On day 8 (Thursday April 10, 2014) Jordan & Nancy left Modesto, CA for San Francisco, while Rusty & Steve were spending their last full day in Portland, OR. We got up early, because Nancy was afraid we might not find a space in long term parking at the BART Station. We left Modesto at 6:30AM. There were lots of parking spaces available when we reached the Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station at 8AM. We made it to the Metro Hotel in San Francisco before 10AM. We left our bags behind the front desk. The desk clerk suggested Eddie's Cafe for breakfast. We walked there quickly.
Nancy at Eddie's Cafe
Eddie's was colorful. I think we've eaten there before. But the food was not very good. We walked a short distance to the building where we shared an apartment from 1989 to 1991. We walked around Alamo Square, just a block away. There were many Korean tourists taking pictures. We continued on Divisadero Street to California Heights, then walked to Fillmore Street, the main shopping area. Nancy did 3 thrift stores. Jordan had a wonderful lunch in Japantown while Nancy drank wine. We returned to the hotel & checked into our room. We had been out walking for 6 hours.
Jordan & Nancy's old apartment building on McAllister Street near Alamo Square.
Alamo Square
Pacific Heights
Fillmore Street
Japantown
That evening we walked to the Castro. We met Nancy's friends Arthur & Mario at the Midnight Sun. The place had finally been remodeled after nearly 30 years. We all walked across the street to a Japanese restaurant for dinner. It was good, though not as good as Japantown. Nancy was disappointed by the Crunch & Munch. Jordan & Nancy went back to the hotel immediately after dinner. We were exhausted.
On Friday morning (Day 9) Jordan got up early to take pictures of his old neighborhood near the hotel. It was cool & quite foggy. When he returned, Nancy was having coffee at Peet's. There was breakfast from the deli at Falletti Foods. Then we walked through the Upper Haight (Haight Ashbury) to Golden Gate Park. We saw Modern Nature: Georgia O'Keeffe and Lake George at the de Young Museum. We had planned to see the exhibit with Jordan's friend Tom. But Tom had the flu.
Jordan's old house in the Lower Haight (Haight Filmore)
Nancy on Haight Street in the Upper Haight (Haight Ashbury)
The Music Concourse at Golden Gate Park.
Jordan outside the de Young Museum.
After the de Young Museum, we walked outside the park to Irving Street where we had lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant called Yummy Yummy & it was. We walked back to Golden Gate Park & toured the San Francisco Botanical Garden for more than 2 hours. It was incredibly beautiful in the full flower of spring. We walked back to Irving Street, caught the N Judah train & went back to the hotel. We had dinner that night at 2 different Mexican restaurants, because we didn't agree on style. Nancy went to a nice place called The Little Chihuahua. Jordan went to cheap place called Estrella Taqueria. Both of us were quite satisfied.
Arthur L Menzies Garden of Native California Plants
South African Collection
Moon-Viewing Garden
Chilean Collection at the San Francisco Botanical Garden
On Saturday (Day 10) we walked to the Castro & had breakfast at Cafe Flore. It has been on the corner of Market & Noe Streets for decades. We got the subway train from Castro Street to Montgomery Street. We walked along mostly deserted streets through the Financial District & Jackson Square to Telegraph Hill. Coit Tower was closed for renovation, most unfortunately. We walked down into North Beach & had lunch at a small cafe on Columbus Avenue. We walked through Chinatown & bought pork buns (which Nancy detested) from a bakery. We climbed Nob Hill, where Nancy walked the labyrinth at Grace Cathedral. Then we walked down to Polk Street. By that time I was quite tired & had blisters on my toes on BOTH feet. We did not linger in the Polk, except for a stop at yet another thrift store. We walked through Civic Center to the subway station at Van Ness Avenue & took the N Judah to Duboce Park, which got us very near the hotel.
Jordan worked in this building on Sansome Street in the Financial District.
Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill
Chinatown
Nancy walking the labyrinth at Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill.
City Hall at Civic Center
Jordan's friend Bill drove into the city from Mare Island. We met him at La Mediterranee on Noe Street for dinner. Nancy had the best moussaka of her entire life. She is prone to hyperbole. We walked around the Castro for a short while after dinner. Castro Street was all dug up for new sewer pipes & (hopefully) new sidewalks. Nancy suggested dancing lol. We returned to the Metro Hotel by our accustomed route down Noe Street, across Duboce Park, down Carmelita & Scott Streets, across Haight Street & up Page Street to Divisadero Street. We have stayed there many times. We like it mostly because of the location.
On Sunday April 13 (Day 11) Jordan & Nancy had breakfast at Chow on Church Street. It was good. We walked back to the hotel, collected our baggage, walked to the Muni stop at Duboce Street & rode to Civic Center Station, where we transferred to BART, which took us in opposite directions within 10 minutes. Jordan had lunch at SFO, then flew to Seattle. He arrived at 4, then took light rail home. Steve was there. Rusty had gone to St Louis because his mother had a stroke.
Here are more photos from Oregon & California.
On Sunday April 13 (Day 11) Jordan & Nancy had breakfast at Chow on Church Street. It was good. We walked back to the hotel, collected our baggage, walked to the Muni stop at Duboce Street & rode to Civic Center Station, where we transferred to BART, which took us in opposite directions within 10 minutes. Jordan had lunch at SFO, then flew to Seattle. He arrived at 4, then took light rail home. Steve was there. Rusty had gone to St Louis because his mother had a stroke.
Here are more photos from Oregon & California.
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