San Francisco

Postcard-pretty Victorian houses with the financial district in the background

Armed with our printed google map and viamichelin driving directions, I'll have to say that Jerry was really brave to drive us from Los Angeles to San Francisco. He has alternately driven with Junnie to Las Vegas a few days back but this time it's a 6-hr (one-way) roadtrip with nobody to act as his reliever. The wheel was just his as I was not up to the challenge of driving in the USA. Hehehe....

Going to San Francisco was a breeze as we took the faster route over the more scenic Pacific Coastal Highway. Though Interstate 5 was long (300 miles) and boring, it didn't seem like such. We were too excited to get to our destination. In fact, too excited to even notice that we were passing through a big cattle ranch until our noses got assaulted by the smell of cattle dung. Ew! Heheh... All's well though.

The hotel we were billeted at was the expensive W Hotel. It came with a price tag of $300/night with no breakfast, plus $45/24-hr parking. Hmmm.... It was on company's account so who were we to complain, right? Hehehe... It was right near the Moscone Convention Centre where Jerry is supposed to attend the JavaOne convention. Probably explains why the hotel's rate was jacked up. Oh well.

Our first day was spent mostly on touring the South of Market (SOMA) district. I loved the Yerba Buena Gardens, the skyline from the roofdeck, the financial district, and the mixture of old and modern architecture. One would see how this area showed a lot of history just by looking at the structures.

On our second day, we were worried to be slapped with additional parking charges that we drove to the next inn by lunch time. The Francisco Bay Inn at Lombard St. was nothing spectacular but we had a pleasant experience in it. The staff were courteous and ready to help, it was near the bus stop, the place was clean, the bathroom was spotless and huge, they served bagels, fruits and coffee, they had free parking and free internet access, and they charge only $75 nett! How sweet of a deal is that???

Highlights:

1. Tried to see the Golden Gate Bridge by driving the car from Francisco Bay Inn on Lombard. Jerry drove while I navigated. We got lost then scared when we saw it looming right in front of us! Hahaha! What a breathtaking man-made structure! We drove back fearing to violate any traffic regulation since some of the streets were one-way.

2. Took a bus tour since the weather was just too cold to be hopping on and off the cable car or walking to the sites. It was 7 degrees. In the bus, there were very few of us who were young (looking). Most of the other tourists were senior citizens who also didnt want to feel cold. Hehehe...

3. Thought the bus tour would let us see the crookedest part of Lombard Street. It didnt. We tried to walk to it but thought otherwise due to the cold weather. However, we drove on it and experienced it a lot better. :P

4. The bus tour drove us on the Golden Gate bridge. It was almost a 2-mile (1.7 miles) ride but we weren't lucky to see the whole span of the bridge. 90% of it was covered in fog. Boo. I guess, this is one big reason I should go back to see more of San Francisco.

left: Not yet the Golden Gate Bridge but the San Francisco Bay Bridge

right: The view from our W Hotel room window

Our $300++/night hotel room at the W Hotel. Doesn't look luxurious, does it?

Yerba Buena Gardens at South of Market (SOMA)

Yerba Buena Gardens with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) in the background.

left: SF Skyline from the Yerba Buena

right: St. Patrick's along Mission St.

left: Financial district, right: Museum of Modern Art

left: Treacherous North Beach, right: Golden Gate Park

"Don't do drugs or this will happen to you..." Picture was taken at Haight-Ashbury.

City Hall

The house in the "Full House" television series.

left: shopping district, right: Maiden Lake

Transamerica

Driving down the crookedest part of Lombard St.

The Golden Gate Bridge stretching into the fog....