FrozenDreamer

After waking from our 12 hour sleep, we got ready for day 2 of the holiday. We had reserved a place on a tour bus the day before, which was due to pick us up at 9:20am. Which it did.
We were whicked off to Fishermans Wharf where we paid the rest of our fare and ate ham and cheese bagels (so tasty!!!).

The tour was brilliant. A great introduction to the city. We saw Ghiridelli Square, The Financial District, the amazing City Hall, China Town, Japan Town, Golden Gate Park and the CHinese Tea Gardens (we had 5 minutes to run around the garden before the bus left) and the grand finale, Golden Gate Bridge!

We weren’t the only gay couple on the tour, and affectionately adopted the other couple and renamed them ‘Our Friends’ (you have to say it like a mad stalker). The other couple were not aware of our new name for them, obviously. We did however share a joke together about the bus driver who failed to mention anything about the gigantic rainbow flag we drove under as we went through the gayest area in the world… strange thing those red-necked freaks. After the tour, which also went past a huge Graveyard for American Servicemen we got our tickets for the ‘Red & White Fleet’ bay cruise.

Before boarding, we had lunch, which was a fabulous thing which resembled South African ‘Bunny-Chow’. Clam Chowder in a Sour dough bread bowl washed down with Dr Pepper. It was an amazing thing… and I must thank Hazel at work for suggesting it to me!
It was however a bit wierd eating dinner while a few hundred sea gulls gazed longingly at the food in front of me. Greedy little feckers that they are!

Boarding the Harbour Princess (we missed the Harbour Queen), we were shipped out to the bay and under the Golden Gate Bridge. So for a few minutes, i was out sailing the Pacific Ocean (I’ve never seen it before).
The Bridge truly is an amzing site, and much like the Forth Rail Bridge in Edinburgh… is always being painted…. no surprise there then.

Leaving the Bridge behind us, the boat then sailed around Alcatraz, to tease us a few hours before we would walk around it’s scary shores the following day. It really is a spooky place from the water.

We landed back at pier 43.5 and walked back to Gheridelli Square, where we bought some of the most amazing Ice Cream I have even had the fortune to eat. Cookie Dough and Strawberry Cheesecake flavour in a wafer chocolate cone. All sweetened by the fact the server couldn’t spell Bryan’s name… and keyed it into the system as BRAIN. lol!

Shovelling the ice cream from the gods down our necks, we wandered up to the cable car and hung on for dear life as it transported us to Chine Town where we caught the tail end of the Parade. We managed to see the longest Dragon of the parade and get blasted by fire-crackers.
Loads of pics were taken, which you’ll be able to see when I download them all when I get home! (If I come home).

We walked along Grant Street, and along to North Beach where we found a lovely little Italian restaurant with a guy sitting outside. He was wearing a beret and drinking wne. He looked a little worse for wear… ie: DRUNK!
He did however manage to coax us inside with promises of ‘the best Italian food in the city”. We went in and had a lovely meal again. I had the Blam Linguine n white whine sauce this time… while Bryan tried out an American version of his favourite dish…. Spaghetti Carbonara.

We then left the restaurant (past Picasso who was trying to coax more people inside the place) and walked past the people on Grant Street who were still celebrating. I bought some ‘Pop Pops’… those little explosive things you throw on the ground. I haven’t seen them in years… so took great delight in throwing a whole box of them up in the air. Loads of fun. And $1 for four boxes… they lasted for about an hour!

And so ends day 2 of the holiday. We got back to the flat and fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow. I clearly cannot cope with time zone changes!