Saturday, August 29, 2026

San Francisco, CA - April 2026

 A beautiful, clear day exploring San Francisco's main attractions. 

The Presidio and the Golen Gate Bridge:

The Golden Gate Bridge from Presidio National Park.



Taking the scenic route on the bridge.

View of the city from the bridge.


Leaving the Presidio on a clear day.

The San Francisco Bay, its iconic piers and Fisherman's Wharf :

Pier 43 with the Coit Tower in the background.

Fisherman's Wharf.


Yep! You can't visit SF without getting the famous clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl!

Making it to Pier 39.

Pier 39.

Leaving the waterfront, we continue to the next stop: "Palace of Fine Arts"

Palace of Fine Arts, a massive Greco-Roman-style landmark with open rotunda and colonade.

The "Palace" sitting right next to a beautiful and peaceful lagoon, was built for Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915 to exhibit works of art.



We also made a stop at the historic Ghirardelli Square, test-drove the legendary curves of Lombard Street, and finished the day taking in the breathtaking, panoramic views of the skyline from Twin Peaks.  



The iconic Columbus Tower (Sentinel Building) and Transamerica Pyramid on Columbus Avenue dominate the San Francisco skyline.

Looking up from the bottom of Lombard Street.

Houses on Lombard Street.


Cars coming down Lombard Street.

View from Lombard Street.


Twin Peaks overlook.


View from Twin Peaks.


Panoramic view of San Francisco skyline.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday, August 28, 2026

Chinatown - San Francisco, CA - April 2026

 In April, we headed out to California for Paul's niece, Eileen's wedding in French Camp, a suburb of Stockton. We flew into San Francisco a few days before the wedding and stayed near Chinatown. It was wonderful to revisit San Francisco after our last trip there about 30 years ago. 

Our first top was a self-guided walking tour through Chinatown, since our hotel was only a few blocks away. 


The Dragon Gate/Chinatown Gateway. 

St. Mary's Square.

Old St. Mary Cathedral.

Grant Avenue, main throroughfare of Chinatown.

A mural on ourwalk through Chinatown.

Waverly Place/Alley.

Tin How Temple - oldest temple in Chinatown.

Ross Alley, one block pedestrian alleyway located in the heart of Chinatown. As the oldest alleyway in San Francisco, it's famously home to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.


Fortune Cookie Factory.

Freshly baked "fortune cookie".

Paul, the factory owner and the cookie baker.

The iconic Transamerica Pyramid from the heart of Chinatown.


Wrapping up the evening at Fusion Dumpling!


                                                                       ðŸ˜‹ðŸ˜‹ðŸ˜‹