Day 6: The City by the Bay

Wednesday June whatever, who cares, I'm on vacation.

Today. Well, actually yesterday if you must know... I was just too tired to blog last night. Here's why:

Woke up this morning and had a bagel and a schmere and some good strong coffee at a little local place. Headed down the hill to the Embarcadero. Walked along the Embarcadero to Pier 39 then on to Fisherman's Wharf. There must be 100 restaurants all serving... you guessed it... fish. Crabs. All sorts of beasties. How is one to decide. Well, I didn't because I had just eaten a bagel, remember?

So after the Fisherman's wharf the waterfront trail goes through Fort Mason, an old brick and mortar battery for defending the harbor in WWI and WWII. Anyway, it was weird to see that right up against the Ghirardelli Chocolcate company. On through, or should I say over, Fort Mason and you come to the Marina. The homes along this road must be worth millions. Every one is more beautiful than the last. Oddly, they all have really large glass windows. I would have thought the storms and high winds would mean smaller windows but again, who am I?

The Marina itself is almost a mile long and at its end is Chrissy Field. It's a really big park with a preserved tidal marsh land in the middle. I ate lunch at the Warming Hut, at the gift shop for Chrissy field. I'm becoming a fan of Panini.

So the Warming Hut is almost literally in the shadow of the bridge but in fact its a switchback up to the level of the bridge so more climbing. This city is all about climbing. Up to the top and onto the bridge. Here's something I did not anticipate... the whole thing moves. Perceptibly. It was unbelievably windy as well. Had I had the forethought to wear a hat it would probably have ended up in the bay. More on that later.

Across the bridge is a monument area and a place where you can walk under the bridge. On the other side is Marin County Park, that spot where all the awesome pictures you've ever seen of the bridge are taken. There is also a military outpost up there called Battery Spencer. It is where the past season of Amazing Race ended.

Back to the bridge, all the way back and I am proud to say I walked the whole way both ways. By my count, close to 20 miles. On the way back I stopped at Fisherman's Wharf, which has a South Street thing going at night and had fresh Clam Chowder in a bread bowl. Amazing. Eat the soup then eat the bowl.
When I finally made it back to my room I was too tired to blog. I took amazing pictures, which I will post here when I've had the time to sort them.

Here's one:This is me at Battery Spencer in Marin County Park on the South end of the Golden Gate Bridge, approximately 3:00 pm Wednesday June 9, 2010