We started with breakfast at Darren’s where we receive prompt service. Martha had the Eggs Benedict with Crab Meat and Byron stuck with the basic version. The reviews of this small restaurant were spot on.
After breakfast, we made the short walk to the location for boarding our double-decker bus. Though the tour was a "hop on, hop off" variety, we elected to stay aboard for the two-hour trip.
Taking a Big Bus tour of San Francisco is a good way to see
a few of the highlights of The City by the Bay. Neither of us
got a good photo of a bus so this photo grabbed from
the Internet is being submitted for your approval.
On the bus, earphone adjusted, and ready to go on a cool day.
As we learned, layered clothing and sun glasses are required.
The bus makes about a dozen stops throughout the tour. Highlights are as follows.
- Big Bus Visitors’ Center (across from the Wharf sign)
- North Beach and Chinatown
- Embarcadero Center
- Ferry Building
- Financial District via Market Street
- Union Square
- Civic Center and Performance Venues
- Haight-Ashbury District
- Golden Gate Park
- Golden Gate Bridge and Vista Point (turn around)
- Palace of Fine Arts and Presidio
- Marina District and Cow Hollow
- Lombard Street (at Van Ness)
- Pier 35 and the Cruise Terminal
- Pier 39
The San Francisco Courthouse and City Hall is ornately
decorated by gold. Who would have thought?
Amazingly, it was not foggy when we rode across the Golden Gate Bridge.
It was a bit breezy and cool on that upper deck with the wind in our faces.
The Vista Point at the north end of Golden Gate Bridge
offers a good view of the bay and the city skyline.
Note, this is not taken with a panorama setting
or wide angle lens. It is what it is and cropped
for 16 x 9 display.
Always easy to spot, the TransAmerica tower was the
tallest structure in San Francisco for many years.
It is still majestic and worthy of architectural acclaim.
The coppery-green color and shape of the Sentinel
Building still attracts attention today. Work on the
building was done before the earthquake of 1906.
After repairs were made, the flat-iron building
was completed and opened to business. Some aspects
of the exterior have received updating but one
corner has only received careful maintenance.
The SalesForce Tower is now San Francisco’s tallest structure.
The modern shape is a bit less striking in architectural appeal.
Note, not our photo (which explains the clear sky).
Sitting in the middle of the downtown area is Union Square with
a monument not many notice. The public space got its name
from the fact that people, loyal to the Union, regularly held
demonstrations prior to and during the Civil War. The monument
in the center of the Square is Dewey Monument. It is the earliest display of
public art in San Francisco. It commemorates the Spanish-American War of 1898.
The things you see, especially in Haight-Ashbury, can make
one wonder and laugh at the same time.
No review of San Francisco would be complete without a
photo of Coit Tower which sits atop Telegraph Hill.
It stands as a tribute to the firefighters of San Francisco.
Boudin Bakery is a busy place. And the smell of bread baking
provides a pleasurable experience. We each had a sandwich
and we both enjoyed the Tomato Lentil Soup.
As Byron told Martha, touring Alcatraz is an essential part of the San Francisco experience. It isn’t something that you come away being happy about seeing. You come away with a more profound understanding.
Waiting in line for the trip to Alcatraz Island is a little like
waiting in line for a ride at Walt Disney World. The pricing,
however, is quite different.
We’re here under our own power for a visit to see the historic place.
Byron tried out a cell for size.
There is a flower garden on Alcatraz. It was brought back
to life a few years ago. Originally, it had been greatly cared for
by an inmate who originally knew nothing about plants
but quickly learned in order to survive life while imprisoned.
The true story was made into a children’s book the pages
of which are featured throughout the garden.
You can read about it here --
After our return from Alcatraz, we walked to Ghirardelli Square to eat up some time; no chocolate. This took us past the old cannery buildings and the maritime museum. We did get some ice cream, however.
There are several building that surround Ghirardelli Square
and an interesting fountain.
The large sign can be seen from across the bay. Of course,
it is easier to see at night if it is clear.
We returned to the Big Bus center in time to catch the night tour of San Francisco. The night tour makes no stops. Though advertised as a 60-minute tour, our driver entertained us for 90 minutes. Included were the following highlights of the tour.
- Embarcadero (night lights)
- Fisherman's Wharf
- Chinatown (from a different vantage point)
- Financial District (TransAmerica and Sales Force Towers)
- Bay Bridge for Photos at Treasure Island
- Mark Hopkins Hotel and Grace Cathedral
- Ride from the Top of Knob Hill to the Bottom
Chinatown in San Francisco has the largest population of ethnic
Chinese in the country. This street is but one of several
that looks into the neighborhood. The church to the
right is St. Patrick Church. Byron went to a service
there on one of his trips to San Francisco.
Grace Cathedral is the home of the Episcopal diocese in the
San Francisco area. It also sits on Nob Hill along with
several other historic buildings. Though it has a similar
look to Paris’ Notre Dame, there are differences that
a discerning eye will notice.
The sky was still overcast when we rode the Big Bus over
to Treasure Island via the Oakland Bay Bridge. By the way,
the trip on the bridge was even more exciting (wind, rain,
and cooler temperature) than the one over the Golden Gate
Bridge earlier in the day. By the way, Treasure Island
is a man-made island created for a world's fair.
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