After a great flight with Virgin Atlantic we flew into San Francisco to a brilliant day. The heat, noticeable as soon as the plane door opened.
We arrived to check in at the Parc 55, and were informed they had upgraded us to a Suite AND they were throwing in breakfast for two each morning in the ‘Club Lounge’ on the 31st floor!
We dumped the bags and had a rest before hitting the streets to take in the surroundings. Fortunately for us, we were right bang in the middle of the shopping district.................The Gap, Levis, Planet Nike, Adidas, Bloomingdales, Macy’s whatever you can imagine it was there in abundance......and if that wasn’t enough there was half a dozen floors of shops in the Westfield Mall across the road.
The cable cars and the constant hum of heaps of people added to the atmosphere of where we were located. We both commented on the number of homeless people on every street, all trying to get a buck or two out of the tourists.
Day two and we caught a Cable car to Fishermans Wharf where we had a look around and got some ideas about what we wanted to do and see. That night we went to Boudins where we had the famous clam chowder in a sour dough bowl.
We arrived to check in at the Parc 55, and were informed they had upgraded us to a Suite AND they were throwing in breakfast for two each morning in the ‘Club Lounge’ on the 31st floor!
We dumped the bags and had a rest before hitting the streets to take in the surroundings. Fortunately for us, we were right bang in the middle of the shopping district.................The Gap, Levis, Planet Nike, Adidas, Bloomingdales, Macy’s whatever you can imagine it was there in abundance......and if that wasn’t enough there was half a dozen floors of shops in the Westfield Mall across the road.
The cable cars and the constant hum of heaps of people added to the atmosphere of where we were located. We both commented on the number of homeless people on every street, all trying to get a buck or two out of the tourists.
Day two and we caught a Cable car to Fishermans Wharf where we had a look around and got some ideas about what we wanted to do and see. That night we went to Boudins where we had the famous clam chowder in a sour dough bowl.
On Friday we hired bikes, riding from San Fran across the Golden Gate Bridge to a quaint seaside town called Sausalito. The company was called Blazing Saddles. Ride over the Bridge and you’ll see how they get their name! The idea is to have a lovely lunch and then you (and your bikes) get the Ferry back to San Fran. Unfortunately as the bike shop take quite a large deposit for the bike hire our bank (National Bank NZ) decided that they would freeze our account. When we arrived I went to pay for some shopping in a store and was informed I needed to call the bank. The only number on the back of our card was a toll call, and as this would be a cost to the shop owner we headed to find a pay phone. As we didn’t have any cash on us and had a frozen bank account (as this is the whole point of having a debit card NATIONAL BANK!) we couldn’t use the pay phone so tried calling the bank collect. They refused the charges! So here we were stuck in another town, no money, no phone and no way to pay for the lunch we so deserved after biking all that way! Luckily you were given the ferry tickets as part of your bike hire so we were able to get back across to San Fran. Once we got back to the bike shop, we battled with the bank for a further 30 mins before being told we needed to ring back after the “only department who could unfreeze our accounts where not answering their phone”...... needless to say a rather angry letter will be on its way to the National Bank!
That night we went on the night tour of Alcatraz. Awesome experience and very interesting finding out about the likes of ‘Al Capone’ and ‘The Birdman’.
On Saturday Kat caught up with some cake friends and I spent the day cruising the city on foot including an extended walk through an area they call ‘the Tenderloin’. This block is one of those ‘don’t walk alone or at night areas’. I made it through alive though (albeit mentally scarred) and all part of the intrepid part of my holiday.
The San Francisco Nike Women’s marathon was on at the same time as we were there so there were people everywhere and our hotel was overrun with athletes and those who wanted to be.
Sunday night came around and our 3 week holiday was coming to an end. We arrived at the airport and once the bags were put through (2 extra suitcases I might add) we reflected on what had been a fantastic, once in a lifetime holiday.
No longer would we wake and have coffee and croissants, no more being woken by the lights on the Eiffel tower, no more shopping on Oxford St, no more Castles, no more haggis, no more English beer, no more!
We hope you have enjoyed the journey along with us!
Love the Harris’
Sausalito Bike Tour
BEST BIKE EVER! 'Electric Assist' on the hills!
A very foggy (and damp) crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Coffee Cake
Chris contemplating life at the Bridgeway Cafe Sausalito
This REALLY is the life!
Sausalito
A view from the bike track just before crossing the Golden gate Bridge
Bike track view
On top of the Golden Gate Bridge
At the end of the Golden Gate Bridge
On the Ferry leaving Sausalito
About to enter the fog on the ferry!
Alcatraz Tour
Visitation Block!
A very eerie view standing outside Alcatraz looking back across the Bay!
Luke warm coffee was served with a straw.....
Lemoncello Cake from The Cheesecake FactoryThe Seals down on Fishermans Wharf
Alligator bread
Bread Demo
Lolly Shop!!
View from breakfast each morning!
Our 'extra' luggage
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