Day 16 - San Francisco - The City (1)

For all impatient people: the Golden Gate Bridge is a bit outside of the city and will come later.

I crawl to breakfast with a hangover (I guess I'll never learn) and listen to what happened yesterday (don't worry, I remember everything..).

At 10:07, I arrive in a hurry for the 10 o'clock tour, which is still in the same spot. I meet three Germans, 2 girls, 1 guy, who identify me right away (there are almost as many of us in SF as in NZ). I haven't missed any content, it's not that hot here.

We are excited to live the American convenience by letting our tongues run freely and share experiences and impressions from a home perspective.

Ok, back to the city tour: Goldrush from 1848, Chinatown, Earthquake and Fire of 1906, financial district (the landmark here is the pyramid, inside is a bank). The tour ends on a rooftop. There are many free ones, as office buildings have to provide public space as compensation.

We have lunch and get coffee, stroll along the harbor and the piers, and cycle to another beach. On the way, you can see Alcatraz (tours have to be booked 1 month in advance..).

City impression: a crazy mix of hippies, gays, tough business people, homeless, artists. The cityscape is very beautiful, despite the hustle and bustle, you sometimes feel almost at home and I think that for a city that was almost destroyed in 1906, this metropolis is incredibly well developed: high buildings, infrastructure, parks, well thought out, not just asphalt like LA.

After the Lombard Drive (that's the curvy downhill road with the beautiful houses, although I wouldn't want to live there, it's full of tourists), we decide to make the most of it and move to Twin Peaks with takeaway food for sunset. (I'm freezing in shorts, fog from the Pacific rolls in and it's really cold, if you ever go to SF: bring windstopper!).

In the evening, I fall into bed, we got along great and continue hanging out together the next day :).