San Francisco – the city by the bay, city of lights. One of the best cities in the U.S. to visit and a wonderful place to celebrate my birthday with my family.
What better way to start the weekend than with a harbor cruise. Like Halifax, Nova Scotia, San Francisco draws us to the water, especially on a bright , Indian summer day.
I guess this guy wanted a ride, too.
The Golden Gate Bridge, up close and personal, as striking as ever.
Our hotel was close to the Embarcadero, that marvelous walking, running, eating, shopping and entertainment area (did I leave out anything?) stretching from Pier 1 to Pier 39.
From our window we could see the “other” bridge – by night
and day.
Pier 39 is the place for food and fun, tourist style. Hey, we were tourists, so there we went.
Alcatraz may no longer hold the bad guys, but here’s a gift shop. Stripped p.j.s anyone?
The California Sea Lions are a San Fran institution, enjoyed by young and old alike. Are these guys really 22 years old?
Who can resist a carousel?
Bigger and better at Pier 39.
Guess where this trolley came from?
Chocolate and ice cream, the two major food groups at Ghirardelli.
Or, you can head to the outdoor market held every Saturday around the Ferry Building at Pier 1 and feast on fresh everything. Which we did!
Walking, walking, walking. Looking up and catching distinctly different styles of architecture.
More looking up, this time indoors, under the skywalk bridge at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Looking down and grabbing some street markings for my “Underfoot” photography series
A trip to San Fran is not complete without a visit to Chinatown, especially on the Moon Festival weekend. Here, you can mingle with millions (that’s what it seemed like) of your newest best friends. And yes, more food!
San Fran pulled out all the stops to celebrate my birthday, even arranging for the Endeavor shuttle to fly by. I wasn’t quick enough to get a picture of it, but now I know what these folks were waiting for.
Thank you San Francisco. You were a wonderful host.
