Last day in San Francisco and on to Santa Cruz

Following on from where we left off on Friday evening.

Friday had been exhausting, dashing all over town and had taken rather a toll so we awoke quite late and had a leisurely toilet. We had hoped to get breakfast at the Boudin Bakery on Fishermans Wharf but by the time we arrived had missed that service by a couple of minutes. We also tried Applebees and Rainforest Cafe but their offering did not inspire.

Instead we bought a churro from one of the vendors and ate that overlooking the marina. It was a beautiful morning, much warmer than the forecast would have had us expecting.
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Carrying on up the Embercadero we checked to see is a trip to Alcatraz Island was possible. The next available booking was on the 31st August - in nine days time! Instead we took a look at the exhibits that were available including this fantastic model of the island, I imagined some brilliant Pulp gaming that could be done on this model.

Continuing to the Ferry Plaza we wanted to take in the Farmers Market that had been recommended to us so we completed our late breakfast with a coffee at Peets and then dove into the Farmers Market.

Wonderful sights and sounds with loads of stall selling their freshly grown produce and many others selling meals to go.

We did a couple of laps before deciding what we wanted to buy. First of all we bought some hummus and falafel for our picnic lunch the next day, then we bought a pound of grapes from another stall and half a pound of heritage tomatoes from yet another.

We then spied another stall selling fresh Vegetable Samosas so we had one each to keep us going spread with a lovely sweet chilli glaze and a mint sauce - fantastic!

We then stopped at another stall who was about out of their stock and purchased a large punnet of strawberries. These are the best I have ever tasted Victoria declared. Having had strawberries in the U.S.A. before I was wary, usually they are nothing but flavourless mush, but oh my was she right; they were bloody lovely.

We had spent a good hour on the market and it was now beer o' clock so we retired to one of our favourite bars, the Ferry Plaza Wine Bar where I had another pint of their delicious Fort Point Park Wheat and Victoria again a Sonoma Solstice Syrah,

Quite loaded down with shopping, I bought Victoria a great tote from Cowgirl Creamery (I carried the loaded bag though, gentleman and all that). We then picked up a half pound of coffee beans from Blue Bottle and purchased ourselves an Affogato to share on the water-front, it was delicious.

We had a slow walk back up the Embercadero where we popped into Boudin Bakery to grab a sourdough baguette for our picnic tomorrow. On the way to the apartment we stopped again at 901 Columbus for a happy-hour beer and then completed the short walk to the apartment.

I made some heritage tomato on sourdough for us both and Victoria said she was going to grab a shower. I was awoken by Victoria two hours later, I guess those beers knocked me out!

It was getting dark now and we wanted to enjoy some North Beach night-life. We walked up Columbus through Little Italy and loved soaking up the atmosphere. Just past the City Lights Bookshop we entered the famous Vesuvio bar (where Jack Kerouca would regularly frequent) where we enjoyed a pint of Anchor Steam and all the beat ambience.

After cutting through Jack Kerouca Lane we picked up Columbus again and passed the crowds outside The Stinking Rose before dropping back into Cafe Grecco for a cappuccino and a very tasty coconut macaroon.

There was one last mission for the evening, many people had told us that we should try a pizza from Tony's so we slipped down Stockton and Union and purchased a slice of Margherita to take out. This was eaten on Washington Square and oh my it was fantastic!

It was time to make our way back to the apartment on Jansen Street, just off Columbus and Lombard where we pretty much crashed out straight away.

We were up bright and early to make a start on the packing and left the apartment at about 0900 where we grabbed breakfast at 901 Columbus. Victoria had a cream cheese bagel while I had granola, yoghurt and strawberries.

By 10.00 we were picking up our hire car from Hertz on Washington Square, a rather dowdy Chrysler Sonic given some interest with Washington State plates, then back to apartment to load up our goodies and say goodbye to Peter our AirBnb host.

This is the first time we have used AirBnb but we will certainly do so again.

We drove out of San Francisco and picked up Highway One and after about three quarters of an hour were at our first destination of the day; The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. On our nights out in Nottingham we quite like a pint of their wares so while we are in California we thought it would be a great stop off point.

The bar is great and our server Zac was very helpful. To start with Victoria had a Sandy Beach Blonde while I had a Kolsch Style Ale. We were very tempted by food but we did have goodies from yesterdays trip to the farmers market. As I am driving my next drink was a IBC Root Beer, this had that lovely rich root beer taste I was after, Victoria sampled a 'Not For Sale Calf-Fine' which is a cold brew coffee milk stout and tasted lovely. For the last round I had their own  I.P.A. and Victoria a 'Not For Sale Saison'

Don't worry readers, we were not getting shit-faced at lunchtime, after the initial pint, all the other booze was were 4oz tasters.

We decided to take some carry-out, picking up a couple of bottles of 'Not For Sale Calf-Fine' and the IPA. We also cemented the reason for the trip and bought a dozen cans of the Mavericks Belgian Style Wit, one of Victorias' favourite ever.

So it was about 13.30 and we had spent over $50.00 in a bar, time to take a leisurely lunch on the beach. We enjoyed yesterdays purchases, tucking in to heritage tomatoes on sourdough, hummus and felafel, grapes and those lovely strawberries.

We then drove on for another 30 minutes arriving at Bean Hollow State Beach with is very interesting formations of Tafoni and toilets that would disgrace a Sealed Knot camp-site.

Finally, on to Santa Cruz and the Comfort Inn just off the Boardwalk where I am writing up this post and Victoria is grabbing a nap before an evening at the fun fair!

Enjoying our time in San Francisco

Carrying on from where we left of earlier.

After a short afternoon sleep to shrug off the jet-lag Victoria and I left the apartment and scaled Filbert Street (I really do mean scaled!) until we descended to Polk and found The Loving Cup, this is a Frozen Yogurt and Rice Pudding bar that Victoria has had her eye on for some time. Victoria had the coconut rice pudding while I opted for vanilla frozen yoghurt with strawberries and pineapple. Very nice they both were too and well worth the vertiginous ascent!

With our calves throbbing from the climb we elected to descend along Polk until we reached Aquatic park below Ghirardeli Square then turned right on to Beach. Passing Fishermans Wharf, at Boudin Bakery we enjoyed a sour dough bowl filled with rustic tomato soup.

Then made our way back up Mason to the apartment. Home just after 9PM and ready for a bed!

We enjoyed a light breakfast at the hipster Beacon coffee bar on Columbus, very tasty but the music was so loud that it was difficult to have your order heard.

After breakfast we walked to Taylor and bought an all day ticket for the cable cars and 'Muni' for $17.00 each. We then rode the Powell-Mason Cable Car  to Powell.

Riding the cable car is a great way to see San Francisco as you rattle along the tracks and up the steep hills.

We then walked along Market taking in the sights and sounds before boarding the California Cable Car and riding all the way up California to Van Ness.

California is a long straight run right to the top and over a very steep hill and affords beautiful views of the city right back to the Bay Bridge. At the end of the California line we walked along Sutter to JapanTown.

We enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat with some lovely locals in Benkyodo, we found out that the same family had owned the shop for over a 100 years and have been hand making Mochi daily. So of course we had to purchase a selection for later we then took a look at the 100ft structure that is the Peace Pagoda (a gift from the people of Osaka, Japan in1968) before some shopping in the Japantown Mall which is very reminiscent of Aquacity in Tokyo last year. We found the Daiso store and Victoria picked up some goodies to take home with her.

We walked back to the cable car stop and took the California Cable Car and back to Market Street and then on to the Ferry Plaza to pick up lunch.

We started with a lovely coffee at Blue Bottle which we enjoyed on the seating overlooking the bay before going back inside for a scrummy Cheese Toastie at our favourite place; the Cowgirl Creamery

Finally we had a scoop each of delicious ice cream at Humphrey Slocombe, Victoria choosing a scoop of Secret Breakfast - vanilla, cornflakes and bourbon!- while I had Toast and Jam.

Back out on the Embercadero we caught the Market Street Car to Haight and Gough. We then walked for a good forty-five minutes along lower and into upper Haight through some lovely areas with stunning looking Victorian houses and some pretty seedy places eventually passing Buena Vista Park and coming to Haight Ashbury. The legendary intersection of 60s flower power.

What a shit-hole!

After an hour or so of sight-seeing we caught the #6 back down Haight and along Market where we visited the Levi's store and purchased a pair of new jeans each, well at 30% off it's daft not to.

Feeling pretty footsore by now we caught the Embercado Street Car to Fishermans Wharf and then walked the short way back to the apartment on the junction of Columbus and Lombard.

We rested our weary feet for an hour or so before walking up to Fort Mason where they host the Off The Grid food event. Probably 30 or so food trucks laagered in a circle with bar and DJ in the centre. Walking over the bluffs above Fort Mason affords some spectacular views over San Francisco Bay including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

When you arrive at Off The Grid, you encounter wonderful sights and smells and some dubious sounds - the Clashs' Magnificent Seven mixed as a dance track harrumphed your correspondent!

We started of with a lovely veggie curry in a naan wrap from the Raj and Singh stall.

Next we shared a Bourbon Creme Brûlée at the Creme Brûlée cart, this was also very tasty.

We had another hour or so soaking up the atmosphere before heading back with a portion of Tots from Drewski these were tossed with garlic and rosemary.

Walking back along Bay enjoying the delicious Tots we hoped to pick up the Powell-Hyde Cable Car to the top of Lombard so we could walk down the zig-zag bit just above our apartment, but after a 20 minute wait it did not turn up so we walked home along Columbus and crashed out for the evening.

We both love San Francisco, but one thing is starting to niggle and that is the poor provision of healthcare in the United States. It seems that mental health issues in the poor are not dealt with appropriately and begging on the streets is their only option. The number of beggars in the city is shameful and society as a whole should be doing more for them.

Off to San Francisco

I had a terrible night sleep on Monday, so Tuesday was a drag at work as I struggled to keep my eyes open. However I finished work at 16:00 we soon had the car packed and were heading south.

We stopped off in Uxbridge for some supper at Zizzis', I had a lovely Rustica Pizza while Victoria had the Spaghetti Pomodoro. We finished off with a coffee and a shared Gelato before completing the final leg for that day at the Premier Inn.

Unfortunately the RCD key tripping out in the room, but apart from showering in the dark we both had a great nights sleep. Special mention for the staff at the Premier Inn on Shepiston Lane they always are very happy and helpful.

Up at 06.30 we dropped the car at Purple Parking and were soon in the Baggage Drop queue at Heathrow T5. Whoever is the Baggage Drop manager should hand their resignation in forthwith. One hour in a queue, but only half the stations manned. Come on British Airways, it's not like you don't know how many tickets you have sold on a given day.

After baggage drop we were swiftly through security and airside. Ready for breakfast we thought to give Gordon Ramseys' 'Plane Food' a try. I had the granola with yogurt and fruit, Victoria had scrambled eggs. Both were rather lovely. We polished off with a coffee and made our way to Gate B36 to board our flight to San Francisco.

After an uneventful flight and arriving at SFO we were met by our AirBnb host, Peter who drove is back to the lovely little apartment we have rented.

After dropping off the luggage we walked to Fishermans Wharf, along the Embercado and then back onto Columbus to have a very expensive cappuccino ($5.00) at Caffe Pellegrino on Washington Square. We walked up Columbus to the Hotel Boheme where we stayed on our visit last year and had a drink in the cafe opposite.

Back down Columbus we had a Bellini each at Panateri, a bargain at $3.00 and then finished off the evening with a pint of Speak Easy IPA at 901 Columbus, another Happy Hour bargain at $2.00 a pint!

It was only 2000 but given the eight hour time difference our bodies were screaming 0400, time for bed.

We both awoke at about 0230, but successfully got back to sleep and slept through to 0645.

We got showered and did some unpacking before a stroll up Columbus for a lovely breakfast at Cafe Greco. Victoria had a cream cheese bagel while I had scrambled eggs and cheese on a bagel.

We wandered through China Town and downtown having a look in the Levi's store, Bloomingdales and then into Macy's where Victoria had her brows done.

We walked along Market to the Ferry Building. At the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant www.fpwm.com I enjoyed a Fort Point Park Wheat followed by Ommegang Hennepin Saison and Victoria had a wine, a 2010 Sonoma Solstice Syrah,

Nicely refreshed we shared a Macaroni and Cheese from the Cowgirl Creamery before continuing up the Embercadero, we walked along the pier next to the San Francisco Bell paddle steamer. Carrying on we stopped at Pier 39 to enjoy the sword swallower/magician act. Then along the pier to take a look at the WWII Liberty ship and U.S.S. Pampanito then in to vintage arcades at Musee Mechanique.

San Francisco and the Redwoods.

I think I am pretty much over the jet-lag by now and am starting to wake up a a semi-reasonable time, if 0500 can be considered reasonable, but it matches my sleep patterns at home.

Today was our last day at Hotel Boheme and we were leaving S.F. We breakfasted at Cafe Puccini which is on Columbus directly opposite Hotel Boheme. Victoria having eggs over hard while I had a mushroom and Swiss cheese omelette, both served with fried potatoes and French bread.

We checked out of the Hotel Boheme and hailed a cab for the Hertz pickup on Beech Street where we rented our Ford Focus (bargain at £150 for 6 days). I'm not keen on automatic cars but have so far only brak-celerated the once.

From here we drove out to Fort Point, an American Civil War era battery built to protect Golden Gate Bay with excellent views of the Golden Gate Bridge. I'll blog more about that on Scrivsland.

From Fort Point we picked up Highway 101 and were on the way to our next destination. After stopping for fuel at Palo Alto and some pretty bad traffic on Highway 17 we eventually reached the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad just outside Felton.

We had originally planned to take the 14:00 Bear Mountain service but had missed that so instead purchased tiuckets for the 15:30. The place was rammed with parents and young children as they were having a 'Meet Thomas the Tank Engine' day, I iud not realise that Thomas was so big in the U.S.A.

Waiting for the train Victoria and I shared a veggie burger and fries and also had our first Root Beer of the trip. It was really hot again, the car was reading 34C so we also picked up a couple of bottles of water to take with us on the train.

We also got to try an "It's It" Icecream, inagine a giant Tunnocks Teacake with the marshmallow replaced by icecream. Very tasty, but like most American 'snack' food, I could not manage a whole one.

We soon had boardered the train and after raising steam were off. The journey only covers about eight miles but is a fantastic experience as the 100 year old wood burning steam train with the strange bevel geared drive arrangement of a Shay locomotive (I has to Wiki that) climbs up Bear Mountain through sone fantastic scenery in the Redwood Forests. The journey passes over a wooden trestle bridge and negotiates a pair of switchbacks before reaching the summit and you are allowed out to stretch your legs. At the top the track loops and then you are heading back down the way you came one again enjoying the fantastic Redwood forest. On the way down you are on the other side of the track so get the opportunity to catch anything you may have missed on the way up.

This is a great experience that I would highly recommend if you are near the area. On the walk back to the car we had another first while we shared a 'snow cone'. Imagine a 'jubblie' being made in front of you with the same 'no flavour after a few sucks icy-ness'.

We then completed our journey at the Fairview Manor Guest House in Ben Lomond, a wonderful place with a really friendly and helpful owners.

Thay evening we set out on our final adventure of the day and fulfilled one of Victorias ambitions of vsisting the Boardwalk at Santa Cruz, scene of the Lost Boys.

Taking Gail, the landladies advice we palked up on West Cliff and walked past the wharf and down onto the Boardwalk. We took in the sights,sounds and smells as we meandered among the stalls and hoardes of people there on a Saturday evening. We had hoped to ride the Giant Dipper but the queue was horrendous so we instead fulfilled another one of Victorias dreams and queued fifteen minutes for a Funnel Cake. Imagine a cake batter deep frieed like a doughnut about 7' in diameter, very tasty, but you could not manage a whole one.

We managed to avoid any Vampire encounters although one young girl did tell her parents "they are here"

I think my diet today has been sadly lacking in nutrients.

Walking back up the West Cliff we picked up the car and after a slight diversion onto Highway 17 - whoops - we were back at Ben Lomond and crashed out after another day of adventures.