EMBARCADERO

Because we still had some things to do in order to make it possible to leave home for a long time, we decided to take a before-world-traveling-break. After a twelve-hour flight via London we arrived in San Francisco. I had never been to the west coast of the USA before, so I was really excited! We stayed at the St. Regis, a great hotel at an even greater location (read: just one block away from al the good shopping!).

San Francisco is surrounded by water, on the west by the Pacific and on the east by the San Francisco Bay. The first day we decided to take a walk to Embarcadero, the eastern waterfront and roadway of the port of San Francisco. We wanted to take it easy on day one, so we walked north from the Ferry Building across Market Street and passed Fisherman’s Wharf. After a four hour walk in 28 degrees C (not taking it easy after all), we reached the most famous and therefor most touristic pier, Pier 39. We’ve been told that this was a great place to view the sea lions bathing in the sun. Unfortunately we only spotted one, the rest was elsewhere for the mating season.

On the way back we followed the same route as the cable cart passing Lombard Street. That’s when we also experienced the crazy weather of San Francisco. Because of the city’s position between the two waters the wind is cold, so one minute your hot and the next your freezing! That required a new wardrobe strategy. Luckily next day was shopping day!