Season's Greetings Text

Twin Peaks, gorgeous views of San Francisco and its bay

Thursday, May 22, 2008, noon

Hey, yes, it's a little regret that we go back on the bus. But it is time to reach the airport without further delay if we want to be on time for boarding. It is about thirty kilometers. But Herve, our guide, who definitely will surprise us again until the last moment we had reserved a final surprise in the form of a beautiful point of view it is definitely impossible to miss.

It is true that the road does not go away. So let us follow him, as usual, with confidence, experience and professionalism are always really go.

San Francisco view from Twin Peaks. In the center, we recognize the dome of City Hall and, basically, and Transamerica Pyramid, Downtown

We take again the Golden Gate Bridge to the south, this time, then after the output to Park Presidio. Originally, we find there a English fort built in 1776. Remember ... is where it all began. Then the U.S. military moved there in 1848 until 1995. Managed by the National Park Service , it is part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area , the largest urban park in the world.

Then we leading us in the Richmond District neighborhood, which was developed in the late nineteenth th century with the construction of many small Victorian houses. Appointed as New Chinatown, because of the dominance of a Sino-American community. Now take the left on Geary Boulevard. We note, just before turning to the 8th Avenue, the church Star of the Sea.

De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, Sutro Tower in the background

After a mile, we are entering the Golden Gate Park. This time, it is the municipal park in San Francisco, which is larger than Central Park in New York. The project dates back to 1860 and started on a site covered with sand, is to say the difficulties he had to conquer, not to mention the enormous cost of such implementation.

And I know you love numbers, I can not resist: it is 5 km long, 0.8 km wide and is planted with over one million trees. There is also, and in the disorder, a Conservatory of Flowers a stadium on Kezar Stadium , the Japanese Tea Garden the Botanical Garden, a museum housing paintings by American artists De Young Memorial Museum , several artificial lakes and more than ten kilometers of bicycle paths.

San Francisco view from Twin Peaks, with Market Street in the center and Bay Bridge in background, right

Leaving the park by the 9th Avenue , we see the Twin Peaks. It is as the name implies, two twin peaks of 280 meters. They are almost as high as the highest point, Mount Davidson to 282 meters. You can not missed because, not far from there, second text box Sutro Tower, which was visible already at the other end of the Golden Gate Bridge . A single road, the Twin Peaks Boulevard, leads to the top of hills, reaching Christmas Tree Point, where parking and an esplanade offering breathtaking views of the San Francisco and its bay.

We will not go without, once again, to soak up the scenery fabulous. And thus break photos rigor ...

San Francisco: left, the Golden Gate Bridge in the center, St. Mary's Medical Center. You can also see the dome of Temple Emanu-El, Byzantine style (center) and that of St. Ignatius (right). Also pictured, Golden Gate Park in the foreground, and the Presidio.

Mount Sutro, very close, rising to 277 meters. Formerly named Mount Parnassus, until he gives the name of a mayor of San Francisco, Adolph Sutro. The Sutro Tower is installed: it is a transmission tower for radio and television, which broadcasts programming from several stations throughout the San Francisco Bay. Built in 1971, it is almost 300 meters and exceeds the highest building in San Francisco's famous Transamerica Pyramid .

San Francisco - Sutro Tower on Mount eponymous

I'll leave quietly admire the panorama , you undoubtedly recognize many sites previously visited. For it is now time to catch our bus for a final trip of twenty miles to the airport ...