On Wednesday Mom, Cassia , Lanaya, and I toured San Fran. We took a ferry over then we walked or took the bus to get around the rest of the day. We took the bus up the hill to where we wanted to go, then walked down the hill to the next place…? We were overwhelmed by the amount of homeless people. And coming from SK, where there aren’t very many people on the streets -because they’d freeze to death in the winter- it seemed pretty crazy!!! And I confess, I was a little scared, too. We had a map, thankfully, or else we would still be lost…? But every time you pulled out the map, someone would try and help, even if you didn’t want it! So when we needed to find something on the map, us girls would all huddle around Mom while she pulled out the map and figured out where to go. We sometimes had to ask, though, how to get some place. And when we did, they all told us not to go near the Tenderloin section… But we already had, and it was WAAAAAAAAAAY out of my comfort zone!!! There were drug deals going down, stuff everywhere, and not much sign of the police.? We looked straight ahead and marched -quickly I might add- through there as fast as we could. But we had a guardian angel. At one point, a decent looking man who had been walking near us all the way through the “bad part of town” approached us and told us that we’d be safe now. I believe he had our backs and that we were safe, even though we were walking through a shady part of town. Within seconds of that he disappeared into the crowd and we never saw him again. Angel? Perhaps…
The ferry. We took the 9:30 boat and arrived in San Francisco at 10:30. It was really cool because when the catamaran began to speed up, you could feel it. I had only ever been on ferries where it seemed to go one speed, and if it changed, you didn’t notice!
One of the most embarrassing parts of our day… One of the ferrymen had us do his jobs. Which isn’t all that bad… until he tells you that you’ve got to hold hands walking off of the boat. And just for the record, I refused, and walked off all by myself!?Anyway, first we had to put the ticket stubs into the box at the front of the boat… FRONT OF THE BOAT! So all these people are staring at you like, “Awww, they’re so helpful!!!” And you’re like, “Ummm… this is SO embarrassing!” Then we had to, at the end of the ride, remove the rope barricade. And for everyone who’s safety conscious, we practiced… You had to unhook the clip from one end and hook it on the other, a three person job, right?? But we did get to be the first ones off the boat!!! And my sisters thought it was great fun!
Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge; one of the many views from the ferry! We didn’t end up touring Alcatraz, but Mom told us lots anyway. It is an island that is in a bay. There is land two kilometers away, a very long, cold swim. So no one ever escaped from this prison! Apparently Al Capone was imprisoned there after being arrested for tax evasion!
Sea lions are brown when dry and black when wet. The fat males think they are boss and the stupid ones think the only way off is over the other sea lions. Oh, and the cute ones entertain the crowd. It was rather humorous to watch, and really cool when a sea lion poked its head out of the water right below where you were standing on the pier!
The toilets are, supposedly, very clean… They’re not. It is a self cleansing bathroom. You have a twenty minute time limit, and it cleans between each person. The floor, toilet, and everything else gets washed, then someone else can use it. This is because of all of the homeless people.
Awesomest store ever!!! A whole store of chocolate. My favorite was the “Chocolate-Aid.” It was a band-aid shaped chocolate, makes sense, right?? Have you ever heard of rock candy? It is basically a chocolate that looks like a rock… In this store they had boulders. They were HUGE pieces of rock candy!!! It was a very cool store!?
City Hall; a huge, ornate, elaborate building. And we got to in it!!! Except we had to go through the loading dock so they could X-ray our backpacks.
We got to sit in on a Meeting of the Supervisors!!! The big city version of an RM meeting. The public could sit and watch! They were very efficient!!! “Item number one,” said the Superintendent, and moments later the gavel banged and they were on to item number two! I was lost…? But they knew what they were doing! It was VERY interesting!
The last stop of the day was the Wells Fargo Museum! It was very hands on!!! You could pose for a photo, and it would print right there! So we got our group photo in front of an old real life stagecoach! I definitely recommend it – the museum itself isn’t very big, but there’s lots to do!!!
I am now worth five whole cents!!! We got to take our photo, again, but this time our faces got stuck on an old five cent bill! There were also many other cool things to do, like ride in a stagecoach, talk on an old telephone, and use a Morse code machine thing. Very cool, and lots of laughs.
A beautiful end to an exhausting day!
We all had great fun!!! But we’ll, hopefully, never go through the Tenderloin section again…?
That sounds like a scary experience! Sometime I will have to tell you about Mariah’s first experience with a homeless person in California. Really like the chocolate store that’s my kind of store! Thanks for updating we are all following your Journey. ? Terralyne
It was! I’ll look forward to it…?Thank you!!!☺️
So glad you had an angel to protect you all! Had a note from the ones from the Stroke Recovery Group who are following your blog and they were wondering if you might be interested in the Joshua Tree National Park as they said it was fascinating. Don’t know your route but happy travels. We are enjoying your writings.
It’s on our bucket list!!! Thanks, Grandma!
Fascinating blog! Did you get a ride on the cable car on the steep hill? Glad you had a sunny day . Re- Tenderloin district…. The Lord preserveth the simple!!! Was the chocolate better than our almond bark?? Happy , safe traveling. praying!
Love Grandma& Grandad S-G.
We are so enjoying all the pictures and comments!!
Love Uncle Ral and Auntie Rhoda
I’m so glad!!!
The homeless people…it seems to be an epidemic everywhere, just more “in your face ” in the big cities. So sad that there is such a helpless, hopeless mentality. Although some do chose this way to live. I appreciate what i have too much to give it up, taxes and all! Always wondered about those self cleaning toilets! Great in theory apparently! We will keep praying for you as no doubt you have many other adventures yet to discover.
Yeah. They sound cool… then you have to use them.? Thanks for your prayers!
That sounds so creepy going through that section of the city! But it seems like the rest was fun. I wish I could buy a Chocolate Boulder 😉
Yeah, it was!!! But it was awesome otherwise!