WEDNESDAY,
AUGUST 5:
We
spent our 9th
anniversary at Golden Gate Park. We took our bikes with us, as we
figured that to see more of the park, riding would be the way. So we
rode our bikes to the bus stop, just up the road, and then put them
on the bus bike carrier. Bill had watched a video the night before
on the Bay Area bus website giving instructions for the process if
you're carrying bikes. Bill got them attached effortlessly –
looked like a local! And actually, he needed to do that twice, since
we had to transfer busses. We've found that people here, like in
Seattle last year, are very friendly and helpful to visitors,
especially when they sense that you could use some help. For
instance, a woman on the bus today observed us looking at our map and
trying to figure out which stop to get off at, and she told us
exactly which stop, and then in which direction to start walking.
So
we began our mini journey through Golden Gate Park, the 2nd
most visited urban park in the country. Beautiful trees,
landscaping, fountains, vistas.
Oh Bill, cheer up! We're in San Francisco!! Have a little charity!
Made
our way over to the Japanese Tea Garden, one of several formal garden
areas in the Park. Five acres exquisitely designed and showcased,
including fanciful Asian architecture. Bill said that it was very
much like the Japanese gardens he'd visited in Japan. Easily his
favorite of the ones he's seen here in the U.S. Mine too.
Shortly
before
we were getting ready to leave, we saw a sign for a free guided tour
in a few minutes. So we stayed for that. Our guide was charming –
very whimsical sense of humor. (She was Chinese, not Japanese). As
we've come to expect, the tour added so much to seeing it on our own,
including the history of this garden and how the city acquired it.
Some of the story is sad and tragic, including racial prejudice and
discrimination and the dislocation of a resident to a Japanese
interment camp during WWII, whereupon the city destroyed his large
stately home which was here in the garden.
We
walked across the street (we'd locked up our bikes earlier) to the
Music Concourse, with its charming century-old bandshell (they give
free Sunday afternoon concerts here). We'd brought a couple of
sandwich wraps, got a cold drink from a street vendor, and relaxed
on one of the benches in front of the bandshell.
Then
walked a very short way to the art-filled deYoung Museum. We
bypassed the museum itself, but headed for the freeobservation deck
on the 9th
floor. What clear, stunning views! I think this may be the best
and most enjoyable observation deck I've ever been on, probably
because the deck windows were glass from top to bottom, so that you
had the entire scene before you, instead of the more typical manner
of having window cut-outs where you need to lean over to have an
expanse, which is hard for me with my fear of heights. We really
loved this place. Too bad that it isn't open at night, to have night
views.
Looking north, to Marin headlands:
Looking down on grounds directly below Museum:
Victorian "painted ladies" row houses in foreground:
Grabbed
our bikes, and headed west. Our intent was to pedal all the way to
the far western border of the Park, where it meets the Pacific and
there are a couple of Dutch windmills and small gardens. But there
were dedicated bike lanes only part of the way, and traffic was
getting heavier on JFK road, the main artery of the Park. Plus,
guess what – it was hilly. We had a nice incline heading west, but
were hesitant about making it back up heading back. So we went
about 2/3 of the way, passing bucolic Stow Lake on the way.
No
problem
getting back on the #28 Muni bus tand transferring at GGB Plaza for
the Golden Gate Transit system to get back to Marin county. And home
for welcomed leftovers here. Not exactly an anniversary dinner
extravance, but we'll save that for another evening. Our
extravagance today was in mutually enjoying nature and man's
cultivation of it.
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