Then I headed east to the Yerba Buena Gardens and took many pictures of water, greenery, birds and buildings. I was intrigued all day by the superimposition of all the forms and textures, so I took a lot of pretty random pictures!
Next I headed north through Union Square and tried to catch the Powell-Hyde cable car to Fisherman's Wharf. I stood on the corner with everyone else and watched 3 cars drive by without stopping because they were too full to let anyone on. Just up the road was Nob Hill, one of San Francisco's killer inclines. I decided I would have better luck just walking to the top of it, expecting all the lazy people down below were just taking the tram to avoid the hike. As I walked up, I saw an otherwise slender woman with killer calves, and I quickly realized why!! At the top of one block as I reached the flat road surface crossing Powell St, I let out a big sigh and stopped for a break. The man passing the other way couldn't help but laugh out loud at me. Once I got to the top I had to take a picture of what I had just climbed, but I must say it doesn't do justice--a mountain never looks as steep from the top!!
At the top, I finally caught a tram and headed down the other side of Nob Hill. Then two blocks later, as I tried to get out my camera to snap some shots of the gorgeous sights, I managed to drop my sweatshirt off the tram into the middle of the street. OY! Two blocks later, I was able to get off the tram and went sprinting back up the hill again to fetch it. Luckily it hadn't been run over yet. I snapped a picture down the other side of Nob Hill toward the water and another random one... I just loved the sign. Paradise??
Eventually another tram came around and I managed to stay on it all the way to Fisherman's Wharf. I walked along the water and out on this big pier where I finally took another video (though I promised to take tons... sorry). You can't always hear what I was saying cuz it was windy, but I'm sure there wasn't anything too important!
Then I went wandering down Fisherman's Wharf, discovering cool little alleyways and sneaking pictures of idiots in strange cars...
Stopped for a late lunch/happy hour at a place on the water with blues music coming out of the upstairs windows--happened upon a cool little band named Big Delta from (where else) Austin, TX. Also tried the American version of Fosters for the first time (figured I should since people I tell I'm going down under always ask me)... not a bad beer, really!
Then wandered further on the wharf and the famous Pier 39 (nothing more than a tourist trap, really). Snapped my pics of the sea lions that always hang out there (they were even labeled on the map!).
Next I headed off the coast back toward the hostel through the Italian district of North Beach, then up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower, a 210 foot tall memorial for SF firefighters and their benefactor, Ms. Lillie Hitchock Coit (look her up... she's awesome) with awesome 360 degree views of San Fran.
Nob Hill - Russian Hill
Golden Gate - Sausalito - Alcatraz - Fisherman's Wharf
The Bay - The Embarcadero and Piers - Treasure Island
Bay Bridge - The Ferry Building - Financial District
At this point I was completely exhausted from all the walking, so I headed home despite there being much more to see. I caught a glimpse of Lombard Street, the crookedest road in the world, from Telegraph Hill and was happy enough to just take a very zoomed-in picture of it instead of making the trip.
On my way back there were more random pictures taken of odd sights. The first was more a picture of the precariously perched buildings at the top of the hill, but the Showgirls sign kinda stole the picture.
The steepness of the hills continued to amaze me. This former street actually had stairs for sidewalks--apparently that was a degree or two too far so they closed it to vehicles. I also snapped a picture of this girl carrying her laundry to the laundromat... can you imagine living in SF and having to lug a bag like that up and down from your apt??
Finally I stumbled through the Financial District back to the hostel. I was so tired I passed out in my clothes for a good two hours before spending another several taking advantage of the hostel's internet to get this crazy blog updated!
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