Week 5 in USA

           Back from Yosemite and into San Francisco we realised we were a day early!!!!!!!!!!!

So ......................we drove down from San Fran towards Santa Cruz along the only part of Highway one we had not seen, stopping along the route several times and here at Pigeon Point Lighthouse. The rolling mist and fog was spooky as it engulfed all along the coast.

A radical lighthouse in its day using major prisms, now in need of restoration California's cutting it's Parks budget as the economy is not that great at the moment.

We drove a little further down the coast and saw a whale and her baby fairly close to the shore - a very exciting moment! The gray whales swim 1200 miles a year to the heat of the Mexican border to have their babies then Migrate North. The mothers keep closer to the shores when they know the Orca whales are around - as Orcas eat the babies whales,

Sant Cruz boardwalk has an old 1920's carousel still in action - the other attraction is the original roller coaster amongst other roller coasters and fun fair rides

A great little mexican snack place!Great locals' hang out.They make a drink called Hotecha out of rice, milk and cinnamon - very unusually different!

There is a real hippy feel to this town with a few surfer dudes and drop outs hanging around

we walked alone the beachfront and then down Pacific Ave entertained by all the buskers

The other side of Santa Cruz is very well heeled - Ravi loved this classic Cadillc

Ok the story in this photo is odd but true. Ravi bought a pair of shorts in Kingston. The brand was O'NEILL. He realised like a lemon, when he arrived in California that his shorts had Santa Cruz - California SINCE 1952 written on them. So he said jokingly in LA that he wanted to find the shop and ask them for a button that was missing (a casualty from giving the shorts to the Indian river laundry (and clothes thrashing service)! So we found this store then were told the original or first store was somewhere else on 41St! By then it was sunset and our hotel hot tub beckoned.

Oh and by the way Mr O'NEILL invented the wetsuit - his first version was a swimming costume with foam padding stuffed inside it. Things have moved on since though Mr O'Neill has not- he still lives in Santa Cruz near his original shop.

Traffic lights at sunset in Santa Cruz - it's not often people photograph traffic lights!

Some hippy graffiti on a West cliff edge sculpture in Santa Cruz

This is Swanton farm where you can pick your own berries.It is run by a community of people and they make the most amazing strawberry truffles and cheesecake.We went whale spotting at Pigeon point lighthouse and bought breakfast from here.They operate the shop on a trust basis and leave the till with all the money in the middle of the shop unguarded and never check to see what you are paying.

Very trusting but it works. Their hot cocoa with cinnamon is to die for!!!

Strawberry heaven!

            

More sleepy seals!

 San Francisco..........

We played the honeymoon card and were upgraded to the business floor of our hotel!!!

Our first and only meal that day was at the In and Out burger joint -This is a Double double "animal" style combination!!
(secret locals menu recipe using grilled cheese, mustard and fried onions)

Just Chilling...what you looking at MJ and Ravi? 

Our new friend in San Francisco is MJ(Mary Jo) who gave us loads of local tips and invited us around
to see the views over the city from her place.

How funny the happy girl at happy girl kitchen in The Ferry building

The Ferry building in its former glory - this port has such a rich history

Look, I came here for piece and quiet ............give a gull a break and photograph some fish or 

someone else.

Ravi is so excited to see one of his favourite bands - yes, we managed to get tickets to see Roger Waters tonight perform The Wall. Ravi said listen to side 3 of the double album, "Comfortably numb" and "Is there any body out there" which are 2 of his favourite tracks - strange man...... but i'm married to him and am doing my duty going to see the band too!!!!!


 I can't wait til Robbie Williams plays and he has to come with me!Ha Ha.

mmmmmm

How cool is this restaurant sign in Pier 39

Sunset looking out at what you think is a ship but it is Alcatraz Island- GREAT PHOTO EH!

Oh my god - This guy is just free styling animal shapes and baking a sour dough recipe using yeast from a 1920's batch of yeast saved from a fire.

You want crabs .........I'll give you crabs, turtles, alligators and teddy bears

Hey guys don't eat me .........the crabs are tastier.

The manager, Marisa,was really sweet and showed us around and even gave us a sample to taste.

Boudins are famous for their sour dough bread - I'm planning to have their famous clam chowder which they serve in an edible bread bowl.

In addition to concert tickets,we bought tickets to Beach, Blanket,Babylon and laughed our socks off.

It's a mix between drag Panto, stand up comedy and Priscilla queen of the desert!!!

A retro rocket along the waterfront with no clear explanation........any ideas guys?

Behind us is San Franciscos' Bay Bridge 

Guess where this chocolate from Ghiradelli's chocolate factory ended up.................................

Oh dear........ I wonder how that happened!!!?Never mind I'll help them out and finish this small sundae

I'm waiting here for San Fran's famous transporter

Yes, the old fashioned trolleys or cable cars which started life around 1873 and were the brainchild of an Englishman Mr Hallidie

Above are the motors which circulate the cable wires - the wires are in a continuos loop under the streets all around town

This is what you don't see underground - the workers are laying a new cable path

Above is the channel that houses the steel wire which the the cable cars attach to to move. Each car can take up to 10 tonnes of weight and max. speed is 9.5 miles per hour.

The largest China town outside China - (Did you know Lanterns silently announce births, weddings, events and even struggles red ones indicate good fortune. Blue ones signify dwindling health and white ones represent death.) I took Ravi to a fab vegetarian chinese restaurant - really yummy food

Wanted to know how those fortune cookies were made...........now you know...the circular biscuit discs are warm and pliable when they come off the machine.This ladies then inserts the paper and rolls the biscuit and shoes the cookie over the thin rod you see in the picture.

Don't try this at home folks she is really fast and has burnt fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Another fascinating fact is that in chinese culture tea is more than just a hot drink and is served as a sign of respect, the most important person in the room will never be asked to serve tea.

Our view from the cable car going uphill!!!!!!!San Franciscos' Bay bridge is in the background

Roger Waters in concert performing Pink Floyds' The Wall album

The AT and T baseball park setting up for the big concert with Roger Waters

What a backdrop for a concert.

The show kicked off in style - this was the view from the seats we were in

We moved into some $200 dollar empty seats when the lights went down and had a great view

Then the show got whacky

Then funky with graphics on a wall they build up on stage

Then quite sad 

and even surreal cartoon animation

Very different music to what I know but a really good visual show.......Ravi knew all the words to the songs and missed this concert in the UK in the 80'S and said this was an amazing musical show

The next day we swapped hard rock for Asian fusion jazz...........right on man!!!!!

This was an afternoon concert in Yerba Buena park - Asian fusion jazz with oriental rhythmic drums

This old Japanese Jazz crooner is 90 years old!

Then on into the building behind me -  San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art

 Can you see Wally?

Two of my favourite pieces of modern Art at SFMOMA

     
Say loveeee ............then Raveeeeeee!

               

What was Darwin's theory on evolution?    Any similarity? ............Heee heeee!!!

A building for women

This is the top section of the above building

We ate organic, vegan mexican food at Gracias Madre in "The Mission"

A real mission: Delores, the 6th in fact of 21 along the California coastline built by the Spanish settlers

The Coit Tower built using money donated to the city by Mrs Coit who was a lover of the Fire service and was the only female adopted as a mascot for the fire service

Below are the views from the top of the Tower

The Crookedest street

Another cable car ride - hanging off the side-just look behind at how steep the hill is

We had a lovely afternoon tea with our friend who lives in San Francisco, MJ at her condo - as well as a yummy fruit salad, a good gossip and lovely views of San Francisco.

MJ
 gave us some great local insight into the districts and places to visit.

Yes this really is the view from a large balcony that MJ wakes up to every day!!!!!!

 We had a walk with MJ to Grace Cathedral and saw these great doors  and stained glass windows

 The famous Fairmont Hotel

China town gate

Flowering Blossom tea - a detox tea


The American Academy of Sciences

Animals

Snakes and butterflies

Fish

More jelly fish

Feeding time in the Aquarium

Tree frogs and an Albino alligator

And off course penguins

The 7 pretty "painted ladies" are a real tourist attraction....not sure why they are so special?

Below - The new building project along the Bay Bridge

San Francisco skyline below from our ferry ride

Welcome to Alcatraz Nicolette and Ravi

Alcatraz Island about 1.5 miles from San Francisco harbour and bay area

Looks quite pleasant in the sun

The guard watch tower below  - the guards would shoot convicts if they tried to escape

Views from the entrance to the Island and a prison cell showing the lock down bars

             

The booth below is the visiting window .........see anyone you know?

A typical prison cell below that housed Alcatraz inmates many of who were sent from other prisons as they were too dangerous to keep in normal prisons - about 300 were here at any one time.
They were put to bed every day about 5pm

San Francisco seen from Alcatraz - this is the viewthat these highly dangerous prisoners looked out on

The next morning we visited The Ctiy Hall


San Francisco is also proud to be flying the flag of California republic




Below The De Young Museum grounds

and art installations


These one tickled me

Modern art is displayed alongside ancient art exhibits.

OK .................AND NOW........................THE..................

................. GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE and the stats


The bridge behind us celebrates 75 yrs this month with major events along the waterfront



Below is an actual cross section of one of the suspension cables which supports the bridge

HUGE!

We did it - we walked over the Golden Gate Bridge to the other side!! and then back!

This is a Harbour porpoise (a dolphin family member) seen from our walk on the Golden Gate bridge (which is actually red oxide paint coloured!)

Golden gate bridge during a haze coloured sunset

One of our favourite places was Boudins near our hotel - the manager Marisa (above) saw how interested we were in the products and took time out whilst managing a brilliant shop to explain the story of the "mother dough" saved from a fire a still used today to create their famous sour dough. I had the clam chowder in a bread bowl and it was produced quickly and by a smiley happy man. It tasted delicious. Marisa recognised us from our previous visit and showed us her desert cookies - the chewy coconut macaroon was to die for. Thanks Marisa.

A few Harbour seals dozing on special platforms provided by the Port authority

Sunset on the way to the ball park

The Home of The San Francisco Giants baseball team

Another packed stadium of 41,500 baseball fans!
They have had 101 sell outs since they won the world series in 2010

The giants in action against the Colorado Rockies

A long low scoring game which the San Fran giants lost 5-4

Our last morning we met a 5 year old drummer playing with a trio of buskers!

He was amazing.......you saw him here first.......but not in school....mmmmmmmm!

Ok its finally time to say goodbye to San Francisco and home courtesy of one of Bransons jets.

We are now back safe after a honeymoon of a lifetime..........now the journey continues in the UK....................