Curtis' Fifteenth Post

"Before we jump on the cable car one last photo from the ferry, this a shot toward a passing freighter on its way to the Port of Oakland with the Oakland-Bay Bridge above and Oakland in the distance.

And here a shot of that bridge from the promenade.  During my time in San Francisco I relied on a range of pre-AI lenses, some of which are contemporaries of Nikki, one of which is older, the 105 f/2.5 P AI’d.  I also used the 24 f/2.8 N.C. AI’d as in the two photos below as well as the 55 f/1.2 S.C. AI’d which will make its appearance toward the last segment of this visit.

Then a shot of one of the trolleys that runs on Market Street.  The City of San Francisco bought trolley cars from other cities both in the U.S. and Europe.  I really love the trolleys from Milan, Italy.  That will come later in this day and certainly in a later blog post.  This trolley, however, comes from Los Angeles, which in itself is remarkable because sports fans from this part of the state have no love lost for L.A.  In fact, folks from the Bay Area tend to consider the L.A. basin a wasteland...   Don’t tell any of our friends from the southland I said that.  LOL

And as always, street vendors make their wares available for passing tourists and locals alike.  In the distance you can see the entrance to the Ferry Terminal.

And finally I arrive at the turntable at the foot of California Street where cable cars are turned around for the trip up the street.  As you can see these a busy streets shared by cable cars, buses, automobiles and bicycles, though it is a brave rider who chooses to go over hills rather than around them.

Always a favorite with tourists are the free spirited grips who do as their name suggests, using the lever in his hands to “grip” the cable running beneath the street as well as “grip” the brake lever.  These trips would be pretty terrifying if the cable car goes careening down these steep hills.

And we meet another cable car as we approach the top of Nob Hill.

The conductor suggested when I got on the cable car that I should sit on the right side so I’d get this view of China town as we passed Grant Street.

Next we head down to Union Square which is perhaps the heart of the business district, if NOT the heart of the financial district which is closer to the bay.  Union Square is surrounded by hotels and department stores as well as speciality shops.  You’ll always find a mix of locals on their lunch breaks or catching a few rays and a flock of tourists."