City by the Bay Letterboxing Trip

Thomas is attending the WASHTO Annual Meeting in San Francisco. How could I not tag along?!?!? I will be letterboxing and walking the city while Thomas is at the conference. And when the conference is done we will do a little sightseeing.
August 3 - 10, 2013

Walking Tours: North Beach and Chinatown

This is our last day in San Francisco and we have two tours scheduled. These are walking tours of North Beach and Chinatown. We ended up sleeping in and then we started to get our luggage ready for tomorrow's flight. I also got our boarding passes as well before we headed out for the day. We took a bus up to the North Beach area and got off at Washington Square at Union and Columbus. From here we walked around looking for a place to have breakfast. We found a place that looked pretty good and we put our names on the list. We ended up waiting about 20 minutes for a table at Café Divine. It turned out to be pretty good and we had great views from the window. We ate a leisurely breakfast and talked about how nice this trip was.

Exercise or Dance at Washington Square Park

After breakfast we walked around Washington Square and did some people watching. There were lots of people out this morning - some playing with their dogs, some exercising, some dancing and some just sitting and reading. Then we crossed the street and went inside Saints Peter and Paul Church just for a look-see. After seeing the church we went to the little park at Union and Columbus to meet our tour guide for our first walking tour - North Beach.

City Lights Bookstore

The tour started and ended at Washington Square Park and took us all around the North Beach area. During the tour the guide pointed out places of interest and good restaurants. The highlights included Washington Square Park, The Stinking Rose, Saints Peter and Paul Church, Sentinel Building, Café Zoetrope, Beat Museum, City Lights Bookstore, Beach Blanket Babylon Street (where the play Beach Blanket Babylon is hosted), Café Jacqueline, Caffe Trieste, Mama's on Washington Square and the Vesuvio Café. This area was home to the Beat Generation - people who lived here were Kerouac, Ginsberg and Burroughs. This was a great tour and an interesting area - next time we visit San Francisco we want to spend more time here.

Mural and Quote on the side of the Vesuvio Café

When this tour ended we hopped on a bus and took it back to Union Square to start our Chinatown tour. Turns out we had the same tour guide which was nice because we were already used to his style.

Chinatown Gate

This tour took us all through Chinatown into some of the back alleys and parks away from the main area of Grant Street. We saw lots of interesting things and heard some great stories. Some of the highlights were - Chinatown Gate, Waverly Place, Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, Kong Chow Temple, St. Mary's Church, Tien Hau Temple, Stockton Street Mural - Chinese Railroad Workers, Golden Gate Bakery, House of Nanking, Bonsai Villa, St. Mary's Square and Portsmouth Square. We stopped in at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory and we got hot samples and took some pictures.

Jun Yu

And next to the factory is a barber shop and the man that owns it sits outside and plays the ehru. He was out there when we passed and he was playing Christmas carols. You can hear him at Ehru in Chinatown. We also heard the story of Donaldina Cameron who saved young Chinese girls from prostitution - very interesting and heroic. Our tour ended on Grant St. at a shoppping mall and Thomas and I decided to find somewhere to eat while we were here. The tour guide really recommended House of Nanking. So we made our way over to the restaurant and luckily we didn't have to wait (apparently there usually is a line to get in). We got a table at the window where we could watch people passing by. We ended up sharing chicken chow mein and sesame chicken. It was so good and we really enjoyed this place. After a great meal we made our way back towards the hotel so that we could get packed and ready for our flight in the morning. But we took a quick detour along Sutter St. to the Hotel Vertigo to find lost sailor's and Bell Motel's Vertigo letterbox. We entered the hotel as if we were staying there and took the elevator to the box's location. I quickly located the box and found a secluded corner to sit and stamp in. Once the box was in place I took some pictures of the staircase which I could see would inspire vertigo. We left this hotel and returned to our hotel. We are now packed and ready for our flight home.

Hotel Vertigo Stairs

Touring 'The Rock' and San Francisco

Today we were scheduled for two tours - one for Alcatraz and one for a driving tour of the city.

Cable Cars at Powell and Market

We started our day at 8:00am when we went for some breakfast at a little restaurant a block away from the hotel. After eating a nice breakfast we walked down to the end of Powell at Market and decided to ride the cable car to Fisherman's Wharf and since the line wasn't too long we waited for the next car.

Cable Car View of the Bay Bridge

Our wait was only a few minutes and when we got on the car we nabbed one of the outside benches. The morning was foggy and overcast with some drizzling rain. So riding the cable car down to Fisherman's Wharf was perfect. We got to enjoy the ride and got to see a few things along the way. We got off the cable car at the end of the line and then walked to the place where we had to check in for our tours which was on Beach St. between Mason and Taylor. I booked these tours through GuideYou.com but the tour company for today's tours was American Guide Tours. They operate from a little counter in Mamita's Restaurant. I was a little skeptical when we walked up to the place but all was well. We checked in and got our tickets for Alcatraz and our walking tour tickets. Today we were going to Alcatraz in the morning and then taking a driving tour of the city. From the check in place we had to get to Pier 33 by 10:30am for an 11:00am departure to Alcatraz.

Sea Lions at Pier 39

There is only one company that provides ferries to the island and that is Alcatraz Cruises and that is why we had to be at Pier 33 at a certain time. We still had a little over an hour before we had to be at the pier so we wandered through Pier 39 and watched the sea lions for a bit and then we stopped and had some coffee. We eventually made our way to the place where you line up to board the boat but we had to wait until they finished boarding the 10:30am folks. Then we were in line and put through a little maze (just like the lines when you are at DisneyLand or such) and wait. Our tickets were checked three times and then we were finally on board.

Alcatraz Island

It was a short ride to Alcatraz and when we got off the boat we had to gather around one of the rangers for a short introduction and a list of rules. This was pretty short and then we were free to explore the island. I first went into the bookstore to get my National Passport Stamps and then we started walking around. We took our time walking up the four switchbacks to the cell block building. We stopped along the way to read signs, look at the views, watch the birds and take pictures.

Arriving at Alcatraz Island

When we arrived at the cell blocks we got our audio tour and headed out. We followed the audio tour throughout all the areas of the cell blocks and learned quite a lot about life on Alcatraz. Once the audio tour was done we returned our headsets and left the cell blocks and wandered around a bit before heading back to the dock. I am glad we took this tour I have been wanting to get to the island for a long time now - I am just glad it was for a visit and not for being a prisoner. The cells were small and there wasn't much of a view from them. I also like that once you are on the island you can take as much time as you want as long as you are on the last boat back to San Francisco. I want to go back and visit the island again but I would like to do the night tour. For this trip we barely got tickets - they sell out fast and you need to make reservations early. Or you can do like I did and book it through one of the tour companies. Ours worked out well and we enjoyed it tremendously. Here are some links about Alcatraz that I read before going on the tour.

A Brief History of Alcatraz
Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island: An Inescapable Experience
Alcatraz Prison: History and Facts About Alcatraz
Novato Woman Recalls Growing up on Alcatraz
Former Alcatraz Resident Darlyne Sheppeard Recalls Growing Up At America's Most Infamous Prison
Overland Park woman packing bags for reunion on Alcatraz
Alcatraz History

Alcatraz Cell

Recreation Yard

Alcatraz Escape Route

Looking Down "Broadway"

After our visit to Alcatraz we took the ferry back to San Francisco and began walking along Beach Street.

San Francisco National Cemetery

We had to return to the check in place for the tours to catch a bus for a driving city tour which started at 3:15pm.

Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Point

We still had about an hour so we walked until we found a little restaurant and stopped for some lunch. Now that we were full we finished our walk to catch our bus. Our tour bus was a simple open top bus that took us on a driving tour of the city and it lasted about 3 hours.

Japanese Tea Garden Entrance

We started on Beach St. and drove by Fisherman's Wharf, Ghiradelli Square and then across the Marina District. We then drove through the Presidio past the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco National Cemetery and then headed over the Golden Gate Bridge and back.

Corner of Haight & Ashbury

We continued through the Presidio and then exited at the Arguello Gate and drove south to Golden Gate Park. We drove past the de Young Museum, Japanese Tea Garden and California Academy of Sciences before exiting the park at McLaren Lodge.

Haight Street Legs

Next we headed down Haight St. where the "Summer of Love" took place. We got to see beautiful murals and architecture as well as some interesting sculpture. Leaving Haight St. we drove around Alamo Square and saw the famous "Painted Ladies" and then drove through the Tenderloin District - told to us by the tour guide as not the safest place in San Francisco. The bus next took us through Union Square, Financial District, North Beach and Chinatown before making our way back to where the bus tour started. It was now around 6:30pm and we decided we wanted to head back our hotel. We were both tired and decided to skip dinner and take the bus back to Union Square and get to the hotel. We had a fun and full day and got a great perspective of the city. I also found one letterbox today but I won't say where it was because it was a mystery and it was a good hide and fun find.

The 'Painted Ladies' with San Francisco Back Drop

Day Three - On My Own in San Francisco

Thomas has his last day of his conference today and I again am on my own. We did end up having breakfast together before we each started our own day. When I left the restaurant I walked up to Geary Street and took the #38L (again - it seems to be my favorite bus) all the way west to Sutro Heights Park. The driver I had was so nice he watched out for me and told me where I needed to get off the bus and where to catch it again to get back to Union Square.

View from Sutro Park looking South

So I started looking for boxes in Sutro Heights Park but only found one out of three and I wasn't too impressed with the boxes but I did enjoy walking around the park and I also enjoyed the views of the beach. I took some pictures of lions that are at the entrance to the park and saw a sign showing a big gate that also used to be at the entrance - it looked pretty fancy to me. I then left the park and crossed the street to the Lands End Visitor Center. There was a really nice guy working there and he helped to make sense of the area and I got a National Passport Stamp. He also gave me some maps highlighting things and told me where I could pick up more Passport Stamps. So I headed out to the Cliff House to get three more Passport Stamps and when that was done I walked down to the Sutro Bath Ruins. Walking around the ruins I was looking for a couple of letterboxes so I kept my eyes open for landmarks. I found the first landmark and a kind of looked for the box. It may very well be there but I didn't put much work into it for personal reasons I won't go into now. Then I continued on to the next box and I did look for this one but came up empty handed.  So I climbed the stairs up to the Coastal Trail and started a little hike. Somehow I missed the landmark for one of my boxes and I didn't want to go back so I continued on the trail and found the next landmark. Following the clues I found Silver Eagle's Hangman Game 11 off on a side trail out of the view of anyone. I sat and stamped in loving the little stamp in the microbox.

Pelican at Lands End

After rehiding I continued on my walk and shortly came to the next trail I was looking for. This trail was a set of steps heading down to Mile Rock Beach and the Lands End Labyrinth. There were two boxes I was looking for here but with a fair amount of trying I still came up empty handed. So I walked the labyrinth and enjoyed the views of the Golden Gate Bridge from this vantage point. I also enjoyed the pelicans flying around the area.

The Palace of the Legion of Honor

And talk about weather changes - on the main trail it was cloudy, misting and chilly and by the time I got to the labyrinth the sun was out and it was beautiful. I spent about an hour here before ascending back up the stairs to the main trail. From there I made my way up to the Palace of the Legion of Honor. When I got there I followed clues for three boxes, out of the three I found only one - and that box was completely empty - so I was 0 for 3 at this place. Now it was time to leave Lincoln Park and head over to the Presidio. But I wasn't sure how to do that except to walk and that was a pretty far distance. I found a bus stop and there just so happened to be a bus parked there so I asked the driver how I could get to the Palace of Fine Arts and he told me he could take his bus to Geary and then catch the #38L again to Park Presidio and then I could take the #28 into the Presidio. Once I got onto the #28 I asked the driver what I needed to do to get to the Palace of Fine Arts. He told me he goes there and would let me know when to leave the bus - and he did just that - it was so nice not to be worried about getting off at the wrong stop.

Palace of Fine Arts

At the Palace of Fine Arts I went in search of the letterbox that eluded me on Saturday. This time I hit pay dirt and found the box. I was so happy and I have to tell you that hanging out in this area was wonderful, it is so beautiful.

Wave Organ

After stamping in and rehiding the box I walked north to the bay and followed a little jetty out to the Wave Organ. I went there because I wanted to see and hear the organ but I was also looking for two boxes. I searched but didn't find the boxes but I did sit and enjoy the sounds of the water and the views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge were amazing. For some reason when it was time to leave I decided I wanted to walk (I don't know why, I have been walking all week) to Fisherman's Wharf. So I followed Marina Blvd. and walked along the bay and around Fort Mason and onto Fisherman's Wharf.

Seals at Pier 39

I thought I would look for something to eat in this area but nothing struck me so I ended up just walking around. I took a few pictures of the sea lions and went into a couple of shops before deciding to head back to the Union Square area. I took the #8X down Powell to the Union Square - it was a quick and fast ride. I then found a store and bought a few snacks to take back to the hotel for dinner - I wasn't feeling like I wanted to sit in a restaurant and Thomas had his final dinner with the conference tonight, so I was on my own. I returned to the room, showered and then ate while watching The Big Bang Theory. Tomorrow we have another tour - this one is Alcatraz and a City Tour. I think it will be enjoyable - I am really looking forward to visiting Alcatraz.

Lion at Sutro Heights Park

Lions at Lands End Lookout Visitor Center

Lion at Palace of Legion of Honor

Day Two - On My Own in San Francisco

This morning started out slow. I don't know what it was but I just couldn't get moving. I was up by 7:00am but I didn't leave the room until 10:00am and I can't account for the time.

Spire by Andy Goldsworthy

Anyway I finally left the hotel and walked up to Geary Street to take the #38L over to the west side of the city. My plan was to go back to the Palace of Fine Arts to look for this box I couldn't find on Saturday. But plans changed. I missed the stop I needed and ended up four blocks further west than I wanted - and the blocks here aren't short ones. So I made a decision and headed into the Presidio at Arguello Street. This took me right to the golf course and I made my way around it until I found what I was looking for. Once I got to the location I went in search of a letterbox but unfortunately came up empty handed. Not sure what I did wrong but I just couldn't find the box but I really enjoyed the area. Then I walked over to Inspiration Point and enjoyed the view of the bay and Alcatraz while I thought about where I wanted to go next. I wasn't sure what bus I needed or where to catch it so I ended up walking to Golden Gate Park.

I entered the park and had no idea where I was at since the map I was using wasn't a detailed map of the park.

Conservatory of Flowers

The path I was on lead me to Conservatory Drive which I followed to the Conservatory of Flowers. The area was packed and I soon found out why - it was a free admission day. So I decided I didn't want to wait in line to get in so I just walked around the area for a little while and then I grabbed a bottle of water and sat on the lawn out front and enjoyed the day. When I finished the water I went in search of a letterbox, which I never found. I got so confused about what path I was suppose to take that I just started walking down any dirt path looking for scrub oaks. Anyway after 20 minutes I gave up and continued on my little outing. From the Conservatory I walked along John F. Kennedy Drive and then turned to go to the de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences.

de Young Museum

I didn't actually go in to either of these but just walked around the outside areas. I was really enjoying being outdoors today. In this area I looked for JayTee's SQUIRRELY letterbox. It was a pretty easy find and I was glad that I at least found one box today. After stamping in I put the box back in place and got my backpack all settled and decided to call it a day and return to the hotel. I had to ask two people where to leave the park and which bus to take back to the hotel. Eventually I got the information I needed and left the park at 8th Street and Fulton Street. I can't remember now which bus I took but it did get me back to Union Square. I returned to the room and Thomas was there - he was finished for the day and had the night off. We rested for about an hour and then decided to head out for dinner.

We decided to walk around Union Square for a bit and then decided on Italian for dinner. The place we ended up eating at was Puccini and Pinetti. It was a good meal and we relaxed and talked. After dinner we took another walk before returning to the hotel. Tonight is an early night and we are both glad about that. I need the rest for tomorrow - again I am on my own and I think I am also on my own for dinner as well. Thomas' conference ends tomorrow and I think they have a big dinner planned. We will see what happens.

Day One - On My Own in San Francisco

Today is Thomas' first full day at the conference so I am on my own to explore the city. Once I was up and dressed I spent a little time organizing things for the day. At about 8:15am I headed out. I decided I wanted to walk just to get a feel for things and get to see the city. Riding the buses is fine but you don't get to see as much. Leaving the hotel (which is on Cyril Magnin) I headed west on Eddy and walked about three or four blocks and then turned south on Leavenworth and went to the UN Plaza on Market.

City Hall

From here I walked through the Plaza and made my way to City Hall. I took a few pictures along the way and a few pictures of City Hall before going inside. After I got through security I did a self guided walking tour (they do have guided tours but the first one didn't start until 10:00am and I didn't want to wait) and took a ton of pictures.

Grand Staircase in City Hall

This building is absolutely beautiful and I ended up spending about 40 minutes there. Finally I left and walked over to the San Francisco Public Library but it wasn't open yet so I made my way back to Market Street. I followed Market southwest until I arrived at Valencia Street. My destination for the morning was the Mission District. Walking south along Valencia I enjoyed the early morning and just took my time. Eventually I came upon Clarion Alley. So I detoured here to take pictures of all the murals adorning the walls of this alley. There is some incredible art here and I enjoyed walking up and down the alley.

Clarion Alley Mural

Clarion Alley Mural

 Then I continued my walk to my goal of the area between 18th and 20th Streets. Here I was looking for letterboxes placed by Paul in SF. From some research and talking to some other letterboxers and emailing Paul I realized that not all the boxes were there. But I had my heart set on finding at least one of his boxes. It was still a little early when I arrived and most of the places were closed so I went to Javalencia Cafè and had some coffee and a bagel. When I was done I set out to find the boxes. The first I tried was closed (as in out of business - the name was still painted on the window but the place was empty) but the next place was open and I found my first (and only) Paul in SF letterbox. The guys at the counter gave me the box and I found a place to sit and stamp in. When I was done I returned the box and thanked the guys and moved on. The rest of my time on Valencia Street went like this - the next place I tried was also out of business, then the next was closed for renovations, the next had no idea what I was talking about, the next I couldn't find the place (was looking for a number in the name of the store) and the last place didn't open until later on. I was disappointed because I really wanted more of Paul's artwork but happy that at least I found one. Well it was time to move on and do more.

Mission Dolores

So I walked a couple of blocks west to Dolores Park and then headed north to Mission Dolores (Mission San Francisco de Asis). At the Mission I paid my $5 and headed in for a self guided tour. As I walked through the old mission I was taken back to Santa Fe. This building reminded me a lot of Loretto Chapel and San Miguel Mission. The tour ends in the cemetery behind the old mission and here I found Sierra Sally's Mission San Francisco de Asis letterbox. I found a nice bench to sit on so I could stamp in. It was peaceful and I enjoyed relaxing here. When I was done stamping in I had to wait about five minutes for three people to move on so I could rehide the box. From the Mission I continued my walk north back to Market Street. I then headed northeast on Market back to the intersection with Valencia. I stopped in at the FLAX store and looked around. I use to get their catalog and always thought they had interesting things. I enjoyed the store (it was huge) but I didn't buy anything - the last thing I need is more arts and crafts supplies. By this time I was tired of walking so I decided to take the bus back to the library. I took the F Market Streetcar to 8th Street and then walked to the Library. Here I was looking for Agent F-Word's Search for the Past Letterbox. I did a little research in the card catalog and then headed for the books. I think I found the right spot but did not find the box. But I did enjoy the library. It is really big and has an opening in the middle with a skylight.

After leaving the library I walked the few blocks back to the hotel and along the way I picked up a sandwich (since I hadn't had lunch yet) and took it back to the room. I ate and started this post and then made some plans for the late afternoon and evening. As I was getting things ready Thomas returned to the room and said he was going to skip the dinner with the conference and wanted to tag along with me. So we headed out and walked a little around the Union Square area and then headed to Market Street and toward the Ferry Building. Before arriving at the Ferry Building we took a detour to Sue Bierman Park to find lost sailor's Birds on a Wire.

The Bay Lights

It was a clever hide and a nice stamp and after stamping in we made our way to Pier 9 to find depotdevoid's The Instructables Letterbox! which was an easy find. After stamping in to this box and getting it back in place we walked over to the Ferry Building and had some dinner at MarketBar. We had a nice meal and relaxed and then walked out back to one of the piers and found a bench to sit on and wait for it to get dark. We sat facing the Bay Bridge so that we could enjoy the lights. We had to wait about 40 minutes to really see the lights well and after that time it was getting too cold and we decided to head back to the hotel. We were both a little tired so we decided to catch the F Market Streetcar which dropped us off a block from the hotel. Now that we are settled and I have completed this post it is time for a good nights sleep. Tomorrow I think I will spend time in Golden Gate Park.

Muir Woods, Sausalito, South of Market and Union Square

Out of bed by 6:30am and once we were dressed we headed downstairs for some breakfast. After eating we waited outside the hotel to be picked up for our tour that we had scheduled for today. The Tower Tours bus picked us up right on time and then we drove around the Union Square area picking up other people before heading to the tour office to check in. At the office we were given our tickets for the day and loaded on to the appropriate buses. Once everyone was on board we headed out.

Redwoods at Muir Woods NM

We drove through the Presidio and over the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin county and on to Muir Woods National Monument.

Looking Up!

The drive took about 40 minutes and was absolutely beautiful. We had about an hour and a half to walk around Muir Woods. We walked the main trail for the most part but we did take a detour and walked about a mile of the Ocean View Trail. The whole thing was amazing - beautiful trees in the most serene area. I am really glad we took the tour and got to see this place and it was an incredible way to start the day. And this being Sunday it was way better than church, being out in nature is the best feeling. From Muir Woods we drove over to Sausalito and took a driving tour of the area. When that was done the driver let those of us staying in Sausalito and taking the ferry back out to explore the town.

Seagull in Sausalito

Thomas and I walked along the water and then did a little window shopping before grabbing a bite to eat. Then we headed to the ferry dock to make our trip back to San Francisco.

View of San Francisco from the Ferry

We took the Blue and Gold Fleet ferry which dropped us off at Fisherman's Wharf. We booked this tour through GuideYou.com and I think it was worth it. Back in San Francisco and on Fisherman's Wharf we decided to stop in at Musée Méchanique. This is an arcade type place with lots of older machines. Things that you would have found at carnivals many years ago. It was really interesting and fun.

Musée Mécanique

They also had about six squished penny machines - so I went ahead and got pennies for some of the places we have visited so far. We then left Fisherman's Wharf and walked down to Pier 39. We didn't have too much time here because Thomas needed to get back to the hotel and get ready for his conference which started at 5:00pm. So after walking around for about 15 minutes we walked over to Powell St. and took the #30 bus to Union Square and then walked the two blocks to our hotel. While Thomas was getting showered and changed for his meeting I went ahead and gathered my letterboxing things and some clues and headed out to explore and letterbox. From the hotel I headed to the area South of Market. I found my first letterbox in California about six blocks down from the hotel. That box was called Auspicious by SuziLivvi. It was a good hide but not in a very savory neighborhood. I didn't feel scared or anything but it looked like the area needed a good cleaning. Anyway I ended up sitting on the sidewalk about 25 yards from where I found the box so that I could stamp in - there just wasn't any good spots to sit.

Mural off of Howard Street

I then had to wait a few minutes before I could rehide the box because a couple of guys decided to chat for a bit. Finally they moved on and I got the box back in place and then I was able to move on. I did encounter a few incredible murals in an alley on the way to the box and that was great. I love finding these beautiful unexpected art pieces hidden around. For the next box I returned the way I came and when I got to the next spot (which was very exposed and in a busy area) there was a security guard standing 5 feet from the hiding spot. So I just moseyed on by and went to the next box. This one was hidden behind the old San Francisco Mint Building. The area is kind of a back alley place with a pedestrian mall space. There is a restaurant, a coffee shop and a credit union back there. The box was hidden in a hole in the wall under a metal thingy. I know my descriptions are weird but I don't know how else to describe what was there. Anyway I found the box, grabbed in and found a nice place to sit and stamp in. I have to tell you I was so disappointed. I am not even going to mention the box or planter here because it was so bad. I opened the box to find a store bought notepad (not too bad, at least it wasn't lined paper) and a store bought stamp of the number '4'. That was the box. I am sorry but that just showed no effort at all on the part of the planter. And I was glad to see that I wasn't the only one that felt that way - others had made similar comments in the logbook. But I did stamp in and then got the box back in place and headed back to the other location I had to skip. Thankfully the guard was gone and I easily nabbed the box by pretending to tie my shoe. I am not sure why I did that because at the time I was grabbing the box there were no people or cars around. I guess I just thought maybe someone might be looking out of a window or something. I took the box a half block away to sit and stamp. I was happy to see that this was a nice hand carved stamp by Kazam and the box is called San Francisco Seals. After stamping in I returned the box to its hiding spot and then continued on my adventure.

Heart in Union Square

I made my way to Union Square and took my time walking around and taking pictures. Let me tell you it was a happening spot this afternoon. The place was packed. After hanging around for about 30 minutes I went in search of my next box. This was down a side street (closed off to cars, which reminded me of Burro Alley in Santa Fe, it had a little cafe and a couple of shops) where there is the only Frank Lloyd Wright building in San Francisco. And that is where the box was suppose to be. I took a few pictures waiting for the coast to clear and then I stuck my hand through the grate and felt around in the planter. I tried three times but each time I came up empty handed. I am not sure if the box is there or not because I was a little nervous with people coming through as I tried feeling around for the box. Eventually I gave up and made my way to the end of the lane and listened to this woman sing Opera (here is a video I found of that woman). She was amazing and I found myself thinking why is she singing in an alley when she should have been on a stage - she really was incredible. At this point I was trying to decide what to do next. So I found a place to sit and looked at my map of letterboxes I had clues for but decided that nothing was close enough to walk to (that probably isn't the total truth, I think I was just getting tired and didn't want to do anymore) and I decided to start back toward the hotel. Thomas was attending a dinner at his conference so I was on my own. I ended up stopping at a little place called Cafè Bellini's for a spinach, strawberry, walnut and feta cheese salad with pomegranate dressing. I took this back to the hotel and after taking a shower I enjoyed the salad while watching a movie. Now that I have this done I can get some rest for tomorrow. Not really sure what I am doing - I will figure that out in the morning.

This is the view from our room at the Parc 55 in Union Square - this is facing west - City Hall in the bottom right and Sutro Tower in the top left.

We Arrive

Our flight today didn't leave until 10:55am so we had a leisurely morning getting things ready before heading to Albuquerque for the Sunport.

Old & New Bay Bridges

It was a quick and easy check in and security was just as fast. That gave us time to have a bite to eat before making our way to the gate. By the time we finished eating and arrived at the gate we only had about a 20 minute wait for boarding. The flight we took today was a non stop flight from Albuquerque to Oakland and it lasted about 2 hours (maybe a little more). I watched a movie on my iPad and Thomas took a little nap. Before we knew it we had landed. An ex co-worker of Thomas' that is also attending the conference was on the plane and we all met up at baggage claim and decided to share a taxi to the hotel. The taxi ride took about 30 minutes to get to our hotel and cost $72.00. We are staying at the Parc 55 Wyndham near Union Square. Our room wasn't ready when we arrived and they said they could keep our bags while we went out and explored the city.

 We decided to head out to the Golden Gate Bridge and walk across it. After talking to the concierge at the hotel we made our way to catch a bus. But first we stopped for a bite to eat. From the hotel we walked up Cyril Magnin to Ellis and turned right. This took us to Powell where we took a left. As we walked along we found a little hole in the wall burger joint. We sat at a bar and had burgers and fries (the burgers were really good) until we were full. We continued our walk about a block more to Geary - which brought us to Union Square. We caught the #38L bus which took us west across the city to Park Presidio Blvd. At this point we had to transfer to the #28 bus. The first bus was big and not very crowded but the second one was much smaller and we were packed in like sardines.

Rivets on the Golden Gate Bridge

Thankfully it was only a short ride into the Presidio and on to the Visitor Center for the Golden Gate Bridge. Once off the bus we walked to a viewing area to get a good look at the bridge and take a few pictures. There is also a piece of the cable used on the bridge just to give you a feel for how big the cables are. Golden Gate Bridge is part of the National Park system so we went in to the Visitor Center so that I could get a brochure and my National Passport Stamp. Once that was done and we had looked around we headed out for our walk. As soon as we started walking we noticed the wind and it was chilly.

View from Vista Point looking south.

We bundled up and trekked on. The walk across the bridge is 1.7 miles and should take 20 to 30 minutes. We stopped quite a few times along the way to take pictures, admire the views, examine the cables & rivets, take more pictures and just enjoyed the walk. We made it to the other side and went to Vista Point to see the bridge from that angle. I think I love the view from this point the best. The picture on the right is my favorite and here is a list of fun facts about the bridge. Once we were back on the south side of the bridge we returned to the Visitor Center and took a PresidioGo shuttle bus (a free shuttle within the Presidio) over to the Palace of Fine Arts.

Palace of Fine Arts

Here we looked for a letterbox but came up empty handed. There were a lot of clues and things you had to figure out and translate. I thought I had done it correctly but when we tried to follow the final clues we just couldn't make head or tails of them and we didn't find the box. We may try again before we head home. After an hour of looking for the box and enjoying the beauty of the place we headed east with our goal being Ghiradelli Square. After a few blocks we met up with a nice couple that gave us some directions and suggestions for dinner along the way. In the end we walked along Chestnut Street and we stopped at a place called Squat & Gobble for dinner. I had spaghetti with prawns and Thomas had a Caesar salad with chicken. We split a s'mores crepe for dessert. So we definitely needed the walk after eating all that food.

Fisherman's Wharf Sign

We arrived at Ghiradelli Square and we bought some chocolate to bring back to the hotel and then we headed to Fisherman's Wharf. By the time we arrive at the wharf we were tired but we managed to walk around a bit (which turned out to be about 15 minutes) before we called it a day and took a taxi back to the hotel.

We got to the hotel and Thomas went and checked in. We had reserved a room on the lower floors because they were about $40 dollars cheaper per night. But when Thomas got to the desk he was informed that our room had been upgraded to a King Suite on the 26th floor - which means we would have a view. We headed up to the room and the porters brought our luggage up about 10 minutes later. Unfortunately it is dark and we can see lights but really can't tell what view we have. Now that I am showered and relaxing I realize how very tired I am and now that this post is done I can get some sleep. We have to be up and ready for 8:00am for a tour in the morning and I will let you know how that goes.