3. San Francisco

San Francisco certainly has it all!!

Alcatraz was something right out of a Clint Eastwood movie.  The tour must be booked months in advance, with a return ferry ride to Alcatraz and a self guided audio tour included.
An informative day, enjoyable apart from the arrival protocol of the communal shower and rubber glove ordeal; followed by the naked walk to the cell to find our new uniform laid out on the bed.

Go directly to gaol, or jail!
An ideal location for a captivating new resort!
The worst of prisoners were sent here as a last resort. 

The architecture has changed since the original use as a fort showcasing over 100 canons in 1865

Three tiers of prisoners and many more tears by the prisoners.
Once the cell doors closed, relative security was attained by the prisoners.
The mess hall and exercise yard were the most dangerous areas.  

Opening of all the cell doors of the entire level simultaneously.
Surprisingly no cell phones were evident. 

The dreaded exercise yard where the pecking order and prison hierarchy was sorted out.
We could well imagine Clint Eastward among us.  

One of the famous break out cells with a dummy that fooled the night watchman until roll call.
Dummies are rife in prison. 

Architecture in San Francisco is totally unique.  We averaged 20,000 steps and 60 staircases each day in walking around San Fran.
Then we discovered public transport and Uber.  We rode the cable car as Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda on their first date.

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Halloween is big time all over, with so many properties sporting different decorations. 

Some beautiful architecture.
The flags a delight for Vexillologists. 

Designs of fire-escapes were many and varied.  Almost every structure had them.
We planned on using sheets tied together in event of fire for exit from our 16th floor room. 

Narrowness of houses was more than made up for by intricate design. 

Independent residences joined together making borrowing a cup of sugar easier during inclement weather.
Karl is the name of the fog which affects all in San Francisco. 

Immaculate presentation.

Small gaps between residences to allow fire fighting.
The painters and decorators need to be on special diets before taking on such jobs.
There is theoretically just enough space for a fire hose to douse flames. 

The famed "Painted Ladies". 

We were informed that any Victorian House painted with at least five colours, earns the honour of being named a Painted Lady!  Having the house painted wouldn't be cheap!

Cable Cars and Museum highlighted many years of tradition and lack of safety issues.

The four cables which drive all the cable cars in San Fran.
All run at the same speed of 9.5mph or 15kph.
The cables run continuously. 

The four Cable Car routes in San Francisco

Lack of safety practices in many situations is evident.  One slip and his finger, arm or head would be off.
In Australia all moving parts would be guarded, the operator would be wearing fluro clothing, safety goggles and hearing protection.
The cable cars would also be stopped when he goes to smoko.  

Iconic San Fran icons.
The roads follow a grid pattern giving learner drivers many opportunities to practice hill starts.

The backing of the over length fire truck into a small fire station was impressive: aided by a steering pod in the tail, and the Dalmation keeping a vigilant lookout.  

The safety cone riding on the back step is the sole safety protocol.
Eight passengers stand on the left running board, six on the right.
Hanging on is optional, hence the origin of the term "running board".  

Fully air-conditioned.
When riding on the running board, back packs must be worn on the chest and face into the cable car.
The Gripman, now Gripperson, operates the device that grabs the cable rattling under the track at 9.5 mph.

Our ride over the Golden Gate Bridge on E-bikes with suspension was a highlight.

Weaving through the area with our guide showcasing so many scenes and facts. 

Built for the 1905 World Fair and to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal, the Palace of Fine Arts is quite impressive, and has stood through several major earthquakes

Simply add water to the top horizontal to transform into a Roman aqueduct. 

Cables of the bridge being consumed by birds. 

Temperature varied by about 10 degrees during the ride.
We are at Crissy Field, which was a major military base during the war. 

Non peak hour traffic not having the foggiest as to the what is holding up the cables. 

View out into the Pacific Ocean.
Australia is just out of shot to the left

Cables in easy reach at this part of the bridge, now we see what is holding up the cables!
The wires in the two main cables total 128,000kms.

Lombard Street has featured in many movies, is not suitable for road trains or cable cars, and is a must when visiting the area.

The street always features more tourists than cars. 

A length restriction applies to vehicles. 

A possible tourist draw card idea for Brown Street, Newcastle NSW

Walking around Fisherman's Wharf area provides more varied view.
Don remembers so clearly being in the Royal Theatre in Newcastle in 1969 whilst awaiting the  James Bond movie, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" seeing a three minute feature on San Francisco about the flower people, with Scott McKenzie's song about San Francisco as the sound track.

Reminiscent of  the 60s flower power where San Francisco played such a major role. 

A top sailing location with some brilliant yachts and events.
The mistified Golden Gate Bridge can just be made out in the background.

Muir Woods sports groves of Coast Redwood or Sequoia trees, and are some of the oldest and largest living organisms on the planet.
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The tree was born in 909AD
That certainly means many letters from various queens over the years. 

Looking up with a vertical panoramic shot. 

The people walking through would be just a blink of an eye compared to the age of these trees. 

Reaching for the stars. 

Dwarfed

Gentle giants, until branches are dropped. 

Ageless beauty 

A drought is gripping California at present, however, the water reserves in most places seem better than in Australia. 

Next we join our Intrepid Tour of National Parks taking in more natural beauty and meet some new travelling companions.

As Everett Mamor once said "We can learn a lot from trees; they're always grounded but never stop reaching heavenward!"

Regards, Don and Carrol.