San Francisco baby!!!!
No wait, first we had to get up at 5.00am and make a 6 hour drive from Mammoth Lakes before we arrived in San Francisco. I know I said Yosemite was one of the most incredible places I've been to/driven through, but the drive through Stanislaus National Forest was equally as good, if not more astounding.
The Scenic Highway 108 Senora Pass route which stretches for miles on end and begins at an elevation of around 3,000ft and rises to 9,628ft above sea level was absolutely mind blowing!
The narrow winding inclines to reach the summit of this pass were ridiculously steep which is the reason why it closes in winter. It was like chugging our way to the top of a massive rollercoaster before an adrenaline fuelled drop. And what a "drop" it was!!!!! The sharp declines were just insane, completely riddled with endless curves carved into the mountain side with sheer-faced drops. The views over the vast valleys and canyons while driving through unusual rock formations on the mountain edge were nothing short of staggering. In fact it looked fake, as if we were driving through a movie scene like something out of Jurassic Park. So many "F-Me!" moments. WOW!!
Anyway, it was around noon on Sunday when we arrived in San Francisco just in the nick of time to drop off our hire car, before jumping in an Uber to take us to our hotel.
We ventured out to get our first taste of the city and take on the notoriously steep streets.. which are stupidly steep! Buying tickets to visit Alcatraz was our priority so we headed down to Fisherman's Wharf to try and bag ourselves some tickets. Being seriously unprepared we were told that the island was fully booked until the end of August.. our only option was to buy an overpriced combo ticket which included sightseeing tours on an open-top bus. Purchased.
We wandered the streets before grabbing a few scoops in a real ale boozer.. lively! I'd been craving good Indian food for some time since it was rarely on offer in South America, so I found the best one in town. It was superb! Phil being the first person ever to order rice with a Biryani was hilarious.. whoops! Haha!
The walk back over the steepest of steep hills after a big curry to the centre of town where our hotel was located wasn't the greatest of ideas though. The early start, long drive, and big curry had wiped us out so a good kip was necessary.
The next morning we jumped on the sightseeing bus at Union Square to take us down to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. A Mexican stand-off occurred when officials of the company told us all to get off at a particular stop and queue up again which was ridiculous having only just boarded. We stood our ground and didn't budge for at least half an hour. People power won in the end.. stupid tour company and their dumbass employees!
A clear view of the Golden Gate Bridge is supposedly always a lottery, even on a bright sunny day due to fog rolling in off the Pacific Ocean. It was a hot bright day, and we were in luck.. perfectly clear! The bridge looks impressive on those picture perfect postcards, but even more so in the flesh.
Phil and I decided to stroll the length of the Golden Gate.. 1 and a half miles each way. It was fantastic, as were the views across the water to Alcatraz, the Oakland Bridge and back toward the city. Not so fantastic was the notorious San Fran wind blasting in off the Pacific.. it was bonkers, and frikkin cold!
While walking back over the bridge a second time, in-between fighting the powerful gusts, we were gifted an unexpected surprise that would top off the whole Golden Gate experience. A large school of huge whales were swimming under the magnificent bridge, perhaps migrating to waters north.. extraordinary to see!
The massive queue for the return sightseeing bus meant we decided to walk our way back to Fisherman's Wharf along the coastal path - a lovely walk through Crissy Fields, passing docked yachts, stunning seaside properties, and a tiny beach. Looking back toward the Golden Gate offered great views too.. it appeared we had timed our visit perfectly as fog began to roll in.
After a quick lunch and a pint we were back on the sightseeing bus in the opposite direction to take us back to Union Square via numerous hotspots in the city, namely Haight-Ashbury - known for being the birthplace of the American hippie counter-culture in the 60's, as well as once being the LSD capital of the world.
It was also a hugely popular district among musicians, such as Jimi Hendrix and Jefferson Airplane.. both of which lived here once upon a time. Spotting Hendrix's old flat was pretty cool since I grew up listening to my dad play his records.
Years later, affluent yuppies began to buy up all the colourful Victorian homes and replace the areas head shops with high-end boutiques, chic restaurants and hip cafes. Cool place.
Later that evening, after a Thai tea, we attended our first of two baseball games while in San Fran to watch the Giants take on Pittsburg Pirates. In recent years the Giants have won 3 World Series but they pretty much suck this season. They got stuffed 3-10 but we still had a great time at the impressive AT&T Stadium down by the water near Mission Bay.
Tuesday saw us take the sight-seeing bus again, this time around different parts of the city before hopping off at the vibrant Pier 39, where we had a mooch around and grabbed some lunch at the famous Boudin Bakery & Cafe. Here, people stand on the sidewalk in front of massive window panes watching the bakers of Boudin make an impressive array of bread. Phil and I headed inside to see what all the fuss was about and check out their legendary sourdough which they make a bread bowl from by carving out the centre of the loaf and pack it with various fillings. We opted for the chilli beef.. delicious!
We were back at the impressive Union Square later that afternoon to do a spot of shopping. High-fashion brands such as Gucci, Bvlgari, and Tiffany & Co are lined around the pretty square, where large love hearts sit on each corner decorated by local artists, which are later auctioned to raise critical money for the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. The choice of hearts is inspired by the Tony Bennett song "I Left My Heart In San Francisco".
We stuck to our pre-match routine by eating at the same Thai restaurant before we made our way to the AT&T Stadium for game two of our baseball fixtures. We had great seats close to the action this time around and there was much more of a buzz as the Giants got their revenge by crushing the Pirates 11-3.
I was looking forward to Wednesday.. it was our chance to visit Alcatraz Island where the famous maximum high-security federal prison was situated.. BUT unfortunately we had the opportunity taken away from us due to the dumbass company, who also run the sightseeing tour, misinformed us in regards to collecting our tickets.
When we arrived to collect them from their office, they had already given them away and there was none left for us. We were absolutely gutted and furiously argued over their incompetence, but unfortunately to no avail. With the help of another agency we managed to get a full refund but the damage had already been done. I guess it now gives me the perfect excuse to return one day in the future.
Pretty bummed out, we wandered around Pier 39 to check out the dopey and ever-present sea lions which have claimed the K-Dock section of the marina as their home. They don't particularly do much other than eat, fart, and bark.
We finished off our final evening with a calorific meal at the Cheesecake Factory above the 7-storey Macy's at Union Square.
The debacle with our Alcatraz tickets may not have been the ending we were hoping for but we had a great time in San Francisco. Yes the city has a few blemishes, as all cities do.. mainly the unfortunate homeless, and quite a few messed up druggies. However, it is super unique, it's unusual geographical orientation combined with a classy mix of history and the modern 21st Century makes this a phenomenal city.
Sadly, it was also our last day together on our American tour for Phil and I. He will be flying back to Manchester tomorrow morning via Las Vegas, and I will be flying to Los Angeles to continue with my travels.
I've had an absolute blast with Phil over the past 12 days ever since we met up in Vegas, and we've banked some unbelievable memories. Always a pleasure!
San Francisco.. you've been class! As have you Roots! "You got it" xx