Once again, I'm in San Francisco ... and no trip actually to Alcatraz. I am crushed.
We stayed at the Pickwick Hotel at Fifth and Mission ... just a block off Market street. We walked up to Chinatown, got to see the Lion Gate ... walked all through Chinatown and then walked out to the northeast wharf historic district (I think that's close to what it was called). From there up to Pier 41 and Fisherman's Wharf. Sadly, we missed Boudin's Sourdough, thinking we'd get back there. We also didn't get to Aquarium of the Bay, either. I think we needed another couple of days here at least. Ah well.
Then, the line for the cable car was probably about a two hour wait. So, we decided to be totally and completely insane and WALK all the way back from Fisherman's Wharf to our hotel. In total, we spent approximately 7 hours walking the first day we were here ... including some of the killer hills San Fran is so well known for. By the time we got to the hotel (only one wrong turn that meant walking five blocks in the wrong direction and then, of course, another five back the right way), we both realized that our insoles were shot to hell and we actually needed not just new insoles, but new shoes. Can you say, OW, the blisters? I knew you could.
Sadly, that meant waiting until stores opened Monday morning to begin the real purpose of the San Fran leg of the trip.
Armed, errr, footed with brand-new shoes and my using the transit website for San Fran, we boarded BART and headed into Beserkley, errr, Berkeley. We got on the correct bus, with no problem, then waited for the "Downtown Berkeley" stop. There is no such stop. The locals know it's the Berkeley stop ... all us rubes got off at North Berkeley and had to go back a stop. Then, sadly, the transit system's website did NOT list the correct bus to take up to the Pacific School of Religion. And, in fact, their little "show me the map to my stop" feature showed us the way to the wrong side of the street ... so the bus we boarded was going in the wrong direction.
After a rocky ride around Berkeley, we finally got off on our stop ... which turned out to be maybe 6-10 blocks past where we got off the BART! ARGH!!!! Now it was a 6 block walk uphill (both ways? well, not quite, but by this time it kinda felt like it). We got to PSR and wandered around a bit.
Since this is probably A's first pick for seminary, I was surprised when she just wanted a fast look-'round. I bullied her into talking to someone, and we're both glad I did now. We got a nice tour from a student who just finished his first year, and is interested in some of the same things as she is. So that was a very nice bonus. We got a tour of the school, which was a bit bigger than our meager poking around, and we got some of the application materials for her to apply fall 2007.
This afternoon, we head on to Dallas/Fort Worth. Finally, I get to show off the place I lived the longest in my entire life. With any luck, we won't be too tired, and we'll take a little drive down to Austin, as well. That's where my heart is ... I still think Austin is the most beautiful city in the world.
Regrets:
Missed Alcatraz
Missed the Castro
Missed Aquarium of the Bay
Missed the Golden Gate Park
Missed Pixar
Didn't ride a cable car (I'm not sure I regret that, but I think A does)
Highlights:
Chinatown
I took A to a little Tea Bar in Chinatown that I'd been by when here on business in March - she LOVED it.
Walking San Fran ... yes, we were wiped out after that and I have a hellacious sunburn on my face, but it was a wonderful walk.
The wharf district - beautiful, even if Alcatraz mocked me yet again
PSR (Pacific School of Religion)
"tour" of Berkeley
The Apple Store
A little hole-in-the-wall Mac store
The Tea Bar (I'm adding it a second time cuz it was A's absolute favourite thing)
Ghiradelli Square (particularly for A since she enjoys chocolate so much)
So, the Highlights do far outnumber the Regrets ... but ... the Alcatraz thing just depresses me beyond belief.
Posted by Red Monkey at July 11, 2006 7:50 AM |
Vacations and Photos
| 
Stumble |
Glad you had a good time, and sorry you missed Alcatraz. I live in the area, and I've never made it to Alcatraz.
Funny how so many people want to go to a place that so many people wanted to leave.
July 11, 2006 8:31 AMManic said:
Ohh no cable car? No Alcatraz? No Golden Gate Bridge? Have you actually been in San Fran? I heard you didn't even say the gay people there? Let me take you the next time, I'm good at leading people through towns, and my getting lost rate is about the half yours, I figured out.
With a lot of love from
your fav Manic
July 11, 2006 9:19 AMReflekshins said:
heh heh. we just went to San Fran about a month ago. I'm so mad - Alcatraz tix were all sold out. grrrrr. that was to be the highlight of our trip. oh well, we did like you guys did and made the best of it.
July 11, 2006 4:26 PMblueyes said:
Glad you had a great time but I still can't believe you didnt get to Alcatraz :( You needed to get a jail picture to post :)
I know, I can't believe it either. I desperately wanted about 2 gigs worth of pictures there. *sigh* ... I suppose there's always other vacations, right? Besides, if we do move out to San Fran, I may just have to start an Alcatraz photo blog!!July 12, 2006 10:17 AM
I visited SF two or three times on work-trips and loved it. With employment and immediate family buy-in I'd move there in a heartbeat.
July 13, 2006 10:55 AMJohn said:
Hi, im planning on a trip to San Fran around xmas time and am going to spend about a week around there, i plan to fly into San Fran and am thinking about seeing San Fran, Las Vages, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, any help on trips around that time would be awesome.
cheers John
Leave a comment
Moody Loner said: