Aylmer Express "MoHo" Extravaganza 2006

Tourist Day Alert. Finally the sun was starting to break through the fog so today we planned to walk all around San Fran doing touristy things. We mapped out a concatenation of touristy spots into big circle and then picked an appropriate spot to park. First stop, Lombard street, which I believe is known as the “crookedest” street in the world. You know, the one that curls back and forth all the way down a steep, typically San Francisco, street past multi-million dollar homes with manicured gardens. The problem with visiting such a place is that you have to literally climb up another street to get to the top. But one of the side benefits is the amazing view of the city from there. We got the classic “Alcatraz at the foot of the steep cable car road” shot from the top. We proceeded all the way down Lombard street, then across a few more streets, and then another climb right back up again to reach Coit tower. It is a tower built at the top of a hill by the bay in San Fran on a piece of land that was donated by the Coit family. From the top of the tower you get an unobstructed view in all directions of the city, the Bay bridge, Alcatraz, San Francisco bay, the Golden Gate bridge, and, depending on your eyesight or the binoculars you are packing, Sausalito and Tiburon. Once we had our fill of the wonderful views there we were on our way to Pier 39, better known as Fisherman’s Wharf. On our way there we happened upon a little side street called Edgardo Place. It reminded me on my buddy Grant Edgar and I thought this would make a great nick-name for this fellow, not that he needs any more. Yet we were even more amazed when we got to the next corner of the street we were walking on to find that we had been walking down Grant Ave! We had been at the corner of Grant and Edgardo. There must have been some kind of vibe hitting me as I passed by there to make me notice that. So, back to Pier 39. This is the ultimate tourist trap but I found it fun to check out what companies choose to situate themselves here. At the end of the pier we were treated to some sea lions, up close and personal. There are quite a number of rafts set up in what looks like it was once a yacht club and it is now a protected area for sea lions. I think we saw more sea lions, and at much closer range, than the ones we paid to see at the sea lion caves in Oregon. Very impressive. Then we made our way back to the car and decided to head to Tiburon just on the other side of San Francisco bay, and a little past Sausalito, for a walk around to see how the other half lives. It was beautiful weather there as well but you couldn’t see San Fran because of the fog which had since moved in from the Pacific blocking the view between the two cities. But we were able to fully enjoy Tiburon. And one other happening of note today was the final of the US Open of tennis where Federer beat Roddick once again, but what a match. Will Andy ever pull out win again against this guy? Tune in next year to find out.

Today’s word:

concatenation \kon-kat-uh-NAY-shuhn; kuhn-\, noun:
A series of links united; a series or order of things depending on each other, as if linked together; a chain, a succession.