Way Out West: the San Francisco bit (Part 3) (
1 ) ( 2 ) ( 4 )July 4. The Palace, The Bridge And The Fireworks.
Despite having visited the US several times, this was my first Independence Day!
Thinking about this, I wondered if they still lynched the occasional 'limey' just for old
time's sake. I felt it might be wise to disguise my English accent a little.
It was an enjoyably full day. My first port of call was the world-famous Exploratorium, a vast interactive
hands-on science and discovery fair that is probably the best of its kind. And the
surrounding grounds and gardens are, if anyhting, even more amazing. I've created a
separate page here.
After the myriad delights of the Exploratorium, I saw that the Golden Gate Bridge was within walking
distance. So I walked to it. This produced a minor avalanche of photographs, hence I've
created another page of photos.
Finally, I went down to Giardelli's Square on Fisherman's Wharf to see the July 4th fireworks display, which was
suitably impressive. I was pleased with the way my photos turned out.
The crowds were massive, of course, but the atmosphere was very good-natured. All the
roads anywhere near the Bay had turned into impassable lava streams of people, so I had
little choice but to walk back to my hotel - a task which I navigated with surprising
ease.
July 5. A Tale Of Two Legends, And Alex's Shop.
A day devoted to visiting two legends. First I had a wander around the Haight Ashbury
district, and then signed up for a tour of Alcatraz. I feel there must be a cute and
clever way of expressing this combination. Haight Ashbury is associated with the seminal rock
music of the 60s, and Alcatraz is of course known as The Rock. Hence, from rock
to Rock. I think if I worked on this for a while I could get something rather snazzy out
of it. But I'll leave you to work it out for yourselves.
I felt I ought to go take a look round Haight Ashbury without really knowing why. I suspect quite a few
visitors to San Francisco are in the same position. Some months after this
vacation I read an article entitled The 'Hashbury' Is The Capital Of The Hippies,
written in 1967 by Hunter S. Thompson. You can find it in part 3 of The Great Shark
Hunt. It's a magnificent article in a must-read book, and summarises Haight
Ashbury's significance about as well as any piece could. So if you want to know more,
there you go.
However, it's a long way from 1967 to 2003. That was then, this was now, and there I
was.
On the plus side, it is still an area with its own distinct character. There
are still vestiges of whatever counter-cultural, do your own thing, quasi-Bohemian
attitude characterised the area back in the 60s, although some would say it's just a
tourist-friendly facsimile of what was once something special. Be that as it may, I was
still able to get some photographs
I liked.
On the down side is, well... everything else. My friend Janet in LA, who loves San
Francisco to pieces, gave me her considered opinion of Haight Ashbury. "It's a
dump," she said. Janet isn't far wrong. Not to get too bleak about it, the overall
impression is of a place that is down on its luck, depressed, stale, not entirely safe,
weary and a good place to pass through on your way to somewhere better.
I was pleased to find the one spot from which it is still possible to take a photo of
the street signs in the desired juxtaposition. I wondered if, like the 'Abbey Road' signs
in London, these get stolen with tiresome regularity.
I took a bus back from Haight Ashbury. When the bus paused briefly at some lights, I
looked out of the window and saw this weird and wonderful sign over a shop window. I frantically scrambled for my camera, and
with no more than a second to spare... snap!... got the picture.
The the tour of Alcatraz was every bit
as good as I'd hoped it might be, and then some. The tour is well-organised and hugely
enjoyable, not to mention highly evocative. You can see the the full story, and the usual
effluvia from my digital camera, here.
On the tour we all received a little booklet called 'Discover Alcatraz' which was a
great deal more informative and interesting than these things usually are. Just three
snippets to whet your appetite:
- Robert Stroud, 'the bird man of Alcatraz', had canaries at Leavenworth Penitentiary but
never had birds at Alcatraz. His real nickname was 'Bird Doctor of Leavenworth'.
- There were no executions on Alcatraz, although there were 5 suicides and 8 murders.
- When it was completed in 1912, the cellhouse was the largest steel-reinforced concrete
building in the world. Many of those who helped to build it were the first prisoners to
live in it.
Once I had returned to the mainland, I ended the day with Tom Cutts at Bix restaurant
for some steak and fine wine.
Bix is a great place. It's at 56 Gold Street. If you go there, just mention my
name. They will stare at you blankly because they've never heard of me and have no idea
who I am. But if you all do it, every time you go, it will be funny,
bizarre and disquieting. And where's the harm in that?
> > > Continued in Part 4
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