Monday, July 01, 2013

Bay Watch 1 : MUNI-ficent


Back from San Francisco. Jet lagged. Bags unpacked. Bags re-packed. Off again.

Yes, with travel dust still clinging to my nasal passages (you check on Google, nobody has ever used that phrase before) we are off again. This time our destination is Gloucestershire to spend a few days with our old friends J&E who have just moved there from Oxford. I thought I would feature a few of the photographs from San Francisco on the blog whilst I am away. But how do you choose just four photographs, four memories, from so many? 

My first photograph seems to encapsulate so many of the delightful aspects of San Francisco. I was so impressed by the public transport system there - the buses, trolleys, trams and cable cars were cheap, frequent and both passenger-friendly and environmentally friendly. Having rented an apartment some way out of the city and not wanting to hire a car, I was slightly worried about how easy it would be to get around. I needn't have worried; the San Francisco Municipal Transport system could teach most British cities a lesson or two. 

We bounced, swayed and lunged around that wonderful city, cheek by jowl with citizens of every colour, creed and persuasion. It was all part of our glorious experience of the city by the bay.

10 comments:

  1. I remember being in Melbourne when young and seeing green vehicles like this. Even then, they seemed curious and interesting to me. I wonder if they still have them. And yes, they struck me too when I first visited San Francisco. Very special!

    Enjoy Gloucs, Alan.

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  2. Yup, cable cars pretty much define the city. And it's really the only sensible way to navigate those hills!

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  3. Wonderful city; glad it hasn't changed much over the years except to bet better.

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  4. SF is my favourite American city...I am so glad you enjoyed it. It is regrettable that other cities here don't offer public transport to the standard one finds there. Have a wonderful time with your friends.

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  5. San Francisco? Hm. I saw "Castro" in the photo and thought you were in Cuba!

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  6. I've never been, but John has and it's one of his favourite places.

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  7. This looks wonderfully vintage.

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  8. I agree an easy place to get around. We loved the cable cars too. The underground depot and museum and watch how the cables work.

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  9. Well, if nothing else Alan, it looks as though San Francisco and Gloucestershire are sharing blues skies at the moment!

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