Friday, July 20, 2012
Building Number One
There we were in the middle of Silicon Valley: two long-time Apple and Macintosh Computer users! Cupertino, California, the world headquarters of Apple, was a mere six miles away. We decided to make the pilgrimage to the official “Visitor’s Center”. :-)
The Visitor’s Center at Apple Headquarters
We did know that they didn’t sell computers at the store. Jeff had checked it all out before we arrived. They sold just t-shirts, caps, and other small computer accessories. Of course, they had several models of the latest computers on display to try out.
Inside the Visitors Center
I was very surprised to see that the place was crowded! Apparently there are many other Apple devotees who wanted to make the pilgrimage to the Holy Grail!
Of course, our goal for the day was to reach San Francisco so we tore ourselves away from Apple Headquarters and continued North to the “City by the Bay”.
Our First View of San Francisco
Yes! This is a real photo of San Francisco (not Photo-shopped) with a 100 percent cloudless blue sky!! We certainly were lucky!
Up Powell Street Hill
We left our luggage at the Inn and continued to Fisherman’s Wharf to return the car to the Hertz office located there. There was lots of traffic and people and noise and confusion, but we made it and dropped off the rental car. San Francisco is not an easy city to drive in!
Down the Other Side of the Hill
It was an extraordinarily beautiful day and it was a relief to get rid of the rental car. Now we were free to roam the city without the responsibility of someone else’s car. :-) We were in Fisherman’s Wharf – a BIG tourist destination, so we decided to start our explorations there.
Fisherman Wharf Sign
This is a large area of San Francisco which historically was the fishing center of the city. Today, it is mainly a tourist destination filled with restaurants, shops, and street entertainment. It was packed with lots of tourists from all over the world.
At the Wharf
We walked around the wharf looking at the shops and the tourists. It was a noisy and carnival atmosphere and there was a lot to see. I’m not a shopper so I’m never tempted to buy lots of chachkas and junk.
Old Fashioned Trolleys
I love these old trolley cars! I remember the first time I visited San Francisco with my two young sons, sometime in the late 1970s. We had fun riding on all the different kinds of public transportation vehicles: trolleys, buses, cable cars, trams, trains, etcetera. We discovered that San Francisco was a transportation wonder-land.
The Musee Mecanique
Jeff and I stumbled upon the Musee Mecanique. It is a free museum sponsored by the City of San Francisco and houses hundreds of old mechanized amusements. See the website for the history of the collection: www.museemechanique.com
The Thimble Theatre
The Oldest Amusement in the Museum
Moving Toothpick Construction
Another Mechanical Amusement
Boudin Bakery & Cafe
We had a late lunch at the Boudin Bakery & Cafe. Then looked around at their shop and took photographs. There was a big area showing the bakers rolling and baking bread. San Francisco is famous for “sour dough” bread.
Sour-dough Bread For Sale
Bread Basket
After lunch, we walked further down the wharf to Pier 39. Jeff had seen seals here on a previous visit and we wanted to see them again.
Sign for Pier 39
There were just a few seals on the docks. A sign explained that the seals go elsewhere during the summer to raise their young. Then they return during the cooler weather and spend their winters here.
Sleeping Seal
The sign also explained that the seals first arrived on these docks just 22 years ago, after a particularly strong earthquake. They have returned every winter since then. Jeff said that all the docks were full of seals when he saw them.
More Sleeping Seals
Carousel on Pier 39
Mickey Doll
Another Cool Old Trolley
Bag Piper in the Park
We became tired after walking around for several hours, so we decided to ride a bus back to the Inn. The piper in the photo was in Union Square Park playing his bag pipe while we walked by. He looked regal standing in the bright sun while playing a Scottish marching tune. (I have to remember to crop out the tourist in the striped shirt when I get home!)