We headed down to San Francisco last week, and rented a house for our stay. It was a whirlwind trip, like most of the adventures we embark on. We saw the typical tourist attractions such as Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Napa Valley, and Fisherman's Wharf. We also saw things that most people would likely not encounter on a 5 day trip to SF, including the ghetto, a deserted surfing beach in the middle of an old, deserted army barracks, and frequented a hole in the wall breakfast establishment; Eddie's Cafe.
The city itself was everything I imagined it would be with its huge hills and intricate, colourful houses. It had a small town type feel, and the people were friendly wherever we went. The boutiques had clothing, purses, and shoes you would likely not find anywhere else! And the quality of the items was delicious almost.
This was our corner breakfast stop... The owners were delightful and got excited when the "Canadians" arrived. It had a similar feel to Nelly's in Calgary, but seemed cleaner and the food was warm. On our last day, they gave us all Canadian cups that they had collected.
Alcatraz was surreal. That is the only word I can think of to describe it.
Not sure if we stumbled on this, or if it was planned? But we went to Muir Woods... an enchanting redwood forest that reminded me of FernGully. This particular photo had the perfect natural sunlight coming through the canopy, and the short stump in the middle, if you can see it - was the original tree, with the 5 surrounding trees growing out of its roots when it burned down.
Despite my protesting, we drove down Lombard street in a full size suburban. The street is directly below the car window at the bottom of the frame and is one of the famous streets in SF because of it's narrow, steep nature and 180 degree turns.
Napa Valley was some of the warmest sunshine, and a welcomed re-charge of vitaminD. We went to a castle that finished being built 5 years ago by an Italian guy who decided to create a working winery as a hobby... so why wouldn't he make it a castle.
SF at night. The city comes alive. That is Lombard street again, although you can't actually see the road, as it is hidden in the steep hill at the bottom of the photo. The cable car ride was a great experience, and on my 'bucket list' for SF.
The "beach". While it was freezing cold, and we were bundled from head to heel, this was one of my favourite parts of the trip. It was dusk, the fog was settled, and there was no one in sight. We did walk further down and find some surfers in the freezing waters enjoying the crashing waves. Footprints in the sand my friends....
I have almost a thousand photos from the 5 days, but these highlighted the trip for me. We won't be going back to SF, but the memories will be cherished and the city remembered for all that it is. ♥
