Welcome to San Francisco

Friday was one of these days, which would have proved to many of our friends and relatives, that our business isn't really always fun and easy and luxurious: We arrived to San Francisco's Transbay Terminal by bus from Emeryville (the train station), only about half an hour late, at 9:30 am. We schlepped our luggage (4 large pieces, two backpacks and a Pendleton blanket) from the bus station to our "nearby" hotel. The Hotel Griffon, which had invited us, is conveniently located in SoMA, directly at Embarcadero close to the Ferry Building. Unfortunately (but expectedly), our room wasn't ready in the morning.

Therefore, despite of being pretty tired and sweaty, we stored our luggage in the hotel and went out again to explore the city. SF was fully living up to its reputation in the morning: fog. After breakfast in the Ferry Building Marketplace (pic) and checking emails, we lost patience waiting for one of the historic streetcars, which serve the waterfront (in SF public transport is theoretically existing, but slow and not highly reliable) and started walking along the waterfront.

We passeed the new cruiseship terminal, Pier 39, Hyde Street Pier and the Visitor Center and ended up at the Maritime Museum/Ghirardelli Square. Pier 39 (pics) is still the same old tourist trap, with its stinky sea lions lazily laying around and making noise.

As always, it took forever to get on the Hyde-Powell Cable Car at Ghirardelli Square, up and down the hills to Hallidie Plaza, the hub of the business district. With a stop at the Visitor Information Center, we walked to the "American Bookbinders Museum" where we had a short tour and - after a short break in the sun in the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens (picture), we walked over to SFMoMA for our 3 pm appointment. We got a preview tour in the newly expanded and rearranged museum, which will open in May. Already spectacular before, in a fantastic Mario Botta building (see front part in the picture, new building is to the back), it was expanded enourmously and will be one of the largest and most spectacular modern/contemporary art museums in the U.S. now. Would love to be there for the opening!

At 4 pm we strolled back to our hotel to finally check in, shower and dress up. Room was modern and nice, though not too large, and came with a great view towards Oakland Bay Bridge (see pic).

Out again at 5 pm for our dinner appointment at 6 pm by public bus. At Bobo's Lounge we got (after a little bit of confusion about our pre-arranged dinner) a good meal with branzino (pic), lamb chops and wine pairing. Two different bus lines brought us back to our hotel at 8 pm and there was still a text to proofread waiting for us. Not sure how many hours we were up and running and how many miles we walked, but assumingly not many people we know, would have endured this day with us!