000 graves here and a memorial wall to those who are missing in action. The site is beautiful and mostly serene apart from the many visitors paying their respects. I have to say I shed a tear listening to the story of one man who was wounded by shrapnel on Omaha Beach aged 19, he was evacuated to England and required ...
Read more

France 2025 - Day 3 - Poulmenac'h

Image
Friday At breakfast today we were introduced to a Phillipino waitress that spoke perfect English.  She was an English teacher at home and then moved to Shrewsbury. She said she missed England but her life was here now and gave us a few local tips.  Pleumonac'h was one tip that was also on our list with a coastal path along the Pink Granite Coast to rival the SW Coast Path in England. This didn't disappoint and the forecast rain held off all day. In 2015 Poulmenac'h was voted the best village in Frnce! On our way back to the hotel we called at a beach frequented by locals and home to Oyster beds Vast expanses of sand and we were the only people there. This area is so quiet.  Much better weather today than forecast until a torrential downpour as we are about to go for dinner. We may need a brolly!
Read more

France 2025 - Day 2 - Trebeurden

Image
Thursday We woke to a foggy view from our cabin window this morning. After croissant and coffee breakfast we were called to the car deck, more very expensive cars on their way to LeMans to see. We had a two hour drive to our 1st stopover in Trebeuden. A quiet town with a deserted white sandy beach and sailing boats bobbing around in the harbour.  Our room at  Hotel Ti AL Lannac has a prime spot overlooking the bay. This area is The Cote de Granit Rose as it is dominated by the pink rocks.  After a lovely lunch we walked across the beach and scrambled over the said rocks to a small tidal island, fretting as usual that we would get cut off. There seems to be a big tidal range here.
Read more