If you’re going to San Francisco…
For the first time since writing this blog, I am having difficulties getting started. It is very hard to sum up the vibe of a city with so many facets in only one paragraph or by describing one particular situation. From passing a large amount of homeless people on our walk up to the hostel through a street smelling of rubbish to the colourful Chinatown district; from the beautiful terraced houses and parks and the stunning views from the waterfront to the Golden Gate Bridge all the way to Alcatraz: The cultural, commercial and financial centre of Northern California just couldn’t be more versatile.
The last leg of our road trip to the West Coast of the US is taking Isabelle and myself to San Francisco. I’m curious and excited about it. This is partly because Las Vegas was such a bizarre experience and I am looking forward to being in a “normal” city again. Mostly however it’s because I have seen and admired the hilly roads and terraced houses in movies and I’ve always wanted to go there. San Francisco is home to major technology and new media companies such as Google, Apple, Uber, Pinterest, Twitter to name but a few. Also major financial institutions and prestigious brands such as Levi Strauss call the City by the Bay their home.
But San Francisco, just like many other cities in the US, also faces a rising number of homeless people. This becomes particularly apparent in the Tenderloin district, where our hostel, the HI San Francisco City Centre Hostel, is located. Walking from the hostel towards Union Square, the entire sidewalk is taken up by the poorest people in this city. Overall however it’s worth noting that San Francisco has a lower population of homeless people than the likes of New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and even Seattle.
The hostel itself is a tidy, spacious oasis with lots of communal space and a hippy vibe. Our four-shared dorm even has an on-suite bathroom which is a very rare luxury not only in North America. After a good night’s sleep, Isabelle and I proceed with what we have done very well so far on our trip – lots of walking. Our first destination is the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square, a famous row of Victorian houses that have remained intact after the devastating earthquake in 1906 which left three quarters of San Francisco in ruins. Passing through the Fillmore District on our way, we notice that one of Isabelle’s favourite singer / songwriters – the White Buffalo – is playing in the historic venue, the Fillmore, that night so we decide to get tickets later.
To make the most of the beautiful sunshine, we proceed with our walk to the Golden Gate Park. The large park stretches all the way up to Ocean Beach west of the city and features various lakes, a Japanese tea garden, a bison enclosure and the stunning Conservatory of Flowers. On our way back through the hilly streets of the city, we pass by the University and the beautiful St. Ignatius Church before we get ready for the night at the Fillmore.
The Fillmore is a historic music venue that opened as a dance hall in 1910. Since then, a lot of famous bands have played there such as Metallica, The Who, Radiohead, The Cure, The White Stripes and many more. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have played in the Fillmore for a total of 27 times. We’re lucky enough to be able to watch the concert with the White Buffalo in the first row and although I don’t know any of the songs, I really enjoy his deep voice and melodic guitar-based songs.
Trouble in Alcatraz
A must-see for us in San Francisco is the former high-security prison of Alcatraz. So we’re utterly disappointed to learn that tours to the island have been booked out for months. Upon doing a bit of research we learn however that some tickets for the early-bird cruises are sold every morning at 7:30 on a first-come, first-served basis. In peak season, people start queuing as early as 4 am to secure tickets. When Isabelle and I arrive at the counter at 5 am on day 3 of our visit, fortunately only a small queue has formed so we’re waiting patiently in line at Pier 33 until we obtain the sought-after tickets for 33 USD (25 GBP / 29 EUR). And after a quick coffee to recharge, it’s time to board a boat to the legendary prison.
Alcatraz was declared a high-security prison in 1933 and hosted the most notorious criminals until its closure in 1963, often because they had to be transferred from other prisons where they attempted escape or caused other trouble. Among the most famous inmates were Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly or Alvin “Creepy” Karpis; the latter served more time at Alcatraz than any other inmate. During the guided audio-tour featuring statements from former inmates and prison guards whilst we’re taken past depressingly small cells, we get a glimpse of what life was like on “the rock”. With the lights and buzz of the city in visible and even audible distance to inmates, freedom seemed so close but yet inaccessible. Noone is known to have succeeded escaping although rumours exist that those who went missing on their attempts might still be alive.
As we attend one of the talks in the busy dining room whilst pausing the audio tour, an Asian woman asks us to move away from our seats on the long benches because she’d like to keep the seats for her friends. Isabelle, who is sitting next to the lady, explains to her swiftly that she doesn’t intend to get up because these seats are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. The lady, obviously not too happy with this reply, starts raising her voice at Isabelle, who is not shy to reply back in a similar manner. Before I know, the lady starts ripping and pulling on Isabelle’s sleeve, asking her if she’d like to take things outside. I cannot believe what is happening. Only after the speaker threatens for the lady as well as Isabelle – although she wasn’t the one being aggressive – to be taken away by security, the situation calms down. I’m glad that we can just continue our visit, although the thought of being kicked out of Alcatraz makes Isabelle and myself chuckle for the remainder of the trip and beyond.
Despite the fact that we’re really tired once we get back to the mainland, seeing that it’s our last full day and the sun is shining, we’d rather just keep exploring the city. Walking all the way from the pier towards Crissy Field, we both fall asleep in the park while we’re having a little rest and wake up with our faces burnt before we proceed to the stunning Golden Gate Bridge. And after a short visit of Ocean Beach in the fading daylight, it’s time to return to the hostel and get ready to leave the City by the Bay on a 24-hour train journey on the Amtrak back to Seattle before boarding a bus homebound, to Vancouver.
Tips for getting around in North America:
- I may have mentioned before that after my Greyhound-marathon in Canada, I’m not a big fan of long bus journeys anymore. However, it turns out the long-haul busses are often the cheapest option.
- Flights within the US are not as expensive as they are within Canada. Especially when booking a few weeks ahead, flights can be very cheap. Flying from Las Vegas to San Francisco was not only inexpensive (around 30 USD / 23 GBP / 26 EUR) but also saved us a lot of time. Check skyscanner.net for the best deals.
- We decided to take the train (Amtrak) from San Francisco to Seattle because flying was more expensive. Tickets were 130 USD (100 GBP / 115 EUR) for a standard seat which can however be adjusted quite well so sleeping is actually fairly comfortable. Sleeper compartments are easily three times the price. The scenery and comfort of the train makes it more attractive than the long-haul busses. Just be mindful – in contrast to the long-haul busses, there is no WiFi in the Amtrak aside from in business class.
