Be sure to wear some flowers in you hair...

That's the recommendation for when you're going to San Fransisco, and while we didnt have any flowers in our hair, one of the first people we saw upon getting out of the car in San Fran did have a flower child hippie daisy chain headband on! So perfect!  Mom felt awkward photobombing her, so we have no pictures as proof, but I'm telling you, it happened!

So many other things happened in San Fran too.  After leaving the Durant hotel in Berkley, we went downtown and checked into that evening's digs, parked the car, and hit the town on foot. San Fran is known for their fog called the June gloom, but we had two of the brightest most beautiful days you could hope for! Just lovely!

First we hit Chinatown.  Very fun, lots to see and cool shops too!

Right next to Chinatown, is Little Italy.  We stopped for lunch, and chatted with a friendly local couple who gave us lots of tips about where to go and what to see.

 Now that our tummies were full, and our feet ready to walk again we ventured down to the piers. We saw Pier 39, which is nothing more than a massive tourist trap, but again, when in Rome!  From there you can see Alcatraz, the famous seals, and got some Sourdough bread and jam for dinner from Boudin Bakery, yum!

I did some reading about Alcatraz later at night, and thought it was funny that the only people whom are believed to have escaped from Alcatraz were two brothers who were put there not because of committing terrible crimes but because they kept escaping other prisons! And you thought you were raising naughty boys! :)  The other pict is of the Elephant Seals, they have their own dock that they inhabited after an earthquake in the 90's!

Dinner! Epicurean Caramel Sea Salt butter!

Then it was our big moment - Ride the cable car! We did have to wait 90 minutes to realize our moment, but once it happened, it was well worth the wait!  Those hills are NO JOKE! People were hanging off the sides, the conductors were making jokes, and the bell was clanging! perfect!

After breakfast with the bums on Saturday morning, we headed back downtown. We stopped first at their cathedral, it was lovely, but no National Cathedral. 

Our next stop was the Cable Car Museum, it was really cool to see how the whole system operates.

Then we parked at the top of Crooked Hill, and walked down.  SO beautiful!  The hydrangeas were the size of cantaloupes! The view from the top!

Midway, on stairs that are the sidewalk! and at the bottom looking up!

I think this video puts it in a little more perspective

Once we were at the bottom we wandered into Ghirardelli Square! chocolate lovers unite! We got to see how chocolate is made, fun!

Then it was on to the Maritime Museum, we're such big Coast Guard dorks! Hyde St. Pier was at one time officially a part of Hwy 1 because it was the only way for cars to cross.

 The GG Bridge, Bay, and a ship - perfect!

Before attempting to climb the hills and get back to the car, we just had to hit In-N-Out Burger one more time!  Animal style burgers AND fries this time! Who thought of that combo?! Amazing!

It took us 45 minutes to walk up the hill, so of course we rewarded ourselves! The couple from Little Italy told us about Swenson's ice cream, which - ta da! was only 2 blocks from where we parked!  Worth the climb.

After Swensen's we drove down Crooked Hill, and headed out of town by way of Haight-Ashbury Park and the Golden Gate Park. Mom wanted to see where it all went down in the 70's.  I looked for Uncle Jesse and Joey, but never saw them or their house. We flew out into the night just as the gloomy fog was rolling into town.

What an unforgettable trip! I'm so thankful to have been able to go with my friend and mom - special memories!