Saturday 29 October: San Francisco

Saturday started very cloudy, and we weren't expecting a very good day. We caught a "streetcar" (tram) to the world famous Pier 39, where we saw the world famous ice cream shop and the world famous sea lions. (There is very little in this place that isn't world famous). The street cars are 1940s and 50s vintage and are maintained as much for historical interest as for their transportation value. San Francisco has a wide range of public transport options including the street cars, cable cars (like very small trams which are propelled by a moving cable concealed in a slot in the road surface), diesel buses, trolley buses and two separate underground railway systems - the Muni and the Bart.

Pier 39 is much like a more intense version of Sorrento Quay, with cafes, souvenir shops etc. We took a bay cruise which was interesting for what we didn't see rather than what we did - the fog had rolled in, and we only got glimpses of the Golden Gate bridge through the mist. We'll have to go back later. The cruise also took in Alcatraz Island, the Oakland Bay Bridge and the city skyline. We had some very nice crepes for lunch, then decided to head back to the hotel (streetcar again) to get some warmer clothing.

In the afternoon we decided to head back to the Golden Gate bridge for some sunset pictures. We used our "Muni passport" to catch a hot and crowded bus along the length of Geary Street to Presidio. We discovered there are in fact three Presidio streets - Presidio Avenue, Presidio Boulevard and Park Presidio Boulevard. Of course we got off at the wrong one, but another bus came along a few minutes later to take us to Park Presidio Bvd, where we changed to another bus which took us to the bridge.

The Golden Gate Bridge was opened in 1937, at which time it was the longest span in the world. It is a magnificent and graceful suspension bridge, painted a deep orange colour. We went to the main viewing area on the north-east side and got some pretty good photos. We walked under the freeway to see if we could get some images from the sunny side, but the angles were all wrong. Apparently the best views are from the Marin County side, but it was getting too late for us to go over to that side. We walked across the bridge to mid-span, but by then it was quite dark, so we headed back to the viewing area and caught a bus back to town.

San Francisco Transport. In the last couple of days we have used a variety of transport modes around San Francisco - the BART trains, buses (including one trolley bus) and the street car to Pier 39. We must also try a cable car before we leave. The bus drivers we encountered ranged from downright effusive to downright surly. The trains include the normal in-car destination displays and announcements, but we were impressed that the buses have these as well. (GPS navigation perhaps?) However the crowded buses suffer from a repeated and intensely annoying announcement...For the convenience of passengers boarding the bus, please move to the rear of the bus...For the convenience of passengers boarding the bus, please move to the rear of the bus...For the convenience of passengers boarding the bus, please move to the rear of the bus...For the convenience of passengers boarding the bus, please move to the rear of the bus...For the convenience...