San Francisco

#San _Francisco_CityByTheBay

Palace of Fine Arts
The structure was built for the 1915 Expo and the Panama-Pacific International Exposition
 which was helping San Francisco recover from the earthquake and fire (1906)
The building was initially built with temporary materials
but then redone between 1964-1974 and because of that, it is still standing in its original location
 

Lombard Street
The one block section was made this way on purpose, as the hills 27% grade was too steep for the vehicles of that time
So even though its called the most crookedest street in the world, engineers have determined Vermont Street in the city is more angled, but certainly gets far fewer tourists

My number one city (for me) to visit in North America is that city on the bay in Northern California; yes San Francisco (Spanish for Saint Francis)

  From its humble beginnings of a small settlement and sea port it all changed with the gold rush of 1849 (hence the name 49ers, the year of all the those wide eyed fortune seekers that descended to this area) 

 Because of all the new wealth coming in, many entrepreneurs grabbed the opportunity to satisfy all the needs and wants of  these prospectors plus dreamers. Folks like Levi Strauss in dry goods (bedding, combs, handkerchiefs) but most famously for his sturdy blue jeans with the copper rivets to strengthen the pockets. Domingo Ghirardelli for his chocolate; as actually it was at his factory here that they accidentally discovered by hanging a bag of ground cacao beans in a warm room it could be converted into ground chocolate

  

The banking sector; Wells Fargo and the Bank of California also got its start during these times. Then the 1906 earthquake/fire changed the city forever, so at this time it was a great opportunity to upgrade or build new infrastructure. Also the areas that survived the fires had a chance to restart and develop those neighborhoods which saved a lot of those magnificent Victorian Homes; from Union Square, Fisherman's Market, Nob Hill,  Chinatown , Haight-Ashbury Districts, its got it all.  Now don't be going here for the weather, as Mark Twain once famously said "the coldest winter i ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" (its because the city is surrounded on three sides by the cooler currents of the Pacific Ocean)  

                     Fun Facts

A) Social Media: only in San Francisco would they have their 

   own "fog" which they call Karl

 and also has an Instagram page 😅

 B)  Size: as you walk around the city you know the terrain is steep, but would you of guessed over fifty hills

Also its approximately 10kms (6 miles) in both length and width, so not very large as most metropolis are in our world

C) Cable cars; were brought into use to stop the horses  (previous transportation on the streets) 

from sliding to their deaths

D) No burials; since 1902, which created a city of the dead next door in Colma south of San Fran

E) Great Depression; no bank here failed

F)  Parrots; once were house companions then flew to freedom and now live on Telegraph Hill  

G) Presidio Pet Cemetery; founded in the 1950s, which is the final resting place for the military families (that were stationed here) and for their animals

Chinatown

As we enter the famous gateway;
 I was told it was a gift to the city from the Republic of Taiwan, plus the multi-tiered roofs are influenced by Buddhist and Taoist beliefs about enlightenment
Also that the canopy is curved this way because of superstition, as to protect against evil spirts

The original Chinatown was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake, but now has become the largest outside Asia as it spans nearly thirty city blocks
This makes it the most densely populated area in the United States except for Manhattan New York 

Music Scene

As i walk by this street art;
 How fitting, as i am heading to the Fillmore District Hub area
 Known as the "Harlem of the West" (where in the 1940s & 1950s) with the influx of African Americans who were working in the military shipyards fueled a vibrant  jazz plus blues scene

Jumbos Bop City
Was a famous after-hours club that hosted jam sessions lasting all night,
 where names like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong performed

Today
Fillmore Jazz Festival is an effort to revitalize the music scene in this area

The architectural styles in the city is diverse because of the rebuilding or the saved structures after the earthquake and fire of 1906
You have a mix of Queen Anne Victorian, Art Deco, Italianate, Streamline Moderne and Mid-Century Modern

Pier 39
The Sea Lions began appearing on the docks in 1990 shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake
A few reasons they stay;
A constant food supply in the area plus their natural predators (White Sharks and Orcas) typically
 do not venture into the bay

Haight-Ashbury

The birthplace in 1967 of the Summer of Love
 It brought thousands of young people to the area, with the neighborhood became a central hub for the hippie counterculture 
 Was the starting point for the iconic rock bands The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and Quicksilver Messenger Service
With this culture it also became home for many other influential music artists such as Janis Joplin , Jimi Hendrix plus Crosby, Stills and Nash

Modern Times
A) Amoeba Music; is one of the worlds largest independent record stores that also has a stage on site
 for live performances
B) Victorian Architecture; the area was developed in the late 1800s
 and survived the 1906 earthquake / fire
C) Other Cafe; legendary comedy club that provided a platform for the upstarts like Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg and Dana Carvey
D) Hippie Hill; George Harrison borrowed a guitar and started playing here back in 1967
E) Grateful Thursdays; the area continues to be a lively center for music with local venues
hosting live performances

Cable Cars

Beginnings
Started in 1873 with the first successful run on Clay Street using an unique technology with an underground cable that holds the car onto the surface
This mechanism is manually controlled by a "Gripman" using a large lever

Saving the Cars
In the 1940s with buses and electric streetcars that were more safe and cost-effective, the local government attempted to remove them
The citizens campaigned against it, which lead to a landslide ballot victory for their protection
Then in 1964 in recognition of their historical status, the cable cars were designated
 a National Historic Landmark

Fun Facts
A) Brake Pads; were made of Douglas Fir wood that had to be replaced every 72 hours of service due to the wear and tear
B) Fannie Mae Barnes; in 1998 she became the first woman to be a cable car Grip Operator, proving she had the upper body strength to do the job
C) Bell Ringing; a contest every year to show off their unique rhythms and styles
D) Movies: the cars have been featured in films like Mrs. Doubtfire,
Dirty Harry and The Net

Golden Gate

The bridge opened in 1937 with the US Government initially opposed to its construction
It has only been closed three times due to weather and survived a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in 1989

Fun Facts
A) Safety Net; was installed during its construction which saved the lives of nineteen men
who became known as the "Halfway to Hell Club"
B) Babies; three have been born on the span and all were boys
C) Film Star: Hollywood has used it ( to name a few) for Risky Business and Chinatown

Sausalito
As i look back at San Francisco

 I am reminded of the Otis Redding classic song he wrote here
"Sittin On the Dock of the Bay"
I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the Frisco Bay
Ive had nothing to live for
Look like nothins gonna come my way

So im just gonna sit on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Im sittin on the dock of the bay
Wastin time

As the street art i found here suggests, i am a traveler 
Time for my next adventure