SF part 3

Day 7 - The drive along Highway 1 along the coast is really the highlight of the trip for me. Though the day started foggy and we went on the wrong highway, we managed to get back on track and enjoy the scenic ride. I am glad we made the drive out.

Introducing Margaret, the GPS. We needed her coz yours truly is bad with maps and directions

TT named her Sally, our transporter

Happy Halloween!

At the straw maze

Lunching in the fog

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

We are both suckers for roller coasters and there were only 2 of us right in front during our ride! I cant remember but I bet I was screaming my lungs off throughout the ride (even tho I must say this is a rather mild roller coaster).

Monterey bay

Day ended with another visit to Gilroy (since we have the car and the shopaholics in us can never be cured)

Day 8 - Drove around the city and making pit stops at the various attractions

Tom, the seagull, was leading the way

Palace of fine arts

Fort point

My fav of all the pics we took together

Up to twin peaks

Japanese food - I can never get enough

The painted ladies

Sunset in Sausalito

The connections back was crazy (SFO to Dallas to London to Zurich, followed by train to Basel). My connections companion was Sidney (a surprise gift from TT)

"It's an odd thing, but anyone who has disappeared is said to have been seen in San Francisco." ~ Oscar Wilde

SF part 2

The jetlag continues.. I have slept so much that I find it disgusting. Anyhow, here's a continuation of the trip.

Day 3 - Gilroy outlet mall

Didnt take many pics coz we spent the day at the outlet mall. Came across this truck which TT insisted she needs a pic with it. It's meant for Kay of course :P

This was also the day when the greyhound bus that was supposed to pick us in the evening got delayed by more than 2 hours and we sat there at the bus terminal feeling stranded and wondering how we could get back to the city. Thought all is over when the bus finally came but who knows, the bay bridge was closed and we need to take the bart from Oakland to SF. And only learnt from my bro the following day that Oakland is one of the US cities with the highest crime rates. Sometimes, ignorance is really bliss.

But I must say that taking the greyhound bus showed me another side of the country - the people who are less well off and who needs to rely on the (unreliable) public transport.

TT and her red truck

Day 4- Up late after a long night and the day was spent having a late lunch followed by shopping in union square.

My much awaited dim sum meal

The dim sum must haves

Served from a push cart

As expected we ordered too much

Stuffed in the end

TT still goin on strong

Day 5 - Afternoon in SFMoMa and more roaming in the city

Another much awaited meal - sushi

The F line was bringing us to where we want to go

Day 6 - Lombard St and Bridge walk

One seems to spot Alcatraz everywhere

Hanging on to the cable car is fun

We were wondering how it feels to live in a house where there's tourists constantly outside taking pictures?

TT was right, the brick wall makes a nice background for a pic

Showing off a house ready for halloween

Our food that day - American in the day and Chinese in the night

We were lucky to get good weather for the walk across the bridge

SF part 1

It's 4am here and am in the midst of my jetlag. Slept through the afternoon and did my chores during the night. Finally get to upload some pics of the trip.

Flight from Zurich to JFK to SFO

Day 1 - Hanging out at Fisherman's wharf

Beautiful sunrise on the 1st day

Sourdough bread

Fish and chips

Touristic pics in front of the cable car

Call them if you need a fence

Catching a glimpse of the bridge from the wharf

... when one is on vacation

Visiting the Boudin Bakery

TT with her reptile

Turtle and crab

Silvermen taking a break

Day 2 - Going behind bars

Behind bars for 3 hours

On Alcatraz

Tourists are welcome as well

Glimpse into the cell

No 12

Towering lighthouse

It's criminal not to be there

I am a seagull

Sea lions sunbathing

Pls do not disturb

Dinner fix at The Cheesecake factory

Springrolls

Salad

At the back of the cable car

Quotation #34

"Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile."

~ William Cullen Bryant
(American writer, 1794-1878)

The hippie movement

Have not been blogging for a while as being on the road has kept me busy.

Arrived in San Francisco last Saturday night and will be here till early next week.

Being in NYC for the second time earlier this year, I can't help but compare both cities (this is also my second trip to SF with the first one nearly 10 years ago).

The feel in SF is much more laid back with an old fashioned American charm in the air. This perhaps come from the old fashioned trams and the buskers in Fisherman Wharf singing and strumming their guitars.

On the other hand, NYC is a city that never sleeps. Walking in downtown NYC, the crowds and energy is something one can't find (and impossible to duplicate) in any other city.

The one thing which I find similar in both cities is the cosmopolitan feel. Both cities are home to many immigrants many years back. And maybe this is what makes these cities so special. The variety in the people, cuisine and culture. These cities have accepted them and in return, they have made the cities alive.