San Francisco

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Our trip started with a Business Class flight, Air France, the main part from Paris to San Francisco. Maurice is, of course, used to such advantages but this was a real treat for me! Loads of legroom, loads of pampering and truly sumptuous food and drink. A great way to start.

We arrived in San Francisco at around 4pm local time - about midnight in the UK. But thanks to good snoozes on the flight, we were not too tired. First impressions of our hotel were good. We selected to stay at Fisherman's Wharf rather than in the centre and although it has its very touristy aspect, it means that there is a real buzz about and loads to see and do. The Argonaut Hotel had a nautical theme - appropriately - and the room was furnished with a huge mirror that looked like a porthole, a chaise longue, desk and of course mega huge bed. It didn't have a view, but we saw that every day anyway.

We soon went out exploring. Had a wander down Hyde St Pier which was just across from the hotel and took in the gorgeous views including a misty Golden Gate. The weather was great, not too warm but sunny and relatively clear for SF.

Later on we found a local bar and had a few beers. As is usual in the US, got chatting to a dreadlocked bar fly who said he had been a paparazzi photographer in LA until recently. I think he was a bit of hobo really but he was entertaining. Said he had snapped everyone who was anyone in LA....I doubt it.

Back to room for a wee snooze - we went back to the local - Jack's - for a few more beers and then had some food in the hotel restaurant. Day 1 over already.

Day 2 - Saturday 18th April

Found a great wee local diner for breakfast - Jonny Rocket's - and went there most days in SF. We found the hop-on-hop-off bus just a couple of blocks from the hotel and signed up for a package that included 5 trips including the city hop-on-off. We did that there and then which gave us a great overview of the city. The weather was getting better and better. It turned out as the days went on that we had arrived in SF in time for an unseasonal heatwave - which was fantastic for us. The usual fog lifted on the first day and barely came back.

After the bus trip we got off at Pier 39 - a real tourist trap but great fun - and had a wander about the shops there. We actually bought our wedding rings here in a Hawaiin jewellery shop. Saw lots and lots of Californian Sea Lions sunbathing.

We walked back to the hotel area and on the way stopped by at 'In 'n Out Burger' for lunch. This is as it sounds - a burger chain - but is very good as they just concentrate on burgers - nothing else and they use fresh food of good quality. Then we walked up to Ghiradelli Square which was just behind the hotel. I had a glass of gorgeous wine from a winery there and we sat in the sun and were entertained by a brass quartet. Great atmosphere.

After a freshen up at the hotel, we found a local Irish bar with live music (Dave Weeks) and happily had a few beers there.

Day 3 - Sunday 19th April

After breakfast at the diner we had a short walk to see where Pier 33 was, as our Alcatraz trip booked for Monday evening was to leave from there. We then took the tour bus to Golden Gate bridge. Great pics, great weather and wonderful views of SF.

When we got off the bus, we had a wee walk around the beach area near the hotel and went along a long pier where locals were fishing. A Chinese guy caught a seagull on his hook and had to get some help to get the poor thing disentangled. Got lots of pics of that. We had a late lunch that day at the hotel restaurant - Blue Mermaid where there was more street entertainment with a guitar guy who was pretty good. I then went along to the freebie wine tasting in the hotel lobby - took place every evening between 5 and 6 - while Maurice had his usual snooze.

Venturing out that night, we tried another Irish bar - which was not that great. Maurice thought he had lost a credit card so spent half an hour or so cancelling it, only to realise he had mistakenly put it in the wrong section of his wallet....oh well. Went back to Tiernans from the previous night but it was a bit quiet being Sunday and there was a truly awful karaoke night in progress...not our cup of tea. After a late meal at the Italian across the road we turned in.

Day 4- Monday 20th April

Once again - breakfast in the 'usual' diner and then we took the bus tour to Sausolito - a short trip over the Golden Gate bridge once again. It is a lovely place - some gorgeous houses and a lovely Marina. We decided to stay for a while and take the ferry back. Lunch was at a nice wee place on the main road. Lots of 'Mova' globes for sale here, for some reason. Interesting buskers included a guy with a hoodie with a guitar he could not play at all - he just wasn't trying - and anther aging hippie guy with a guitar and a very limp looking long haired daschund that had a hat and sunglasses on...pics of that!

A short break at the hotel and then it was off to Alcatraz for the night tour. This was well worth going on. Although busy, not so busy as day trips I believe. An excellent audio guided narration by former inmates and wardens gave a chilling flavour of what it was like to live and work there.

We went back to Jack's for a few beers and chatted to an Aussie guy who had been there the best part of the day. Turned out he was a Sydney cop.

Day 5 - Tuesday 21st April

Took the hop-on-hop-off to Union Square where we had breakfast of a hot dog....and wandered around Macy's. We had lunch at Lori's diner before getting the Parks tour bus which was guided by an older guy of Chinese origin. There is a huge oriental population in San Francisco (and indeed all up the west coast). This took in parts of the city we had not seen on the previous trips and gave us the opportunity to get off and take pics at some locations. Saw the 'painted ladies' - the row of beautifully painted houses which are some of the most photographed in San Francisco as well as the Golden Gate park.

I went up to Ghiradelli when we came back while Maurice had a nap. I didn't get quite such a gorgeous wine there - so came back for the freebie wine tasting again. There I got chatting to a really nutty Cuban woman who was in fact local. It turns out that local boozers know about the free wine at the Argonaut and looking around I thought I had a pretty good idea who were local and who were genuine guests....She had a chiuahua with her - enough said. I had visited a shop in Ghiradelli square that afternoon which sold doggie clothing - eveything from Great Dane hoodies to Chiuhaua wedding gear. She was delighted to hear about it and was going to pay them a visit to dress her pooch up...She asked me at one point what language I spoke and didn't really seem to have heard about the UK. Perhaps it's a Cuban thing. Or a language thing.

We had drinks at Hooters later on. A male paradise....All skimpily clad bar staff, sport on tv and lots of beer. Back to Tiernan's where the live music was on again - Dave Weeks and an older KT Tunstall type. Then back to Hooters for some late munchies.

Day 6 - Wednesday 22nd April

San Francisco leg over - sadly. Breakfast at Lori's in Ghiradelli Square then off to airport. Arrived Honolulu at 4.20ish for second leg of the trip. Honolulu - Oahu
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