Day 2 3/12/07 - USA

San Francisco

Highlight

• Breakfasted at bagel place – so many choices of bagels. We of course completed the deal with a giant coffee, the only size they sell in the US it seems.
• Walked along The Embacedero to Pier 33. Saw some fat seagulls, a guy fishing for crabs and caught them in a net with raw chicken.
• Got the City Pass and went for a cruise to Alcatraz. There weren’t too many people yet but the weather was pretty good.
• All the places in Alcatraz was just like the Tony Hawk game. It was surreal as it seemed like I had already been there. I made sure I walked the whole island and read every sign.
• Standout of course was the cellhouse and the exercise yard for the great view.
• The audio tour which covered the cellhouse was pretty good.
• Joined a walking tour that talked about the famous escapes on the island.
• The weather was starting to turn by the time I made it back to the mainland.
• Went to Hyde St Pier and the museum to look at some maritime boats, then wanted to get cable car up to Lombard St, but there were too many people waiting, so I walked along the foreshore to Ghirardelli Square to look at the factory and sample lots of chocolate instead.
• Bought a very cute cupcake – it tasted deletable too!
• Took a very long bus ride on the famous American grid system of roads down Polk St, with the cool shops.
• Spent ages going from station to station to try to get a MUNI passport for Slokky, the first one closed early (lazy soot), the second one didn’t sell them and the third one had a huge line of everyone all wanting a MUNI!!
• Dinner at the very American Cheesecake Factory, on the top floor of Macys. There were HEAPS of people there, but at least they give you a buzzer which goes off as you wait for a table, so you can have a shop around while you wait.
• There were lots of stuff I wanted to buy – including a carpet! But we decided we didn’t have enough time to make an informed choice.
• Finally got buzzed and we weren’t disappointed with the American experience. Everything was crumbed and deep fried and the servings were HUGE! Good thing we could order an appetiser and entrée and be very full, so GUI could foot the bill without us having to pay for anything.
• We had to try the desserts though, it is called the Cheesecake Factory afterall. The peanut butter cheesecake was so rich I couldn’t move afterwards. I must’ve eaten a week’s calorie in a meal.
• Had another walk around Macys. The clothes were great. I bet NY would be fab for shopping, but there were so many things not my size. I didn’t get to spend too long there though ‘cos Slokky was complaining, so we took more transport rides back.

Food

• asagao cheese and spinach bagel
• choc chip bagel with peanut butter and jelly
• coffee
• cranbbery juice
• sourdough bread
• Ghirardelli chocolate peppermint bark
• dinner at The Cheesecake Factory:
  • buffalo Blasts – chicken breast , cheese and spicy buffalo sauce all stuffed in a spiced wrapper and fried until crisp, served with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing ($8.95)
  • white and brown bread
  • chicken Madeira – sautéed chicken breast topped with fresh asparagus and fresh mushroom and melted mozzarella cheese, covered with fresh mushroom, Meideira sauce and served with mashed potatoes and shrimps with cloves of garlic, fresh basil and tomato ($19.95)
  • chocolate peanut butter cookie dough cheesecake – chocolate cheesecake loaded with peanut butter cookie dough and topped with chocolate