San Francisco

December 27, 2015

Pongo and I spent Sunday afternoon in the city.  It wasn't too different from a normal excursion for us except we were much closer to home and in an urban environment.  Well, there was one telling difference.  Normally once the sun goes down we have to pack it in and head home.  That's just when things start to get interesting in the city.

Twin Peaks, San Francisco, CA

Polk Street

We started our urban adventure on Twin Peaks.  Some of the best views of San Francisco can be seen from that location.  As you can see, it was a dark and cloudy day.  There are a few trails that one can walk that have the feel of an outdoor adventure.  They ultimately lead to a parking lot with gobs of people, cars and tour buses.  Not too different from Yosemite, really.

Pongo did well in the crowds.  I think he's used to them now.  The experience for him is probably similar to what we've encountered in places like Tunnel View in Yosemite and along stretches of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Lots of people standing around talking and taking pictures, occasionally noticing him and giving him a little attention.  I think he kind of likes that sort of scene.

Lombard Street, San Francisco, CA

Lombard Street

Our next destination was Coit Tower.  I thought it might look cool with the dark sky behind it.  On the way there we went by the windy section of Lombard Street.  Pongo got excited about that for some reason.  I suspect it was the large crowd of tourists taking pictures at the bottom of the windy part.  That block is a lot more pretty in Spring and Summer when the flowers are out.  I saw an open parking spot about a block away so we got out and joined the horde for a few pictures.

Coit Tower, San Francisco, CA

We didn't make it up to Coit Tower.  Parking is very limited there, and with the big crowds we'd seen at Twin Peaks and Lombard Street I'd put two and two together and figured out it was a big, touristy day in the city.  I hadn't expected that but it makes sense.  Besides, it was starting to get dark which meant we needed to make our way to our ultimate destination.

City Hall, San Francisco, CA

I'd been in San Francisco on Saturday evening and had seen that City Hall was lit up in green and red for the holidays.  I thought it would be fun to come back with my camera and take a few pictures.  Our other stops were really just time killers as we waited for the sun to go down.

City Hall, San Francisco, CA

I used long exposures of ten to twenty seconds to capture these photos.  Even though the camera gives immediate feedback on the photos taken, I wasn't sure if I'd be happy with any of them once I got home.  That little three inch screen can be misleading, especially with my tired old eyes.

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA

City Hall, San Francisco, CA

City Hall, San Francisco, CA