Back from San Fran Vacation FUN!

[jams]

Just returned from a San Fran and Yosemite vacation. Saw a Silver cobra parked at the wharf. Nice....was hoping to run into the owner.

We had a great trip. I appreciate the guidance I received some time back regarding the planning of my visit.

I learned a few new things...
-I never knew San F. was such a European vacations spot.
-Large groups of Asian tourists are very rude and annoying!
-European women are much hotter than US women. I don't think I saw one overweight women. Dark sunglasses are a wonderful invention.
-European men are not very manly, more metro-sexual. Not that I was looking! I saw a few lightweights get blown away by the bay breeze.

Great Trip!

[jams]

I forgot- I called the (MUNI) Bus system with a question and they were actually nice! A prerequisite to being in the customer service field on the east coast is to be a miserable angry human being.

A bus ride only cost 1.50!

How the hell do those electric buses keep those 2 antennas from not jumping off the overhead electrical wires. I watched in wonder?

[mickmate]

They're spring loaded up against them, when they jump off the driver gets out a fibreglass pole and puts them back on. Did you see the bendy buses go round corners? They have rear steer to follow the front. Cops on dirt bikes!

[SF_SN888KE]

Jams,
1. SF is a big European vacation spot, especially when the euro is 2:1 to the $
2. "Asian Tourist" groups ARE rude and annoying (I should know). My mom tells me that since China is so crowded, you always have to push to get to the front of the line for service. Should be interesting trying to get into the Olympics.
3. US women are hot too! Figure that 35% of the women here have to have a european background. You must have missed Centerfolds ... and Asia SF!
4. Looking at the men? ... were you in the Castro?
Electric bus lines are great. No noise, low pollution and no Kite flying. (nothing but wires overhead)
MUNI drivers seem polite, but they were actually speaking on their blue tooth to their sweetie and not to you. As for the $1.50 per ride, I remember when it was $0.10.
Native San Franciscian .... and it's not "Frisco!"

[jams]

I didn't notie that the bendy buses had rear stear! It must be a sight to see the driver go out and fix one of those spring loaded poles.

SF_Sn888KE- that explains the pushy Aisan Tourists! I guess they know no other way.

[Ron61]

Jams,

Nice that you enjoyed your trip. Did you get a chance to go out to Alcatraz or North Beach. Of course North Beach has really gone downhill over the years and I would not recommend it to anyone visiting. Coit Tower is a nice place to take pictures from when the Subs and ships are coming in or leaving the bay.

And speaking of rude tourists. I saw the other day that the French are now rated as the rudest and the Americans have moved up the list to # 11.

Riding BART under the bay can be an interesting experience, especially when the power fails and you have to walk out.

Ron

[jams]

Ron,

San Fran is a great city. We did most of the usual tourist stops, Coit tower, spent a lot of time at the wharf, Alcatraz, biked the Bridge, went to Baker Beach-nice view, Golden Gate park, Alamo Square to see the painted ladies and went to an Oakland A's game--unfortunately the Giants were out of town.

I would imagine blackouts would make thing interesting for the BART and electic buses.

[anchor2]

Born and raised in San Francisco and just moved down the Palm Springs area 3 years ago. Never knew I would miss that city so much.

As for rude people try Paris. We traveled around France a couple of years back and found the French in general to be very nice...then you get to Paris. The people in that city are very rude with a lot of anti-American sentiment. I actually saw an American Flag burned in front of me when I accidentally walked up on a street protest. Its one thing to see that on TV or a magazine but when it happens in front of you it is a very strange feeling. Glad my wife was there to get me off the street and talk some sense into me.

[HI Cobra]

Electric buses have been around for awhile - they had them in Columbus, Ohio
in the late 50's when I was there. Same deal - if the antennas jumped off
the driver would just pop them back on with a pole. Don't know if they still
have that system but the buses moved along just fine as I recall.

[imagine2frolic]

I lived in the city for about 15 years, and owned a business there. I do miss the place. What I want to know is what you thought about God's artwork?....AKA Yosemite

[jams]

Yosemite is a fantastic national park!!!!!

We spent almost 4 days there and did lots of hiking. We loved all of the water falls, rivers/streams huge granite formations and giant trees. We stayed at the "Yosemite Lodge at the Falls", so we were in the heart of the valley to check out most of the sites. We could have used another few more days to see more.

We were lucky (or unlucky depending on how you look at it) enough to see a mountain lion and a bear. Oh- we saw a deer also, but I have them right in my own backyard.

[COBRA427]

JAMS: I assume you were driving a rental car with automatic trans? SF is a real test of your manual trans shift/clutch abilities with all those hilly streets.

[SF_SN888KE]

Nothing like driving up Bay Street during an escorted car cruise, I'm the last car with the CHP escort behind me ... stopped on the hill, no hand brake, racing clutch, .... popped the clutch and accidently spun the tires. Thought I was going to get a ticket ...

[Lew Ledyard]

Did you eat at House of Nanking in Chinatown? It's a dive, but for about $20-25 you will have one of the best meals that you've ever had in your life. Let the man behind the counter order for you. It will be the one meal that you crave after you leave.

[jams]

We just walked through China Town for the experience but didn't stop to eat.

I can only imagine driving stick in San Fran! It must be a challenge especially without a handbrake.

Here is a link to a picture show I created using a a free piece of software called Photo Story 3 provided by Microsoft.
http://www.mtsd.k12.nj.us/6462206242...BCOB=0&C=58009