I Left My Heart

... in San Francisco

18.06.2009 - 19.06.2009 74 °F
View USA 2009 on Johnash's travel map.

Bag End, a very wet 29/11/2010. Just be browsing back through the blogs and found this one was never published. or was it? D'you remember seeing this before? Hope all well. Planning another trip for 2012. Watch this space. The one between John's ears!

Room 309, Laurel Inn, San Francisco

Bob's just been re-organising our bags for our return trip which starts tomorrow. We don't fly until 4.50pm but he likes to get it done in good time.

We can then have an early drive, which we have done each morning, trying to emulate Bullitt up and down the steepest streets we can find. Heart stopping. I said to Bob this morning, I'm getting too old for this. But didn't mean it.

We found Bullitt's house, the market where he shopped, still there, and Chalmer's (the politician) mansion. Then drove, at reasonable speed, some of the route taken during the chase.

We've gone up and down on cable cars, trams and trolley buses. We've taken the ferry to Sausalito and back and generally bummed around. The only criticism I have is that locals are impatient drivers. God help you if you hesitate on one of the hundreds of 4-way crossings.

All the guide books tell you not to drive in San Francisco, it's too busy. Rubbish. It's a great city for driving in. Provided you have somewhere to park, else it's a nightmare.

Let the pictures speak for themselves (or almost).

This is Baker Beach. Very accessible with great views of the Golden Gate Bridge when clear. And, amazingly, on a warm day, it's even a Naturist beach (NB do not click on that if you are easily shocked!).

Alcatraz. We're going there tonight so, if you hear no more, you'll know they kept us in!

From ferry to Sausalito.

View from our room. The photo does not do it justice.

It doesn't look like it on here, but we're driving near vertical slopes here. At the top, you get a STOP sign and you are supposed to give way as necessary. Problem is, all you can see is your bonnet in front of you!

That's it. Holiday over. Almost. So no more, possibly, I'm afraid, until we are home, safe and sound. We're off to jail now. Thank you for sticking with us.

Oh, we have a kitchenette with the room here, so we have bought TV dinners and they are in the icebox ready for our possible return from Alcatraz.

Added on 31/12/09 as a test

You thought Golden Gate Bridge straddled the entrance to The Bay? Nope. It's in a field near Oakland!