San Francisco, California. When Reality Exceeds Your Wildest Dreams

Day One Thursday 03 Sep 2015

Ascending through Union Square reviled subtle hints of what San Francisco might have to offer as an inquisitive wanderer.

A haphazard capture between standing passengers helps to depict the immense undulation felt throughout this city.

Atop Lombard street, still for a brief moment, we catch a glimpse of that most iconic Alcatraz Island. 

Alcatraz, sits in San Francisco Bay 1.25 miles from mainland, so close you can almost reach out and grab it!

After some much needed refreshment provided by Lou's Fish Shack my partner Charlotte and I headed back to the Powell-Hyde Cable Car Turntable.

We arrived at the turntable just in time to watch the sun disappear behind the Golden Gate Bridge.

Day Two Friday 04 Sep 2015

The agenda for day two was to grab some bicycles and get closer to that bridge!

We chose to grab our bikes from Blazing Saddles and left their shop on Hyde St around 11:00am, headed toward the bridge and around the bay. 

The San Francisco Bay Trail is ideal; occupied by bikers and runners all exercising in the California sun.  

Climbing the Battery East Trail towards the golden gate bridge reveals the first views back towards the city.

It is hard to achieve a true sense of scale when approaching this bridge, measuring 1.7 miles long and 227 meters tall vehicles and people appear miniaturised against the grand structure.

Further down the hillside we stopped to grab lunch, If the sandwiches are good enough for local law enforcement then there probably good enough for us. and the view wasn't too bad either?  

Somewhere in all the excitement I managed to take a wrong turn. leaving us rather far away from the ferry we were supposed to catch back!

With some perseverance and the help of a trail map we peddled further away from the city into the unknown.

Until suburbia saved the day, a ferry port, taking people to the city.    

This ride turned out to be some of the most fun I have ever had on a bicycle going the wrong way ended up being the right way this time as our return journey by ferry brought us closer to Alcatraz Island.

Day Three Saturday 05 Sep 2015.

Alcatraz Island! today was the day we got to explore this iconic prison. a short trip across the water aboard a rather large ferry.

Your perception of the trip across the water rapidly changes once upon the island. Ever get the feeling you're being watched? Almost undistinguishable from afar, guard towers silence any thoughts of escape.    

Stepping on the island is like stepping back in time, there are even some original island vehicles on display one of which was this Immaculately restored 1934 Diamond T fire engine.

Once inside conditions become apparent and after walking through the processing rooms you experience the full extent of the prison arrangement and all of the incredible history that goes with it.

I have decided to leave out images of the cells and the main body of the prison giving you only glimpses of the laundry room, yard, kitchen and external buildings, as it truly is something that needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.         

Back on the mainland we headed toward Coit Tower via the Transamerica Pyramid! 

I would recommend Coit Tower to anyone who visits this city, views extend over San Francisco and afford a unique perspective for a reasonable price.  

The remainder of our third day in the city was spent exploring, ending back down at Fisherman's Wharf stumbling upon a San Francisco Lowrider meet!

And so ends our time in San Francisco, Instalment 1/3 from our California/Nevada travels.

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