- San Francisco
February 13, 2007
We spent the next 5 days in San Francisco.
Well...Hannes was stuck at work, but I set out to do some serious sight seeing around town!
I started out with taking the classic cable car across the hilly downtown
The famous "bush man" who makes a living from scaring unknowing tourists down at Fisherman's wharf.
Quite funny to watch!
Next day, I drove out to Ocean beach, which is on the outside of the San Francisco bay.
A very "uninviting" beach where only the bravest of surfers will dare to challenge the waves and currents.
Notice how dark the sand is!
One footprint amongst many ...
I continued up to the northern end of the beach where you get a great view of the coastline ...
... and of the bay entrance, looking the other way. This is where the famous "Cliff house" restaurant is located.
(Sorry, can't recommend their Capuccinos...)
Continuing on further out, to a spot called "Land's end" where I finally got to see the Golden Gate bridge!
Next day was Alcatraz day!
Taking the ferry out to this famous rock in the middle of the San Francisco bay
Better not help anyone escape!!
Walking from the ferry dock up the hill to the entrance of the actual prison.
The houses in the background were once staff living quarters
The first room the prisoner-to-be entered was this one, where he was given his clothes and shoes
He was then showed to his cell, a 2x3m area, where bedsheets and a copy of the prison's rules and regulations were waiting for him.
C-block; normal prison cells
D-block; isolation cells, pitch black cells without anything in them, just four walls.
The kitchen; knife racks are painted with knife silluettes so it could immediately be seen if a knife was missing from the rack.
The items in this cell are television props, featured in the movie "Alcatraz".
(The 3 guys that escaped are still considered fugitives)
View from the courtyard outside the Administration building. The city is so close, yet so far away ...
After a few hours on "the Rock", I'm quite happy I'm able to take the ferry back to the mainland!
Saturday morning, and Hannes and I head up to "Twin peaks", two hills just south of down town
Hannes, trying to take in the city in one big bite
Photographing the photographer :-)
Twin peaks looking south, the city spreads out in all directions below these two hills
The huge mast next to the parking lot wiped out the remote car key's waves, unless you were really really close to the car!
We had lunch at famous Haight st
Then headed to Chinatown to see if we could find the Chinese New Year's parade ...
... but we had managed to get the date wrong! So, we ended up strolling around instead, doing some shopping
And finally finishing off the day, and the week, wtih a nice cup of hot chocolate!