UP ROUTED - SAN FRANCISCO

big day for us......We covered a lot of ground, including over 6 hours of walking. San Francisco can really handle the scrutiny of walking tours. I'd be lying if I said we weren't tired at the end but the neighbourhoods, architecture, views and atmosphere  are really best appreciated at a leisurely pace. It's like Vancouver with more sunshine and a lot more steep hills. We decided to just walk in a circle with a couple of specific points in mind. We left the rest to chance. The city is very residential so any walk is likely to take you through a residential area. Unique architecture is contrasted by equally unique landscaping - San Francisco has borrowed from Spanish, French and British classic architecture but the landscaping is pure art and local climate and many of the properties set on steep inclines. The financial district is full of original temples of finance decorated more like cathedrals than office towers and modern architecture. The seawall is extensive and includes open access to most of the piers which are considered public property. That part of the walk will take you around the perimeter of the city. Downtown traffic is horrendous, in fact, California traffic in general sucks. We were there when the Americas Cup was on and caught glimpses of the New Zealand boat taking U.S. Oracle to school. The lineup for the cable car would have cost us an hour or more so we passed. I've always wondered what the deal with San Francisco was and I think that I get it a little now. The place has had major fires and earthquakes but not a hair is out of place and it's pretty tough hair doo to maintain. The city is really pricey though. And some of the original charm - dating myself as usual - has been replaced with high priced, mid quality restaurants, boutiques, etc. But if you look at the remaining positives, the city deserves a visit. It's a great place to walk, talk, contemplate and appreciate the power of ingenuity - - - best taken one step at a time if it's not too steep of a climb.

 no trip to San Francisco can leave the Golden Gate out of the itinerary

you would never know that the wind was blowing so hard - I always hang on to Linda like this!!

 Coit Tower.....seen from all over the city - we used it as a marker..

 Oracle coming home from another New Zealand beating....it was kind of interesting being there during the race. We went out to the Americas Cup race center....we almost bought a yacht but remembered at the last minute that we couldn't afford one.....that was almost as close as the race!!

 Is it me or does Alcatraz look like the boat in this picture? - maybe some kind of final escape plan or something????

 pretty city...

 colors down at Pier 39.....very festive....

art meets war -- again??

this is the Palace for Fine Arts....a very unique and unexpected treat....we walked a long way to experience it and were not disappointed...the builder feared for the destruction of the free creative process....wow!

 a little bit of perspective - - that is me, the little white dot - - magifique!

Chinatown meets the financial district - I swear it is like a comic book when you look at all of these incredible buildings in one place....