Yesterday morning we took the Powell/Hyde Street cable car to Fisherman's Wharf. This picture was taken from our hotel room window. Just over the hill is the SF Bay.
In the afternoon, we took the 49 mile scenic route around San Francisco and the outlying areas. We didn't go the full 49 but we did go to see what we wanted to. Here's what we found:
The first of our stops was up on Russian Hill - Lombard Street - The Crookedest Street in the World.
From the Crooked Street there was a clear view right through into The Bay and Alcatraz.
The second of our stops was in the area of Sea Cliff. It's a prestigious area up toward Land's End /Lincoln Park where we saw a few Bentley's parked outside of many ultra exclusive homes. Given the views, we can see why. We're humble people, we kept on driving.
Then we drove along the Great Highway (along the West Coast - Golden Gate National Rec area) and came to Cliff House and Ocean Beach. There was a lot of activity and much to appreciate from the cliffs above.
There seemed a dynamic peaceful happiness as we looked down from above.
Then we drove through the gargantuan Golden Gate Park......the largest urban park in the world. The land that fronts San Francisco Bay is just a small part of a collection of mational parks known as the National Parks at the Golden Gate. Offering spectacular panoramic views, with the City skyline visible from nearly every point, the parks encompass historic landmarks, sandy beaches, tidepools, coastal bluffs, and lighthouses.
We then then drove around Lake Merced and up to the Twin Peaks. The Twin Peaks affords one the ONLY luxury of getting a complete 360 view of all of San Francisco and outlying districts. It was INCREDIBLE!!!
Notice Acatraz in the distance in the shot below. You may have to click on it to see it at a larger scale.
The big main street that runs the cable cars is Market Street. This really gives one an idea of how this city is sitting on a penninsula. Things are VERY densely populated (I only wish a camera could capture a 360 image that we can see with the human eye.........it was insane....the density).
Half a 3 storey townhouse (old England style)- 2 bed/2 bath would probably run you $3000 + rent. To buy it? An easy mill - chump change! That's for one half of the townhouse. Shared 'single' garage underneath. But what you get for this.....the ability to live in one of the greatest cities in the world....hands down. To each their own I suppose.
Zekie kept saying, "Take a bus ride, take a bus ride."
So the next morning we took the cable car down to Pier 39 to catch a San Francisco Bay Cruise. When we were on the "bus" we said to Zeke, "Look we're taking a bus ride." Zeke proceeded to tell us, "Dis not bus. Dis train." It was quite cute. We knew we were hooked, somewhere in our trip, we had to take a bus ride.
For a few days after Zeke didn't bring up the bus ride and we just got so busy with other activites that we all kind of forgot about the 'take a bus ride thing' (by the way, Zeke carries a little yellow school bus everywhere....it's his absolute favorite!)
It was however ironic that the shuttle from the car rental to LAX was as big as a city bus. Zeke smiled, sat back and said, "Zekie take a bus ride." WOW! It could have been catastrophic if we didn't get that bus ride in. Everything by design.
Yes......we are levitating...........well, at least Zeke is!
"San Francisco itself is art, above all literary art. Every block is a short story, every hill a novel. San Francisco is a golden handcuff with the key thrown away."
The final product.......I told you Zeke was into orange! He had a choice of red, blue, green, purple or orange eyes and mouth.....and got to select his color to trace the hands.........Out of quite a few selections......Zeke chose ORANGE and he's pretty proud of that ORANGE PUNKIN!
