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bt3.com/Baz's 1992 USA Holiday
California and the Golden West.
Where and how?
Day 9: Thursday October 1

 

 

 

The USA. As I mentioned at the time you clicked the link to this page?

To be precise, a fully escorted coach tour, starting in San Diego CA and thence stopping in Phoenix Arizona, Williams AZ, Las Vegas Nevada, Visalia, Merced, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo before finishing the tour in Anaheim near Los Angeles (all California).

Marvellous.

No, better than that, the Holiday of a Lifetime.

Do yourself a favour, and navigate through this holiday using the hyperlinks scattered throughout the text. If you want to go back to the start, or feel a need to go to my site homepage, well, by now you should know what to do? :o)

 

The first time *I* ever remember being on holiday in October!  :o)

Today's journey, of 132 miles from Merced to San Francisco, saw us drive along highway 140 to Interstate 5, then northwards to Interstates 580 and 80 into the city. Close to the city, the weather grew grey, and we saw the first rain of the holiday.

We entered the city via the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge in a heavy drizzle, but on reaching the bay near Pier 39 the rain stopped to be replaced by sunshine. The few minutes waiting for the bay cruise to commence were spent trying to find a relatively sheltered viewing platform. The sun didn't seem to have much of an effect over the stiff breeze, the temperature reaching a low of 48 degrees F. Leaving the pier we passed a large group of sea lions lounging near the harbour entrance and made our way out into the bay. The water, as expected from the bay's sheltered location was calm as the boat paralleled the shore to give superb views of the San Francisco city skyline. We cruised under the Golden Gate Bridge, made a sweeping turn to starboard, back under the bridge and headed for the one-time prison island of Alcatraz. Making a close pass along the opposite side of the island to the city, we returned to Pier 39 via the Bay Bridge.

We entered the city via the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge in a heavy drizzle, but on reaching the bay near Pier 39 the rain stopped to be replaced by sunshine. The few minutes waiting for the bay cruise to commence were spent trying to find a relatively sheltered viewing platform. The sun didn't seem to have much of an effect over the stiff breeze, the temperature reaching a low of 48 degrees F. Leaving the pier we passed a large group of sea lions lounging near the harbour entrance and made our way out into the bay. The water, as expected from the bay's sheltered location was calm as the boat paralleled the shore to give superb views of the San Francisco city skyline. We cruised under the Golden Gate Bridge, made a sweeping turn to starboard, back under the bridge and headed for the one-time prison island of Alcatraz. Making a close pass along the opposite side of the island to the city, we returned to Pier 39 via the Bay Bridge.

Yes, you read that twice, because it's *in* twice.  Got to keep you alert somehow!  ;o)

By this time, we was feeling hungry, for some reason not wishing to buy any food at the morning rest stop, but after disembarking, we were ushered swiftly back to the tour coach to meet the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce appointed guide, Nancy. During the tour through the city centre, taken at a fair pace, Nancy pointed out the various areas, from the brightly painted houses of one of the older sections of town, to the areas where the majority of residents are gay, and whose homes can supposedly be recognised by the multi coloured rainbow flags fluttering outside. (Not entirely sure about this 'fact' ... why not correct me if I'm wrong?)

By far the luckiest of chances on the tour came on reaching the top of the Twin Peaks to see the whole of the city spread before us. The rain of only a few hours earlier had disappeared to be replaced by bright sunshine and crystal clear air. We passed through the shopping and financial centres and the red light district.

The coach crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge, far longer than I had expected, and not golden at all, but a kind of rusty brown painted colour, over to the Sausalito side, then re-crossed back to San Francisco and our hotel, the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway.

Waiting for the evening's excursion to eat turned out to be the best decision we could have made. The visit to the Fairmont Hotel, the scene of the 'Hotel' film and television series provided a glimpse of how the other half lives. After passing through the hotel's sumptuous lobby, we entered the Crown Room, to be greeted by the finest buffet I had seen. The selection, including smoked salmon, squid, crab, shark, cooked meats, salads and dressings, cakes and pastries was superbly presented as well as being delicious.

After the relaxing meal, the too-good-to-miss opportunity came to ride down the side of the hotel in the 'Skylift', a glass walled elevator. Leaving the Fairmont Hotel, we made the short journey to the Hyatt Regency Hotel with its stunning atrium architecture, location of the 'Towering Inferno' film scene where the building's elevators, similar to the one at the Fairmont, but due to the design actually inside, simulated outside elevators due to the easier access.

We crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge for a breathtakingly beautiful view of the city by night. The twinkling lights almost rivalled the ones of San Diego seen as we came in over that city to touch down, however, all too soon we were back on the coach for the return to the Holiday Inn, but carrying memories of a most civilised evening.


To Day 10

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