San Francisco!

We will be in San Francisco for a day and a half so I'm busy planning what to do and where to eat!  We're the only ship in port and will be docked at Pier 35 South.  We will be within walking distance of Fisherman's Wharf in one direction and the Ferry Building in the other direction.  Be sure to bring comfortable walking shoes and a jacket!  There's a famous quote from Samuel Clemens "The coldest winter I ever spent was the summer in San Francisco"!

I am so smiling!  A great friend of ours hails from the San Francisco area and he will be there when we are and has offered to be our tour guide for the day!  Thank you Esteban!  He's planning a great itinerary for us that includes Irish coffee and breakfast at Buena Vista Cafe, a scenic boat tour of the San Francisco Bay, late lunch at one of his favorite seafood restaurants, and as much as we can get in for our day in port!  Of course I don't even need to say that we won't have enough time... but my hubby always tells me that it's good to NOT have enough time because that means you enjoyed it and want to come back.  I guess he's right!

Whenever I think of San Francisco, I always start singing the  beautiful song “Are you Going to San Francisco?”  But wait, that’s not the title!  The title is really “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in your Hair)”.  It was written by John Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas, and sung by Scott McKenzie.  It was written and released in 1967.  McKenzie passed away on August 18, 2012 but he’ll be remembered for his biggest hit: “For those who come to San Francisco / Summertime will be a love-in there / In the streets of San Francisco / Gentle people with flowers in their hair.”  Click here for a YouTubevideo of Scott singing his famous song.

 

There’s yet another iconic song that was performed by legendary crooner, Tony Bennett – “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”   “I left my heart in San Francisco / High on a hill, it calls to me. / To be where little cable cars / Climb halfway to the stars!”  How beautiful and romantic is this song?  Here’s the YouTube video ofTony performing his song:

Now that we’ve got our play list for San Francisco, what shall we do there?  The possibilities are almost endless!  

• Viewing & Visiting Bridges:

We will be able to view the very special Bay Lights, a project that has turned the Bay Bridge into the world’s largest LED light sculpture every evening for the next two years. The project, headed up by technologist and artist Leo Villareal, will illuminate the 1.8 mile western span of the bridge with 25,000 LED lights individually programmed with unique algorithms to show a never-repeating display — it’ll be viewable from San Francisco and points north, but not to drivers crossing the bridge. The Bay Lights will be illuminated each night from dusk until 2:00am through 2015.  Click here for  YouTube video of the lights.

As for bridges, how about walking across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge? 

The Golden Gate Bridge is thought by many to be one of the most beautiful bridges in the world, and the opportunity to walk across at least part of it should not be missed. The bridge spans 1.7 miles, but most people only walk to the first tower and back again.

• A Visit to Alcatraz!

Alcatraz Island, located in the middle of San Francisco Bay, is a must-see attraction for any visitor to the area.  It’s an experience not to be missed; I vividly recall my tour there!  I was offered the opportunity to “visit” a solitary confinement cell and have the door shut & locked!  Can I just say “memorable”?  One of the most infamous prisons in the country for housing notorious criminals, Alcatraz holds much history that will interest buffs and novices alike.   Alcatraz is managed by the National Park Service and no longer accommodates prisoners.  It was used as a federal maximum security prison from 1934 until 1963, when it was closed due to high costs and security issues.

The Alcatraz tour is open 7 days a week; if you're interested, you should book tickets online in advance from the official Alcatraz cruises website, 

• Fishermen’sWharf

An article that I read in Huffington Post calls it “an essential tourist trap”.  It’s a great place to people watch, sample clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, see old wooden boats and the WWII ships Jeremiah O'Brioen (Liberty Ship) and USS Pampanito (submarine) at San Francisco Maritime and shop for souvenirs!  But perhaps best of all is the experience of watching the sea lions who have taken up residence at Pier 39!

• Buena Vista Cafe

You just stop in at the famous Buena Vista Cafe for a perfect cup of Irish coffee!  If you want to make it at home, here's their recipe:  
Fill glass with very hot water to pre-heat; then empty. Pour hot coffee into hot glass until it is about ¾ full.  Drop in two cocktail sugar cubes. Stir until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved.  Add full jigger if Irish whiskey for proper taste and body.  Top with a collar of lightly whipped whipping cream by pouring gently over a spoon.  Enjoy it while piping hot.

• GhiradelliSquare 

This specialty retail and dining complex, housing shops and restaurants, was originally a chocolate factory established by Domenico “Domingo” Ghirardelli.  Get free samples of chocolate at the chocolate & ice cream shop!

• Ferry BuildingMarketplace  

Most reviews say this is definitely worth a visit.  This is a fun place to wander around with lots of unique shops and restaurants.  Think wine, cheese, chocolate, bread... The building itself is a gem, inspired by a 12th century bell tower in Spain, with a beautiful view of the Bay Bridge. 

• Enjoy a cocktail and breathtaking views from the rooftop bar,Top of the Mark at the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel. 

• Enjoy a wine country tour to Sonoma or Napa Valley.  A couple of recommendations from CruiseCritic and Tripadvisor are Terrific Tours and Wine Country Tour Shuttle.