I decided to take the Big Bus tour of the downtown sights! $59 and worth every penny. The lower seating is enclosed and the upper seats are open air…no roof. A recording tells you the history, the buildings, China Town, the Ferry district, the Presidio, Haight Ashbury, and the bus crosses the Golden Gate Bridge.
I had a t shirt, a long sleeved shirt and carried a light hoody. We froze crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The top of the bus is open. There is horrid freezing cold wind plus the bus moves. We descended into winter. I put my hoody on. The recording had told us we could get into the lower enclosed portion for warmth. Also hold on the phones and everything else because the wind is strong! Two people left. I tried to crouch low down in the seat to escape the freezing wind, but it didn’t work. Good Lordy…would I ever get warm? The city temperatures was 59 degrees. Clouds form here in the Bay Area because of the warm air drifting into the colder air of the bay. I lived thru this experience and warmed up gradually about 5 city blocks.
The bus went into Haight Asbury district where my parents lived during WW 2.
The bus crossed Masonic Street where my birth address was. I found me! The houses were ornate 3 story houses. Their rooms were made into apartments during the war to house people like my parents and their newborn.
We traveled thru the Presidio which is especially meaningful. My fathered guarded the shore at the Presidio during World War 2. Enemy subs could come and bomb us. I saw where the base was. There is also a large military cemetery.
Again, I had time to rest until Nathan arrived. Nathan posted, “We hung out at Zootrope, the famous Coppola restaurant. The food was delish, but the company was better!”. Awwww!
The bus stopped at the Ferry district and we were made to change buses. This bus had music, but no voice telling us anything. Also, the driver didn’t automatically stop at the designated stops. Thank goodness, I recognized my upcoming exit area and told driver I wanted to get out.