~San Francisco~

 Well......we just had the most amazing day in San Francisco!   We were told that we had to take the public transportation but we decided to try and take the van in - good choice.   We had no problem finding parking......3 times!

 The roads are very up and down and sometimes very steep - so interesting to see.

 The houses are all built very close together or in most cases actually joined together.

They are brightly coloured and beautiful.

 It was still a little foggy when we arrived but the views were incredible wherever we went.

 A view of the city and of Coit Tower in the background.

 We started off going to the "crookedest street in the world" - Lombard Street.   This road has 8 sharp turns on a 40 degree slope and was built in the 1920's to allow cars to descend the steep incline.  Cars line up consistently to go down this road.

We walked down to the piers - starting with pier 45, then 43 and 41.   There was so much to see and lots of tourists everywhere.

Of course......Fisherman's Wharf was a must.

We all really wanted to go to this old arcade on the pier.  This museum has over 200 antique arcade machines as well as a large collection of coin-operated mechanical musical instruments that you can still play!!!

The girls were excited to see this machine that Julie Andrews used in the "Princess Diaries"

(this is the scene from the movie)

These sourdough bowls are all over Fisherman's Wharf.  They fill them with chowder.   There are seafood vendors everywhere.

San Francisco wouldn't be complete without the famous cable cars.

Next on to famous Pier 39.

We enjoyed watching these loud sea lions lying on the docks

We had an amazing view of Alcatraz Island.  

All day we kept looking at the Golden Gate Bridge and were hoping that the fog would lift completely.   It is almost there is this photo.

We enjoyed walking around the busy pier with all its souvenir shops, shows, restaurants etc....

Then on to Ghirardelli Square where the famous chocolate factory once was.   They have a store there now which still serves huge ice-cream sundaes.......they also give you free samples when you walk through the store.

They have a Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum there too.   The boys had just read about this guy who can put his bottom lip right over his nose!!!!   :)

Well.....the fog lifted - yay!    After we finished in the city we took a drive to Crissy Field where we had an amazing view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Looking back at the city.

We tried to get as close to the bridge as we could.

We took the scenic drive "home" which gave us a chance to see the Cliff House, Sutra Bath Ruins, Seal Rocks and Ocean Beach.

What a fabulous day!

The boys were pumped with their souvenirs.................

..................as were the girls!!!    :)