Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Had a lie in as lots of walking yesterday. Most mornings we have been out by 8am. To day we were out at 12. It is very hot today well into the eighties. We decided to find the benefit store in sutter street to get a pressie for Liz. Benefit is a make up company that San Francisco is their headquarters. I expected a large store but it was small. Having then seen the entrance arch We decided to walk towards China town which is famous in San Francisco. The enterence to Chinatown is marked by an archway painted red with dragons. I have never seen so many Chinese shops. Loads selling jewellery, pearls and jade, food shops with items I probably did not want to know what they were, all sorts of roots, tea shops and grocery shops selling unusual veg. As we walked on a block away the road was blocked off and lanterns were across the street, there was a festival on celebrating the autumn full moon. Lots of traders were set up in the road as well as other municipal type of stalls. For example army recruiting, the police, social work type, youth clubs. There was a food seller selling skewered squid and tentacles....no not for me.
The specialty was moon cakes. We bought two at $3 each. You could buy a box of cakes which were put into very fancy decorated boxes. The flavours of the cakes we bought were mini pumpkin in seed paste and mini egg yolk In white lotus seed paste. Haven't ate those yet. The temperature was getting very hot and even the pavements shimmered. In the high eighties and very hot even for San Francisco. Lots of water and rest stops.
We walked through the very long street of china town and the sellers. All the Chinese people were out and it was a very vibrant atmosphere.
Opposite the large area of Chinatown was north beach. This is meant to be the Italian and boho area made famous by the 60's beat poets. Getting very thirsty we stopped at this area and found a coffee shop that martin had seen good reviews on trip adviser. This was called caffe Trieste on columbus at the beginning of the Italian and boho area. Had lovely iced coffee and Danish type pastries. Temps now at 90f. Still walking we went in yet another book shop - city lights apparently also a key location for the beat scene. Good to see but a city is still a city.......found an ice cream and chocolate place. Too hot for chocolates. Temperature now in late eighties. We headed for an area called Washington square. This is a green area by the church where Marilyn Monroe married joe biaggio a base ball player. Found a cool spot and ate ice creams. We then decided to try and walk up to. High point called Coit Tower.
Walked up the steepest hill that almost killed me. Got to Coit Tower built in the shape of a firemans hose. Seriously! Not phallic in any way.....We then had to wait over 20 minutes in the heat no air con. To get an elevator to the top. No stairs. Eventually we got to the front of the queue and wow it was worth it. 360 degree views of the city. The tower is small holding about 35 people. Took lots of photos. I gave a guide who considered my bag a health and safety issue one of my looks.
I saw a bus when I was looking down as by now my feet were finished.... We caught the bus to Washington square to try and catch a cable car. Too full so checked map and the number 8 bus got us back to Union square, felt proud we had managed the public transport.
We had an hour or so recovering In the hotel before we went out to eat at 7.30. The air was still hot outside. Martin had found this place called ENO wine bar, Which is part wine tasting and some food to go with it. We managed to get in. The decor was refined but relaxing. It was very unusual. We went with six wines tasting called a wine flight. The wines were interesting and a card told you about them and the vineyards. We picked all Californian wines, my favourite was the merlot.
Martin went to pay with his credit card which was declined. Panic as not sure why. We went straight back to the hotel and martin phoned the credit card company. Eventually they phoned back three hours later 1 in the morning our time in U.S. And it appears that the card had been attempted to be used fraudulently. In us it is not all chip and pin so not as secure. Luckily the card company had realised this and stopped two £500 transactions to maceys. A couple of test transactions had got through for 12p and £2 . These were made we think in Monterey. Difficult over a phone call costing God knows what to get the facts but nationwide security had done the correct thing. We will now be all cash. Much safer from that point of view. Never had anything happen like that before. Trying to sleep now as almost 2am. .......
- comments