I returned to San Francisco yesterday and settled into seeing more of the city than I did when I arrived Saturday and immediately took off from the airport to the Pacific Coast Highway.

Yesterday, several friends and I rented a limo for a two hour driving tour so we could get an overview.  Overall, I think San Fran is truly a lovely city with gorgeous architecture and lovely touches here and there that make the city even prettier.  Oh, and those views!  The Bay is incredible -- even when viewed from high up Lombard Street through the open sunroof of the limo. 

Can we talk about those hills?  I want to know who first came to this area, looked at the surrounding topography and said, "Yeah.  We can build."  I wonder if anyone staggers to the top of Lombard and wishes he could just rapell down instead of walking.

I have never seen so many storefronts crammed into available street space as I did last night in Chinatown. 

It's so odd to see people walking around in coats, sweaters and boots with scarves wrapped around their necks.  It's the end of July and San Franciscans are cold.  I, on the other hand, must officially be a Keys-girl because I absolutely love the cooler, breezy weather.  It's such a refreshing change from the 90 degree swelter and humidity that makes you feel like you're trying to suck air through a wet towel.

Plenty of panhandlers on the city streets.  Our hotel is completely non-smoking, to the point where you have to stand at least 10 feet away from the doors even when you go outside to light up.  A couple of my friends smoke and report that, when they go outside, they need to keep dealing with people coming up for handouts.

I wondered if this meant that San Fran, like many major cities, has a very high cost of living.  I'll have to ask a local.  If it does, then explain to me how I got a manicure for only $10?

I'm going out to dinner tonight and will be interested in seeing if we hit three meals in a row where restaurant staff have snippy or other wise uncooperative attitudes.  Yesterday, a group of us went of afternoon tea at a very high end department store.  To my mind, with the individual price we paid, we shouldn't have to ask for certain basic things.  The wait staff ought to anticipate, and fill the need before we have to ask.  Not so at this place.  To make it worse, when we asked, he replied with a haughty, "Of course", but the tone and 'tude implied a silent addition of, "you can, and you're a total idiot for not realizing that".

Last night at dinner, the maitre d' disputed our reservation for the room with the great view -- even though the reservation was confirmed a month or so ago.  He met an unmovable object in our friend who made the arrangements and seated us as requested.

The waiter took our orders without writing them down.  He returned and asked us to repeat them, saying to the three who'd ordered fish, "I know you want the mahi."  They replied, "No, we ordered the sea bass."

"Oh, yes, yes," he agreed before hurrying away.

When he brought our meals, he handed them each a plate with mahi.  Oh well.  He finally understood that he'd gotten the order wrong.  It took a few minutes, but finally, the sea bass arrived. 

When Alcatraz was a fully operational prison, prisoners dreamed of escaping.  Now everybody wants to get over there.  I really wanted to tour Alcatraz, but discovered today that the first available date is Tuesday!  I'm sad to report that a wistful, mournful expression and polite pleading didn't work.

All in all, the Alcatraz disappointment and disgruntled wait staff aside, it's been a good 36 hours in the city by the Bay.

Yes, I know.  Stil no pictures.  Pretend you're enjoying the buildup of anticipation. 

Coats and sweaters??? I can't even imagine. Glad you're having fun but miss you here!

Really glad you're having a chance to see the sights! I'm so sorry about the snooty waiters--how awful! And the coats and sweaters are SO par for the course for summer in SF! You know what Mark Twain supposedly said about the coldest winter he ever spent...