Traffic jam on the bike path

Once again, the children and I were up early. Today, we headed towards the Golden Gate Bridge at the beach.

The Golden Gate Bridge is quite impressive at sunrise. Finally, we found a grocery store worthy of the name 😉. Anita will be pleased. Today, we're having a good, hearty breakfast.

On the way back to the hotel, the children took the opportunity to build a quick sandcastle. The sand is extremely fine and perfect for building. Only the cool wind drives us (especially me, not the children) back to a sheltered spot sooner or later.

Despite the wind and cold water, numerous swimmers start their long laps at 6:00. They must live extremely long lives.

We had already rented 4 bicycles the day before to go to the Golden Gate Bridge along the beach. So, let's have breakfast quickly, because we should already be at the bike rental shop just around the corner by 10:00.

Unlike most other cities in the US, San Francisco has a well-developed bike and public transportation network. You don't need a car in the city or its surroundings to see the attractions.

Speaking of traffic, unlike Central and Southern Europeans, the drivers here are very polite and considerate. Everyone drives slowly according to the speed limits and stops at a pedestrian crossing - similar to Scandinavia.

It's a different story on the bike paths, where hordes of tourists are heading towards the Golden Gate Bridge.

There are Dutch people who skillfully but riskily pass you, Italians who don't really care about any rules, local road cyclists who want to set a new record, and many others who apparently only ride a bike on vacation from time to time.

A truly wild ride on the well-developed bike path to the Golden Gate Bridge. But with passive riding and breaks, you can still relax.

The goal for today is to ride on the Golden Gate Bridge, but above all, to enjoy the beautiful view of the bridge, the beach, and the surroundings on the way there.

So, after a few kilometers, we took a break at the beach.

As always, Konstantin worked on his sand landscape, Julius practiced long jump, Anita read the guidebook, and I took photos and wandered around.

But the Pacific coast is not the Adriatic Sea, so adults are driven on. It seems like sand makes children immune to wind and weather.

Soon, after a few meters of elevation, we were already on the Golden Gate Bridge where there's traffic with cars, bicycles, and pedestrians.

Usually, you don't go on a busy, noisy, windy, and crowded highway bridge. But the Golden Gate Bridge seems to be an exception. Granted, the view from above is quite beautiful.

Eventually, we were glad to be back down on the peaceful coast. We had a coffee, hot chocolate, and good ice cream for refreshment. Then we headed back to the hotel with a stopover at a modern temple complex, a remnant of a 'World Exposition', and one more visit to the sea lions at Fisherman's Wharf.

Tomorrow is already our last day in San Francisco. This time, the focus will be on museums.