Sunny-Side San Francisco Calling

“You wouldn’t think such a place as San Francisco could exist. The wonderful sunlight here, the hills, the great bridges, the Pacific at your shoes. Beautiful Chinatown.” (Dylan Thomas)

Spring’s arrival in the San Francisco Bay Area provided a welcoming backdrop for Ruth and me during our three day, road trip visit in the Bay Area region over the last three days of March. Because the weather felt unseasonably warm and sunny, we discarded our expected jackets and rain gear on each day tour in the city and surrounding North Bay vicinity. Basing our stay at a familiar San Rafael motel, The Marin Lodge, we excitedly discovered a new way to access SF city proper. For the #1 highlight on day two of this spring visit would become our decision to access downtown by way of the thirty minute, Golden Gate Ferry ride from nearby Larkspur Terminal across the bay to the important city hub of Embarcadero Plaza. Along this relaxing route, we witnessed stunning views of San Quentin Prison, Angel/Alcatraz Islands as well as the famed Golden Gate and Bay Bridges

From this busy SF terminal, we ascended steeply uphill on foot for a mile along along Clay Street past the Transamerica Pyramid Complex and an adjoining park to Chinatown for lunch. As we returned to the terminal for our ferry ride return to our Marin County lodging, we relived some fond memories of spending our honeymoon many years ago in the Hyatt Regency San Francisco at this location. I would also like to point out a fantastic Irish pub we ate dinner at twice in San Rafael called “The Mayflower.” Enjoying the unseasonably warm weather spurt to eat outdoors there, I enjoyed tasty fish and chips on the first night and a most filling Bangers and Mash on the second.

We head north tomorrow for a short visit with friends near Portland, Oregon. I look forward to finding some time to share some blog insights from the Columbia River basin. Enjoy the photos.