San Francisco

Driving into San Francisco was quite hairy. We were already anxious about being over an hour late dropping off the van but when we came to the Golden Gate Bridge and found that there was a toll but no cash facilities, we panicked and just busted on through. Apart from that anxiety it was a great drive. It is a magnificent bridge. Finally dropped Keith off at Fisherman's Wharf and grabbed a burger at a Cuban food van.

We then walked around all the tourist area and then slowly up the very steep hill through China Town and Nob Hill towards our hotel. It took us about four hours because we kept stopping to look at the sights. Also Tom was in pain some of the time with what he thinks is a hernia. We will see a doctor when we get to Charlevoix.

This is the Grace Cathedral; an amazing liberal Episcopalian church - very gay friendly. It had gorgeous metal doors and inside lots of colored ribbons hung from the ceiling - all inscribed with tiny prayers.

Got to our comfy Cova Hotel and had a relaxing bath and then sauntered out for a cheap but delicious Vietnamese meal. Our hotel is in the tenderloin district and apparently we are right in the Vietnamese section. A disturbing thing about San Francisco or the area we are staying is that there are a lot of homeless and sometimes crazy people who lunge at you and sometimes ask for money.

Next morning we caught a shuttle down to Fisherman's Wharf to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. I bought the tour from Australia which was lucky. If I'd been trying to buy them now, the first available tour was two months away. It was very windy and cold on the island. All the Park Rangers were very informative and eloquent speakers. We heard all sorts of stories about the island from its early military beginnings to the gaol that housed Al Capone and the Birdman of Alcatraz to the native American occupation in the late sixties and early seventies. We spent a couple of hours walking around buffeted by the wind and serenaded by the screeching gulls.

After the tour we had to try the famous Dungeness crab for lunch. This was a messy but delicious business.

We ate outside in the howling wind surrounded by screeching gulls, street musicians and mad people shouting at the birds. Then we walked back up another steep hill. Saw a crazy winding street that snaked around in zigzags. Tourists were taking photos of cars driving down the bendy road.

We got back to our hotel and went out for lovely Thai meal. Again we saw more homeless and crazy people. We came across a huge queue of smelly, mentally and physically disabled people lining Ellis Street (where our hotel is) waiting for a meal from a shelter. It was quite daunting. Life is so unfair. These people through no fault of their own are living a hard and disadvantaged life. Tomorrow we fly to Chicago and then on to Traverse City where Phil will pick us up and drive us home.