Windy Wednesday

First thing Wednesday morning (well, it was 11.30am, but that was 'first thing) I decided to find the walkway that linked Le Meridien to the famous Embarcadero Centre.  This centre is made up of four towers all linked by walkways and spans almost four blocks (fortunately a block over here doesn't seem near as big as at home).  Once at E. One you know you are almost at what is commonly called 'The Embarcadero' - the eastern waterfront and roadway that takes you all the way from AT&T Park down to Fisherman's Wharf - lots of different piers with shopping, dining etc.  The Alcatraz cruise leaves from Pier 33 so we know where we are going on Saturday.

After lunch Darren and I took one of the famous Cable Cars and it was fun... up AND down one of the super-steep hills here.  We really didn't care which one we were on as long as we had a ride...and that we did.   There are three different lines and fortunately for us, the one we took (the California Line) is the quietest - no lining up, just find out where to catch it and hop on.  The photo below is 'our' car at the end of the line - sitting patiently for the next tourists.

Macys was our next stop-off point, after catching a cab from the hotel - Tim and Sarah, we couldn't help but think of your little puppy :)   I have badly needed new shoes for ages so went to see if Macys was anything like our shoe department in Toowoomba - nope, nothing like it.  Many, many staff, mostly older men and this shoe section seemed to go forever.  I didn't recognise any of the brands, but that's nothing out of the extraordinary as I'm really not a 'shoe person'.  I left there with two lovely pair...was fun...

By about 7pm (the sun still well up) we were getting peckish so headed back to the hotel.  Outside Macys, in Union Square, was the coolest band playing...easy listening...just lovely.  A five-piece band made up of over forty (actually over fifty and sixty!) musos.  Unfortunately it was just too chilly to hang around too long, but was a really nice atmosphere and could of hung around for ages.

One thing we've learnt since being away is that the taxi drivers know THE best, reasonably priced, restaurants.  This night we ended up at North Beach (Fisherman's Wharf end of the city) and only about a ten minute drive away.   We had dinner at Sotto Mare and it was one of the busiest, tiniest! little Italian restaurants we've ever seen (me, pictured below, looking like I'm paying the parking meter!)  The prawns and scallops were almost as good as those we had in Albany (W.A) a few years ago.  Another huge meal and we were ready to head 'home'.