'M' For: Mesmerizing San Francisco, I do miss you so much....

The mesmerizing views of the Golden Gate Bridge Cable car, and  few other equally interesting places in San Francisco:

       

One would need a tripod to take good photographs .

Without it,  you end up with pictures like these.

 The beautiful Hotel Argonaut: the Argonaut Hotel is perched on the edge of the Bay at the busy Fisherman's wharf, and brings a bit of luxury to this popular area. The Hotel's architecture features original red brick walls and wooden beams and it was worth capturing it in the camera, while we were there : for it is a hotel only for the rich and famous. 

The deserted view  of the city at night, giving such a eerie feeling of stillness- creepy enough to give you goosebumps.....

The Transamerica Pyramid: Transamerica Pyramid is the most remarkable building in SF's skyline. It is the tallest building in the city measuring 853 ft from the street level. Transamerica Pyramid is the most remarkable building in SF's skyline. 

San Francisco's Chinatown was first established in the mid 19th century, attracting immigrants mostly from China's Guangdong Province. Most of these individuals had jobs with the Central Pacific Railroad. They soon established their own town within the city.

Most of the shops are located around Grant Street, the central axis of Chinatown's tourist area. Here all lampposts are ornamented, very colorful and very Chinese. Tourists  and locals jostle for space on the narrow sidewalks along the many souvenir shops, eateries and herbal shops. 

   

When you are in San Francisco you can't miss out 

on the Union Square.

Union Square in SF is famous for its many upscale and speciality stores and shops. Many of SF's best hotels and restaurants are also found within a few blocks of Union Square.

Union Square is sometimes attributed only with shopping and crowds, but there is more there than what, most people are lead to think, and of course, for anyone visiting San Francisco, you should not miss it.  I bought quite a few things for a reasonable price. 

This landmark hotel is one of San Francisco's grand dames, operating continuously since 1928 in the heart of Union Square.
However, aside from shopping visitors can walk the streets and enjoy fine art galleries, sit in the plaza and enjoy the sun, go see a show at one of the many theaters or dine at some of the best restaurant in the city.
In this picture, you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, and the beautiful scenery behind me









While waiting for the cable car, you are never bored as street musicians keep entertaining you all the while. The waiting too is just 10 minutes.
San Francisco is an array of hills and valleys, and the cable car will take you up and down like a slow roller coaster ride, which you would really enjoy with views that are stunning and this is something you must never miss if you ever plan a trip to the US of America.
How many times I have seen pictures of people hanging from cable cars like this in Travel channels, well I did too when I was there!!
More on this and other interesting things about San Francisco, I will share in some future blog.











So much to do and so little time to see everything: I can only leave you with some views of San Francisco seen through my eyes.






(Pictures taken by our son)

Off To San Francisco: A Foggy City By The Bay

Today, San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination, renowned for its chilly summer fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture and its famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and Chinatown. The city is also a principal banking and finance center, and the home to more than 30 international financial institutions, helping to make San Francisco eighteenth place in the world's top producing cities, ninth in the United States, and fifteenth place in the top twenty Global Financial Centers.

San Francisco is famous for its hills. There are more than 50 hills within city limits. Some neighborhoods are named after the hill on which they are situated, including Nob Hill, Pacific Heights, and Russian Hill. San Francisco is considered the second hilliest city in the world, next to La Paz, Bolivia.
Tourism is the backbone of the San Francisco economy. Its frequent portrayal in music, film, and popular culture has made the city and its landmarks recognizable worldwide. It is the city where Tony Bennett "left his heart."
Many tourists are fooled by the claim that it is always pleasant in San Francisco, for when they come here they realize it is very cold, and immediately fall into the trap of the jacket/ sweater/ coat shops that mainly thrive on such tourist's ignorance. So it always makes sense to travel with a good jacket with a hood/ light sweater or coat.
Looking for the best hotel deals in the Internet would give you some very good hotels in the most central area from where you can just walk to many places of interest or use the public transportation for the city is small and all tourists sites are close together. Like I have said before it helps to plan your trip at least 3 months in advance so that you can really get good affordable deals especially when you are travelling by yourself and not through some conducted tours. Believe me, by planning your own trip, you not only save a lot of money, but also end up seeing a lot more, when you are on your own, and at your own pace.


 Like many other cities, San Francisco is best visited on foot for this is the only way you'll truly get to appreciate its beautiful architecture.  It is an amazing place to walk around, we walked everywhere! No two streets are the same and that is the beauty.  We never felt uncomfortable or unsafe walking around. This way you also get an idea where you can find good food to eat. The weather too was really good, we were there in September last year.

Please avoid eating in any of the seedy restaurants at the Fisherman's Wharf. Also to get the true feel of the iconic landmark the Golden Bridge, stroll the sidewalk, even if you only go out a little way, and also make it a point to see it during  the night too.

Ferry Building Marketplace is a people's marketplace serving residents and travelers alike.

Located within the historic Ferry Building at the foot of the Market Street, shops large and small celebrate food in all its forms, offering everything from artisan cheeses to the freshest of local fish.
Restaurants and cafes serve cuisine representing the quality and cultural diversity of San Francisco's best chefs.


The Ferry Building Marketplace is located along the Embarcadero at the foot of the Market Street. It is the center of a transit hub that connects all of SF's neighborhoods and the surrounding bay communities. The market place is accessible by MUNI, BART, and Ferry Boat.

Inside the cable car

Off we go to see the Golden Gate Bridge     
One of the best ways to see San Francisco is from the waters of San Francisco Bay. There are many companies offering harbor tours of varying durations and prices they and all provide marvelous views of the bay, the bridges, the island of Alcatraz and the city.  A typical harbor tour will circle the island at a slow crawl, giving you plenty of opportunity to photograph the now-inactive prison from the water.

The view is simply superb

The Golden Gate Bridge: When the Golden Gate Bridge was first built in 1937 it was the longest suspension bridge ever built in the world. It is currently the second longest suspension bridge in the United States and the ninth longest in the world. Even though it’s not the longest anymore, it’s still the most beautiful!

The bridge was built because it was necessary to create a transportation link between the North Bay and the city. At the time, the only way to get between the two areas was by ferry. Although it’s still possible to ferry between the areas today, most people find it more practical to travel across the bridge. Before the bridge was built, San Francisco’s national growth rate was smaller than average because it was just too inconvenient to get in and out of the city. The bridge succeeded in helping to grow the city. It also became a symbol that defines the city.

The Golden Gate Bridge design echoes an Art Deco Theme. Wide, vertical ribbing on the horizontal tower bracing accents the sun's light on the bridge.
Irving Morrow- an architect hired by Strauss to design a architectural treatment for the bridge- chose the 'international orange' paint color to blend with the setting while still being visible to ships.

At the completion of his mighty bridge, Joseph Strauss, penned an impressive ode which he entitled " The Mighty Task Is Done";  it epitomizes his personal travail in building the bridge.
These lines gives evidence of the dedication of the man who brought the bridge from his brain, heart as well as his drawing board:

At last the mighty task is done;
Resplendent in the western sun;
The Bridge looms mountain high

On its broad decks in rightful pride,
The world in swift parade shall ride
Throughout all time to be.

Launched midst a thousand hopes and fears,
Damned by a thousand hostile sneers.
Yet ne'er its course was stayed.
But ask of those who met the foe,
Who stood alone when faith was low,
Ask them the price they paid.
High overhead its light shall gleam,
Far, far below life's restless stream,
Unceasingly shall flow.....

As the bridge was ready to open, his hands trembling, Strauss spoke in a low voice: "This bridge needs neither praise, eulogy nor encomium. It speaks for itself. We who have labored long are grateful. What Nature rent asunder long ago, man has joined today . . . ."

When you are travelling towards the the Bridge it is too windy, and very cold but once you return back it becomes absolutely still and more pleasant. Even on a sunny day the bay can be chilly, so be sure to bring a sweater as well as sun screen and also Sun glass.

One cannot help taking pictures of the beautiful scenery. 

Passing below the Golden Gate Bridge

Foggy SF

Alcatraz : it was not conceived as a facility for rehabilitation. It was a place for total punishment and minimum privilege. And those who survived it often did so at the cost of their sanity.... and some believe their souls.

There is lot more to see like the Golden Gate Bridge during the night, the China Town, the Union Square and many more, which I would definitely share with everyone in my next blog. 

Tell me was the trip interesting enough?