Very belated Final holiday snaps - San Francisco

Well folks, this is the last lot of holiday snaps that I am going to bore you with. I warn you it is going to be a long trip through the delights (?) of San Francisco.


To get from my hotel to the city centre required the use of street transport. In the case of Market Street, this is Muni route F. Route F was built in the late 1990s to re-introduce streetcars into San Francisco. It runs from The Castro, the length of Market Street to the Ferry Terminal, then along The Embarcadero to Fishermans Wharf. On it are lots of heritage cars, some local, some from other US cities, and some, like this one from overseas. Apparently there is even a Melbourne W-class, though I never saw it.

What else does one do when one gets to the City centre? The trick if you want to ride one of these is to get to the terminus early in the morning. Otherwise there can be long queues.

There is something just very American about this shot. Macy's
, the cross-street sign without the word "street", everything. This is downtown SF.

Yes, it really does look like this. And you can get there on a Muni no 28 bus.
This is the modern replacement for the old street cars. Muni Metro runs from the suburbs then underground below Market Street. They resurface at the Embarcadero, near where this shot was taken.
Port of San Francisco building as seen from the Sausalito Ferry.

Gardens on the waterfront at Sausalito.
Return trip was by bus. Not as attractive but cheaper.
. . .

Back in SF, I took this shot of Market Street. Not the best pic, but it gives a bit of a feel for the area. Taken from Civic Centre. The Ferry Terminal is about a mile (?) behind me and away in the distance can just be made out "Twin Peaks".



This time at the other end of Market Street. The Castro, obviously. Actually, I think Market Street itself is the cross street at the bottom of the hill. Note the trolley bus wires overhead.



Alamo Square, and some attractive "Painted Ladies"



OK, I couldn't resist another one. This shot is in the Russian Hill area, where I stopped in a rather decent cafe and had a coffee (what else?)

Afterwards I walked up the streets and stopped at the Cable Car Museum (not going to inflict those pictures on you). However, the shot below does give you some indication of just how steep the streets are, which is the reason the cable cars survived (1950s diesel buses couldn't make it up these streets)


One mode of transport that can make it around the city is the trolley bus. A large fleet serves an extensive route of city and cross-suburban routes.


"The Palace of Fine Arts". Greco-roman ruins in the suburbs of San Francisco. A WTF-worthy moment.



Fort Mason, just along from Fishermans Wharf is now the National Park headquarters and various other things, including an arts centre. The building below, the old US army chapel looks old, but is actually a 1940s "mission revival" building.


Everyone needs a picture of Fishermans Wharf...



...and a shot of the famous chocolate factory (which now contains cafes and shops). I stocked up on gifts here (didn't think much of the chocolate myself)



and said goodbye to San Fransisco.