Monday, August 6, 2012

Into August, San Francisco, Alcatraz, and Jelly Bellies

The past week has flown by. Appointments, Bible studies, church visits and even a whirlwind tour of San Francisco!

Two friends of ours in the Sacramento area offered to take us into San Francisco for an overnight look-see. We drove down to their place Thursday evening and on Friday morning, headed out to The City from the north to enter over the Golden Gate Bridge. While I'd been to San Francisco probably 40 years ago, neither Karen nor I had ever been over the Golden Gate.

When we arrived in Sacramento Thursday evening, it was 98 degrees. When we arrived in San Francisco Friday morning it was 55 degrees, cold, foggy, and windy. THAT was a contrast. Most of the folks in town were dressed as if it were December instead of August. We were glad we packed long pants and sweatshirts. The sun did come out mid-day, but it still didn't warm up much.

As we neared the approach to the Golden Gate, all traffic stopped. All the inbound lanes became a parking lot and no traffic appeared on the outbound side of the roadway. We sat there for nearly a half hour, eventually learning later (from the tour bus driver) that the authorities had closed the bridge because someone had decided to climb one of the bridge's towers and the authorities were getting the climber down. All in a days work in San Francisco, I guess.

We were also treated to tour Alcatraz Island and then, on the way home, we stopped to tour the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield. Thanks Chuck and Barbara for being such wonderful hosts!

 The Golden Gate Bridge!

 Alcatraz cruise and tour departure dock.

Alcatraz Island

 Inside "D Block" at Alcatraz

 The view of San Francisco from Alcatraz Island.

Here we are with Chuck and Barbara inside Boudin's Bakery on Pier 39. We're eating clam chowder served in bowls of Boudin's famous sourdough bread.

 California Sea Lions are a major attraction at Pier 39.

 Driving down Lombard Street in San Francisco.

 Waiting for a tour inside the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield, CA.

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