Once again the fog covered everything when we woke. We hadn't slept as well as we might have. It is not a good idea to sleep on cheese cake. So it was a bit of a lazy start. The only essential that we packed up our gear ready to check out. Fortunately it still fitted in to the same number of cases. We didn't want to have extra at this stage because it is too hard to get around with lots of bags.
We left our bags in the luggage store and caught the cable car to go to China town. Aimee wanted a San Francisco sweat shirt and that is the place for the best choice and best prices. We arrived just after 10-30am and it was still quiet which made for easy shopping. In no time Aimee had what she wanted and we explored some of the other stores.
Lunch was pork steamed buns from the bakery. A cheap and very tasty meal. Soon it was time to go back to the hotel then go to the airport to collect our rental car. We had decided to get a taxi to the closest train station and then get the train to the airport. The first part worked really well. The taxi and train were exactly as planned. The track closure was not. About halfway to the airport we had to get off the train and get on a bus for a 3 stations then back on another train to get to the airport. The taxi driver tried to convince me he should take us to the airport, if he had mentioned the delays I would have said yes.
More was to come. It took more than an hour waiting in a line to get checked in for our rental. They were unbelievably slow and it was immensely frustrating. Eventually we got our car a Kia Sportage. A bit larger than I had reserved but good to drive. I am using my phone with Google maps to navigate and they worked just great. The hardest part was leaving the airport, then it was using three different highways to get to Santa Cruz about an hour and a quarter south. The traffic was good in our direction. The traffic jam going the other way was over 25 miles long as people returned from the beach on Sunday evening.
Our motel was across the the beach and Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. The Boardwalk was a large amusement park, with all sots of rides. After dinner we wandered through the park, looked at the rides, but did not go on any. It was possible to pay per ride or to buy a day pass. The place was crowded even though it was late on Sunday night.
Then to bed. Another good day, even with the frustrating delays.
Monday, 15 August 2016
Shopping
When we pulled the blinds up San Francisco had disappeared into the fog. Over the next hour the buildings gradually became visible and a fine day ensued. We had breakfast in our room and then set off for Lombard Street, the crookedest street in the world. We walked a couple of kilometres and then managed to get on a cable car and ride to the top of Lombard Street.
There were people everywhere. A couple of tours and many small groups like us. It was hard to get space to take a photograph. We walked down along with the hoards and then walked the rst of the way to Fisherman's wharf. To our surprise there was space on the cable car going back to Union Square, so rather than catching a bus we jumped on the cable car. The trip down the hill from California Street to Union Square is almost like a roller coaster as the cable car seems to hurtle down the hill. All good fun. The line at Powell Station to catch the cable car back to Fisherman's Wharf was massive. Probably at least 2 hours.
So the shopping began. H & M, the Disney Store and the Sketches shop, then to Marshall's. In part we went Marshall's to see if they had any cheap Sketches or Nike's. Marshall's sells remaindered and last seasons clothing. We came away with quite a bit of stuff but no shoes. later we went back to the Sketchers store where Lynda and Aimee tried on several pairs but none were quite right. So the decision was made to go to the factory shop.
This meant a couple of buses and travelling to a part of the city which was dirty and showed all the signs of poverty. People sleeping on the footpath. Rubbish on the footpaths and buildings in need of care and repair. The factory shop was worth the trip however. In fact it was amazing. The prices were much lower than the city store and the special sale discounts still applied. We had a ball and came away with several pairs of shoes.
By now we had too much stuff to carry. Fortunately the bus when back past our hotel so we headed back for a rest and to be able to continue without our parcels.
Aimee had been wanting to see the Golden Gate bridge without fog. It had been a beautiful day in the city so we caught the bus to Fisherman's Wharf again. Sadly the bridge was totally fog bound. I had hoped we could catch one of the historic trams back to Union Square. They have historic trams, or trolleys from every major city in the USA painted in the original colours. It was not to be. The buses and trolleys which came to the stop where we were waiting, with lots of others, were so full they didn't even stop.
By consulting the map we worked out we could get another bus. We had to walk about a kilometre and got a bus which took us back through china town. After a couple of photographs with the San Francisco hearts we made our way to the Cheesecake Factory on the top floor of the Macy's building. There were people everywhere, so it was no surprise that there was a one hour wait for a table. Lynda and Aimee were lucky enough to get a seat while we waited.
Eventually around 9pm we got a table. Lynda had a pizza, David and Aimee Burgers, then cheese cakes for dessert. Yummy but probably not at 10pm. We got a taxi back to the hotel rather than wait for buses or the cable car. It would be fair to say we were pretty tired by the time we got to bed.
There were people everywhere. A couple of tours and many small groups like us. It was hard to get space to take a photograph. We walked down along with the hoards and then walked the rst of the way to Fisherman's wharf. To our surprise there was space on the cable car going back to Union Square, so rather than catching a bus we jumped on the cable car. The trip down the hill from California Street to Union Square is almost like a roller coaster as the cable car seems to hurtle down the hill. All good fun. The line at Powell Station to catch the cable car back to Fisherman's Wharf was massive. Probably at least 2 hours.
So the shopping began. H & M, the Disney Store and the Sketches shop, then to Marshall's. In part we went Marshall's to see if they had any cheap Sketches or Nike's. Marshall's sells remaindered and last seasons clothing. We came away with quite a bit of stuff but no shoes. later we went back to the Sketchers store where Lynda and Aimee tried on several pairs but none were quite right. So the decision was made to go to the factory shop.
This meant a couple of buses and travelling to a part of the city which was dirty and showed all the signs of poverty. People sleeping on the footpath. Rubbish on the footpaths and buildings in need of care and repair. The factory shop was worth the trip however. In fact it was amazing. The prices were much lower than the city store and the special sale discounts still applied. We had a ball and came away with several pairs of shoes.
By now we had too much stuff to carry. Fortunately the bus when back past our hotel so we headed back for a rest and to be able to continue without our parcels.
Aimee had been wanting to see the Golden Gate bridge without fog. It had been a beautiful day in the city so we caught the bus to Fisherman's Wharf again. Sadly the bridge was totally fog bound. I had hoped we could catch one of the historic trams back to Union Square. They have historic trams, or trolleys from every major city in the USA painted in the original colours. It was not to be. The buses and trolleys which came to the stop where we were waiting, with lots of others, were so full they didn't even stop.
By consulting the map we worked out we could get another bus. We had to walk about a kilometre and got a bus which took us back through china town. After a couple of photographs with the San Francisco hearts we made our way to the Cheesecake Factory on the top floor of the Macy's building. There were people everywhere, so it was no surprise that there was a one hour wait for a table. Lynda and Aimee were lucky enough to get a seat while we waited.
Eventually around 9pm we got a table. Lynda had a pizza, David and Aimee Burgers, then cheese cakes for dessert. Yummy but probably not at 10pm. We got a taxi back to the hotel rather than wait for buses or the cable car. It would be fair to say we were pretty tired by the time we got to bed.
Saturday, 13 August 2016
Bike the Bridge
The day dawned
foggy, with promise a fine day. Breakfast was a few minutes’ walk away at the
MyMy Coffee Shop. It had good reviews and they were accurate. There was a wait
here sign outside, but no line which was a relief. Many popular places in San
Francisco require a wait to get in. David had French toast, Aimee two eggs and
Lynda the dish of the day pancakes with blue berries and roasted walnuts. It
looked yummy and it was.
A quick trip to Trader Joes for some fruit and breakfast supplies for the next few days and then on the bus back to the Fisherman's wharf area.
We hired our bikes from Basically Free Bikes. They were Cannondale comfort bikes and as the name suggests they were comfortable to ride. The basically free name refers to the credit equivalent to the hire price which you get at the companies sports shop. When biking the bridge the most obvious aspect are the numbers of people who are biking. Literally hundreds. The first hill is near the beginning, and it is the steepest. This was the only one where Aimee had to walk. The wind was in our faces and was cold. The fog was also covering the bridge even though it was now after 11-30am.
We stopped at the sports store. Lynda and Aimee couldn't find anything they wanted so David was instructed to get any bike stuff he wanted. So he did. The good news when we came out of the shop the bridge was mostly visible, with high fog blocking view of the towers as the wind blew the fog in from the sea.
After several stops for photographs and another steep hill from sea level to the bridge we joined the stream of walkers and cyclists who were making their way across the bridge. By this time the visibility was pretty good, although looking back to San Francisco it was still covered with fog. The bridge slopes gently up for most of the journey to Marin County and is easy, especially as the volume of people makes it impossible to go much faster than walking pace.
We stopped at the view point at the end for a banana and more photographs before we zoomed, well almost, our way down the hill into Sausaleto. The last part is a bit tricky as the road is very narrow. In the village itself there are bikes everywhere. The bike park cost $3 per bike. Yes bikes are good business. We wandered to the other end of the village for lunch to the bakery and cafe. Pasta Salad with prawns and a BLT hit the spot.
We briefly explored the village again before we lined up with hundreds of others to catch the ferry back across the bay. We had to wait about an hour and got the third boat. All the bikes are stacked against each other on the bottom level. It was easy to put bikes on the boat, but chaos at the other end to get them off. More about that later. The bridge was now covered by fog at San Francisco end. The wind was very cold. It had been warm at Sausalito as it is sheltered from the wind off the sea. The ferry slows as it passes Alcatraz which is great as it allows a better view. The journey across the bays takes about 20 minutes.
When we arrived at the ferry building the challenge was getting the bikes off. Not only was it like a giant game of pick up sticks, the bikes had to go up a flight of stairs. At the beginning it was a crush of people trying to get bikes from the bottom of a pile, and then almost miraculously the mess resolves itself. The ride along the waterfront was easy and uneventful.
It had been a good day. It took longer than we thought, but we had seen much of the city and got some exercise. We took refuge in Starbucks for a welcome drink and then wandered over the road to The World Store and Ross Dress for Less. The first shop is where we bought the mugs with animals inside and the second a remainder store with lots of bargains. Aimee grabbed a few.
Going back on the bus to the hotel there was a minor hiccup. The zip on David's trousers had broken and he could not get the bus tickets out so we had to pay cash. For dinner we went to Modern Thai for very tasty dishes. A good day, with the verdict that the biking was not as hard as was expected.
A quick trip to Trader Joes for some fruit and breakfast supplies for the next few days and then on the bus back to the Fisherman's wharf area.
We hired our bikes from Basically Free Bikes. They were Cannondale comfort bikes and as the name suggests they were comfortable to ride. The basically free name refers to the credit equivalent to the hire price which you get at the companies sports shop. When biking the bridge the most obvious aspect are the numbers of people who are biking. Literally hundreds. The first hill is near the beginning, and it is the steepest. This was the only one where Aimee had to walk. The wind was in our faces and was cold. The fog was also covering the bridge even though it was now after 11-30am.
We stopped at the sports store. Lynda and Aimee couldn't find anything they wanted so David was instructed to get any bike stuff he wanted. So he did. The good news when we came out of the shop the bridge was mostly visible, with high fog blocking view of the towers as the wind blew the fog in from the sea.
After several stops for photographs and another steep hill from sea level to the bridge we joined the stream of walkers and cyclists who were making their way across the bridge. By this time the visibility was pretty good, although looking back to San Francisco it was still covered with fog. The bridge slopes gently up for most of the journey to Marin County and is easy, especially as the volume of people makes it impossible to go much faster than walking pace.
We stopped at the view point at the end for a banana and more photographs before we zoomed, well almost, our way down the hill into Sausaleto. The last part is a bit tricky as the road is very narrow. In the village itself there are bikes everywhere. The bike park cost $3 per bike. Yes bikes are good business. We wandered to the other end of the village for lunch to the bakery and cafe. Pasta Salad with prawns and a BLT hit the spot.
We briefly explored the village again before we lined up with hundreds of others to catch the ferry back across the bay. We had to wait about an hour and got the third boat. All the bikes are stacked against each other on the bottom level. It was easy to put bikes on the boat, but chaos at the other end to get them off. More about that later. The bridge was now covered by fog at San Francisco end. The wind was very cold. It had been warm at Sausalito as it is sheltered from the wind off the sea. The ferry slows as it passes Alcatraz which is great as it allows a better view. The journey across the bays takes about 20 minutes.
When we arrived at the ferry building the challenge was getting the bikes off. Not only was it like a giant game of pick up sticks, the bikes had to go up a flight of stairs. At the beginning it was a crush of people trying to get bikes from the bottom of a pile, and then almost miraculously the mess resolves itself. The ride along the waterfront was easy and uneventful.
It had been a good day. It took longer than we thought, but we had seen much of the city and got some exercise. We took refuge in Starbucks for a welcome drink and then wandered over the road to The World Store and Ross Dress for Less. The first shop is where we bought the mugs with animals inside and the second a remainder store with lots of bargains. Aimee grabbed a few.
Going back on the bus to the hotel there was a minor hiccup. The zip on David's trousers had broken and he could not get the bus tickets out so we had to pay cash. For dinner we went to Modern Thai for very tasty dishes. A good day, with the verdict that the biking was not as hard as was expected.
Christchurch to San Francisco
Afternoon flights are such a good idea. A relaxed start to the day. Time for a haircut, to remember all those things that need to get done before we go.
It is just after 3pm sitting looking out over a sunny Canterbury Plains. A nice cup of tea and cardamon muffin. The journey has begun. Next stop Auckland before our international flight.
A pleasant hour in the new Koru Lounge at Auckland International before boarding the flight to San Francisco. We had an upgrade to Premium economy which was fantastic. In the first 'bulkhead' row so lots of room. We all got some sleep. Lynda slept for more than half the flight.
We arrived on time but then had to wait for 45+ minutes on the runway as another plane was at the gate allocated. This delay saw us in a VERY LONG line for immigration. We had arrived at 12-43 local time and it was 4-20pm when we finally got out of the airport.
The train is the quickest and cheapest way to get to Downtown and it proved to be the case. Straight out of the station and lined up to catch the California St Cable Car. We are staying in the Holiday Inn which is at the far end of this cable car line. We have Muni pass which means we don't have to worry about finding cash for tickets.
Our room is on the 22nd floor with fantastic views across the city. Comfy beds and great pillows.
We caught a bus to Fisherman's wharf. By this time we were both tired and hungry. Dinner was seafood chowder in a loaf of sour dough bread at Boudin's bakery. A San Francisco institution.
After a quick walk around Pier 39 to see the sea lions. Not so many at this time of the year and the wind was both strong and cold. The Golden gate bridge was not visible either as it shrouded in fog. So back on the bus to the hotel by just after 8pm, we almost made 9pm before lights out and sleep.
Afternoon flights are such a good idea. A relaxed start to the day. Time for a haircut, to remember all those things that need to get done before we go.
It is just after 3pm sitting looking out over a sunny Canterbury Plains. A nice cup of tea and cardamon muffin. The journey has begun. Next stop Auckland before our international flight.
A pleasant hour in the new Koru Lounge at Auckland International before boarding the flight to San Francisco. We had an upgrade to Premium economy which was fantastic. In the first 'bulkhead' row so lots of room. We all got some sleep. Lynda slept for more than half the flight.
We arrived on time but then had to wait for 45+ minutes on the runway as another plane was at the gate allocated. This delay saw us in a VERY LONG line for immigration. We had arrived at 12-43 local time and it was 4-20pm when we finally got out of the airport.
The train is the quickest and cheapest way to get to Downtown and it proved to be the case. Straight out of the station and lined up to catch the California St Cable Car. We are staying in the Holiday Inn which is at the far end of this cable car line. We have Muni pass which means we don't have to worry about finding cash for tickets.
Our room is on the 22nd floor with fantastic views across the city. Comfy beds and great pillows.
We caught a bus to Fisherman's wharf. By this time we were both tired and hungry. Dinner was seafood chowder in a loaf of sour dough bread at Boudin's bakery. A San Francisco institution.
After a quick walk around Pier 39 to see the sea lions. Not so many at this time of the year and the wind was both strong and cold. The Golden gate bridge was not visible either as it shrouded in fog. So back on the bus to the hotel by just after 8pm, we almost made 9pm before lights out and sleep.
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