Michael Buble

We started the sixth day by driving to Santa Cruz. Unfortunately I found the city confusing to drive around. Not because of my English driving hang-ups; I was well over those now, but because all the signs seemed to have been switched to confuse enemy invaders. There were many signs pointing to the beach front but all we found was a motionless fun park of inert rollercoasters. We eventually took Road One north and headed for San Francisco hoping to come across a quiet beach on the way. We were not disappointed. a few miles south of Half Moon Bay we pulled over into a lay-by. We crossed the road and found a narrow track which took us over the railway line to a beautiful sandy cove. The Pacific Ocean crashed upon the steep beach and pelicans bobbed on the breakers. There was not a single human soul to be seen. Dorrie and I lay on the sand until the in-coming tide forced us onto a rocky plateau. We drank a can of Bud Lite and marvelled at the peace and quiet. We could not even hear the traffic on the road.

We arrived in San Fransisco at about five o'clock. With sand still between my toes I pulled into a parking bay of the Marina Heritage hotel on Van Ness Street. For $79.00 plus tax we were happy to book in and begin our exploration of the city. That very evening we took a boat trip on a boat called the Lovely Maria around the bay, under the Golden Gate Bridge and past Alcatraz rock. It was difficult to believe that we were there in one of the most famous bays in the world. The city looked like a glistening fairytale in the evening sun. As the guide told us about the proportions of the Golden Gate Bridge we were transfixed by the kite-boarders and sail-boarders who sped across the wake of the boat. The kite-boarders leapt off the surface of the water, twisting and turning like a reluctant shark on a fishing line. Again and again I tried to capture the acrobatics with my camera. Unfortunately the sun was behind them and not one picture turned out successfully.

While on board the boat our guide told us about the 1989 earthquake. He explained that soon after it a huge bull sea lion had turned up at K dock, Pier 39. After some attempts to discourage him the businessmen of Pier 39 decided that he and his 300 friends were quite a tourist attraction. They vacated the dock and erected wooden platforms for the sea lions to bask on. In the winter as many as 600 sea lions congregate there. I made a mental note to visit K dock and see the magnificent creatures for myself.


We walked further along Fisherman's Wharf and ate Clam Chowder with sour dough bread as advised by many who knew San Francisco. It was delicious and a meal in itself.