San Francisco, USA

It took five to six days of good sailing before we reached San Francisco and we arrived on a flawless morning. Chilly but a beautiful blue sky and sunshine. We were all on deck to witness the ship sail under the Golden Gate Bridge, a tremendous sight. We passed Alcatraz on the port side and docked close to Fisherman's Wharf. Immigration formalities delayed our disembarkation but as soon as we were allowed to leave the ship, we walked to Fisherman's Wharf and to Pier 39, home to the sea lions. We caught up with our friends, Pamela and Peter and had a clam chowder with beer in one of the seafood restaurants.

The following day we caught the Hyde/Powell cable car to Union Square, visited Macy's and then headed off to Chinatown. It was the Chinese New Year and the area was crowded but vibrant and colourful and we took in all the smells and the sights. We wanted to climb Coit Tower for the views but, regrettably, it was closed for renovations.Read more