San Francisco (& Sacramento), August 2009

Cable cars, a bay, two famous bridges, a Chinatown, and lots of hills: San Francisco is a particularly photogenic place. Plus one bonus photo of the California State Capitol in Sacramento.

A cable car in San Francisco. After the great earthquake of 1906 only four of the original cable-car lines were rebuilt. The remaining cable cars are seen as emblematic of San Francisco. They are largely used by tourists, as far as I can tell, although on the routes they cover they are the best way to get up and down the hills. All too often, however, I had the dismal experience of several cable cars in a row not stopping to let me on since they were all already jammed to the gills with people hanging off the runner-boards.
Cable Car City Clouds northamericatravel People Street Summer Tourist Tram rhjf 20090813 1699
In the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Flowers Garden northamericatravel Park Shrubs Summer Trees rhjf 20090813 1708
A monument to Francis Scott Key, the author of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, in the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Garden Park Statue rhjf 20090813 1716
Flowers in the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Flowers Garden Park rhjf 20090813 1719
The Golden Gate Bridge from the south (San Francisco) side.
Bay Bridge City Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco northamericatravel San Francisco Bay rhjf 20090813 1743
View over downtown San Francisco from the Presidio (which is where the Golden Gate Bridge meets the San Francisco side).
City City Views northamericatravel Panorama Summer Trees rhjf 20090813 1758 stitch
A cemetery in San Francisco.
City City Views northamericatravel Summer Trees rhjf 20090813 1774
A wind-surfer takes advantage of the stiff breeze which comes into the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific. In the background you can see the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge, at the Marin Headlands.
Beach Bridge Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco People rhjf 20090813 1784
Looking towards the island of Alcatraz, the former high-security federal prison in the San Francisco Bay.
Alcatraz Bay Beach Island San Francisco Bay rhjf 20090813 1791
Boats moored in a marina in the San Francisco Bay.
Bay Beach Boat San Francisco Bay rhjf 20090813 1793
On board the cable car in San Francisco. The job of piloting the cable cars requires a great deal of physical strength, as the driver must pull the handle to exactly the right angle in order to grip the subterranean cable just enough for the car to travel smoothly.
Cable Car City northamericatravel People Summer Tourist Tram rhjf 20090814 1804
Inside the French Marist church of Notre Dame des Victoires.
Church City northamericatravel Summer rhjf 20090814 1808
A street car passes the old cathedral (the ‘Grace Cathedral’) in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1818
Inside Old St Mary’s cathedral in San Francisco.
Church City northamericatravel Summer rhjf 20090814 1820
Inside Old St Mary’s cathedral in San Francisco.
Church City northamericatravel Summer rhjf 20090814 1824
A street in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1826
One of the huge number of tourist shops in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Shop Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1828
A street in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1831
In Chinatown in San Francisco. In the background you can see the Transamerica Pyramid.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1832
A street in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1835
On the street in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1846
Women pass a painted-up, and subsequently defaced, American flag in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel People Sign Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1852
A street in Chinatown in San Francisco. Notice the Taiwanese flags on the building on the right.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1859
A street in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1864
Chinese ladies shopping at ‘real’ Chinese stores in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Shop Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1867
A lady examines the produce at a ‘real’ Chinese grocery in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Shop Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1868
Looking towards the Oakland–San Francisco Bay Bridge from Chinatown.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1877
Buying fruit at a ‘real’ Chinese grocery in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Shop Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1879
Selling fruit at a ‘real’ Chinese grocery in Chinatown in San Francisco.
Chinatown Chinese City northamericatravel Shop Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1880
The Italian church of Sts Peter and Paul in Telegraph Hill in San Francisco.
Church City northamericatravel People Summer Trees rhjf 20090814 1886
The church of Sts Peter and Paul in Telegraph Hill in San Francisco.
Church City northamericatravel Summer Window rhjf 20090814 1891
Tourists walk past the Italian-built church of Sts Peter and Paul in San Francisco.
Church City northamericatravel People Summer Tourist rhjf 20090814 1892
Inside the church of Sts Peter and Paul in San Francisco.
Church City northamericatravel Summer rhjf 20090814 1896
Below this stained-glass window in the church of Sts Peter and Paul, you can see an organist practising in anticipation of her recital the following evening.
Church City northamericatravel Summer Window rhjf 20090814 1898
Streets going down and up in San Francisco.
City City Views northamericatravel Street Summer Trees rhjf 20090814 1903
The buildings of downtown San Francisco seen from Coit Tower in Telegraph Hill.
City City Views northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1910
View over the San Francisco Bay, including the Oakland–San Francisco Bay Bridge, from Coit Tower in Telegraph Hill.
Bay Bay Bridge San FranciscoOakland Bridge City City Views northamericatravel San Francisco Bay Summer Trees rhjf 20090814 1913
This residential street in an inner San Francisco neighbourhood is in fact more of a wooded path.
City northamericatravel Sign Summer Trees rhjf 20090814 1920
The Oakland–San Francisco Bay Bridge can be seen peeking out from behind these flowers.
City northamericatravel Summer Trees rhjf 20090814 1921
Outside a restaurant situated along the San Francisco piers.
Building Car City northamericatravel Restaurant Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1929
An open-top tram/streetcar in San Francisco. It appears that many other places have donated trams to run in San Francisco: this car has evidently come from the U.K. I saw many trams from Melbourne, Boston, and elsewhere.
City northamericatravel Street Summer Tram Trees rhjf 20090814 1931
Buildings in downtown San Francisco.
Building City northamericatravel Street Summer rhjf 20090814 1934
This plaque on the south-east pylon of the Golden Gate Bridge commemorates many of those involved with the bridge’s construction. (Zoom to the largest size in order to be able to read the inscriptions.)
Bay Bridge City Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco northamericatravel San Francisco Bay Sign rhjf 20090815 1944
I saw at least three of these telephones along the length of the Golden Gate Bridge when I walked across. The bridge is the site of a huge number of suicides every year, such that a controversial documentary was made covering the phenomenon.
Bay Bridge City Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco northamericatravel San Francisco Bay Sign rhjf 20090815 1951
The cargo vessel ‘Golden State’ passes underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. In the background you can see downtown San Francisco.
Alcatraz Bay Bridge Cargo Vessel City City Views Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco Island northamericatravel San Francisco Bay rhjf 20090815 1961
Panorama from the Golden Gate Bridge. The two main shadows you can see in the water are of the bridge itself.
Alcatraz Bay Bridge City City Views Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco Island northamericatravel Panorama San Francisco Bay rhjf 20090815 1964 stitch
The Golden Gate Bridge from its northern end.
Bay Bridge City Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco northamericatravel San Francisco Bay Sunset rhjf 20090815 1980
Traffic passing over the Golden Gate Bridge at dusk, as seen from the Marin Headlands on the bridge’s north side.
Bay Bridge City Dusk Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco northamericatravel San Francisco Bay rhjf 20090815 1991