Fisherma's wharf

Fisherman wharf




After a great night sleep (no internet, and I forgot my teenager book in the car, so all I could do was sleep), we headed to the Fisherman’s Wharf. First we had an hour wait at the queue for the cable car. Pretty fun. We took pics, we laughed, we made friends with other people in the queue, the kids had Burger King for they break-lunch. When I first saw people going standing up almost falling out of the tram I swore there was no way in hell I would do that. By the time our turn arrived, I was killing to go hanging outside the tram, like a perfect idiot (isn’t that what we tourists are supposed to do?).



Lucky enough 5 of us managed to go outside, hanging out. My in laws, cleverly choose to go inside, protected from the cold. To give Fabio and Lia some space, I ended up travelling backwards. It is not much fun to see everything passing by without having a clue what they are. That’s ok – that’s marriage and parenting, you take one for the team from time to time.



The fisherman’s wharf is pretty cool. Lots of shops, performers, people, people and more people, seals (they are soo cute), restaurants, a great view of the pier and some more people.



We found a great restaurant, waited a while for a table with a view and it totally paid off. We could see the Golden Gate and Alcatraz. The food was very good; we chatted and laughed a lot, looking at the seals, the boats and the sea. Then Fabio noticed an older guy who’s job seemed to be to get the seals out of the piers where there were boats anchored. Or I should say, keep the seals away from piers where SOME boats were. Apparently he only cared for some boats we we figured the other boat owners were a pain in the neck or did not pay him. The seals already knew the drill: the guy would walk on their direction with a knight shield (made of one of the signs he took from the place) and they would jump in the water and go to another pier – where the routine would repeat itself.



After lunch I stood up to go to the toilet and my chair fell. No dramas there, but my gorgeous darling daughters decided to clap, and the whole restaurant joined them. I felt like a movie star. A clumsy movie star, but one none the less.



Lia told me she took 5 photos of seals and my camera run out of battery – I was really worried because I recharged it for hours, it should last much longer. When I bought another battery (and paid a fortune) I could see the 5 pictures were really more than 60. Oh well, I need an extra battery for the camera anyway, right? I am sure everyone does…



The weather as changing on us rapidly and everyone had to buy a jumper or a jacket. Most of them with San Francisco written on them or even worse- with big seals in the front. I took the opportunity and both my parents one of these with the seals. Matching jumpers, only different colours.



Another hour on the tram queue, and a swift return to our hotel. Same story. I swore not to repeat the outside tram experience, and when it was my turn to pick a seat, I just stood by the bar, outside in the cold. One never knows when one will go back to San Fran, so just bite the bullet and do the staff one is supposed to do!



Our hotel is good. The internet does not work, there is no breakfast, it is in an area where there are lots of homeless people in the streets and we can hear (people who do not sleep like a rock, can hear) lots of noise at night. It also has a funny smell from cleaning products, but is central (hence the homeless).



Hope to make the darn internet work tomorrow. It is a pain to be internet less.