Day one in SFO

After a good night sleep, morning had tea with Anna in her garden, oh what a beautiful garden she has! With lovely roses and a fountain and above all overlooking the golf course.

We had breakfast and Anna dropped me at the Castro Valley Bart station. Andrea was waiting for me. We boarded the Bart and decided to get down at Embarcodero.

At Embarcodero, we stroll for sometime. Got a clipper card, so we could use on any public transport. Then boarded a F bus for fisherman s warf and got down at Peir 39.

This place was full of people and was really buzzing. It seemed familiar to me like one in London. We went around the Peir and it was very scenic. On one side was the Bay bridge and other side Alcatraz.

As we took a round around the Pier, we spotted the sea lions and the sight of 100s of sea lions was amazing. Some were playing, some were squealing, some swimming and we saw sea gulls and pelicans flying over and around.

We had lunch here at a Mexican Hotel called Mangoes of Mexico, had a Mango Burrito, it was a good meal. Here we found lots of shell item and Hawaiians Pearls. The Pearls are removed from the live shell and then as per customers wish made into earnings or pendant.

Bread Bowl with chowder was something we missed and plan to do eat tommorow.

Coming out, we first walked towards Peir 33 to book our Alcatraz cruise and then walked towards Ghirardelli Chocolate Square. This spot is on uphill overlooking the sea coast and the mountains on the other side. The coast is completely green with garden and people get dogs here for walks. Then at one corner of this Park was a cable car Terminus. Cable cars surprisingly run on roads, like trams and are open like a horse cart. I found these funny.

At the Ghirardelli Square, we went around to check for the chocolate factory, but they told it has been closed since few years, but for visitors have some old machinery for exhibit, which was within the chocolate and ice cream bar. We checked in and saw the exhibits, it actually has liquid chocolate and the two arms were mechanically mixing it. It was very interesting and reminded me of our Indian flour grinding machines.

The Hot Chocolate Fudge Sundae was labeled as World Famous and so we ordered one, indeed was a feast for the buds.

After this we walked down the coast and watched the setting Sun and the beauty around. Cable car was the next thing to do. We boarded one, there are few seats and they allow people to stand on the step in hanging position. This is considered fun and Andrea insisted we either stand behind or hang on the side steps and she did. The ride was real fun, we go uphill and downhill and we passed through the intersection of the crooked Street and Lombard Street. But the over crowding mars the beauty. Still it's once in lifetime ride.
We alighted at the last stop at Powel and had dinner at Little Delhi. By accident, we stumbled upon this place and saw people going in and out and thought it must be a good place. So had filling veg biryani and salads. Got into the Bart and alighted at Castro Valley, where Andrea' uncle came to pick us up.
Quite an eventful day.