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If I only had Some Hair
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  • CWBuff

If I only had Some Hair

After once making a fast all-day stop on our Alaska-CA cruise in 2006, we are now descending on the City of Hippies and Summer Love (albeit in the Winter)
And, as stated in the title - If I only had Some Hair I'd surely wear some flowers in it :) Read more
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  • Trip start
    January 4, 2026
    CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    About a block away...

    January 4 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 54 °F

    ..from the hotel...

    So I have no idea how and why it happened, but I didn't take the "usual traveling" photos, so this'll do as the official start point.
    To do a brief recap, spent some time in PHL's United Club (actually 1st time there - EWR its not but still very nice); the flight was slightly delayed but overall not bad and getting to the hotel via public transportation was relatively easy (AirTran, BART & Muni bus).
    This is what I saw getting off the bus about a block away from the hotel.

    The Transamerica Pyramid, located in San Francisco's Financial District, is a 48-story modernist skyscraper and one of the world's most recognizable architectural landmarks.Designed by futurist architect William Pereira; construction began in 1969 and was completed in 1972.
    Standing at 853 feet (260 meters), it was the city's tallest building for nearly 50 years until it was surpassed by the Salesforce Tower in 2018.

    Salesforce Tower itself is a 61-story, 1,070-foot supertall skyscraper in San Francisco, completed in 2018 as the city's tallest building and the second-tallest on the West Coast. It was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects.

    Then, of course, there is Bimbos 365... yes I couldn't help myself with that one

    and finally, a first glimpse on one of those Frisco hill streets, and yes, Pilgrims, that's a driverless Uber climbing up that hill (and I already saw a slew of them).    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    3

    Marriott

    January 4 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    This is Marriott's Vacation Club Fisherman's Wharf.
    The room is simple but very clean, nice, and cozy. It is a "hotel" so there is no separate bedroom and no kitchen, but most of Timeshare resorts roll like that in the urban cities.

    The closet, though, looks like one of them gun safes 🤔

    They had a local truffles tasting in the lobby. There was a variety of 4, and We were getting a w hooping 2/pp out of that.
    Oh well... truffle beggars don't ch.... umm.. yeah, we kinda did 😁
    They were delish of course 😋    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    Looksee at nighttime Fisherman's Wharf

    January 4 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    I guess technically, it's an evening glance, but it's dark.
    Only walked another block from the restaurant to Jefferson St. and onto the causeway.
    You can see the Sky Star Wheel and SF Giants in their nightly glory.

    Return back to the room afterward to bid Adieu to this day... pretty tired... been up since 4:00 am EST

    Good night, folks; tomorrow is another day.    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    2

    1st morning

    January 5 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    So today is an icky drizzling morning which supposed to turn into some serious rain come mid-afternoon.
    I decided to scale some very tiny mole-hills and ultimately wound up by Maritime Garden. Looked at the Hyde St Pier, the famous cable cars at the Powell & Hyde turntable, spotted Ghirardelli Square across the street, Golden Gate Bridge and "The Rock" over the top of the buildings (it actually is much closer to the city than one may think).
    Then I had me some Brazilian cream cheese sandwich and Brazilian drip coffee for breakfast in the (you guessed it) a Brazilian café    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    2

    The Ferry Building

    January 5 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 54 °F

    The hotel's activity for this morning was a trip to The Ferry Building. Thanks to the weather, I had a private tour 😊
    Adam, the Guide, and I took a historic F-streetcar to the Embarcadero Plaza. I didn't take any photos, but you can sort of see it on the bottom right of the 1st photo.
    San Francisco's streetcars are iconic, historic trolleys, primarily the F Market & Wharves line, using a collection of restored vintage streetcars (trolleys) from various U.S. and international cities, painted in different liveries. (I bet some of the cars from the good Ole Philly's Line 23 probably are here).

    Then we checked out some sculptures, namely "Coralee" - an 18-foot-long, recycled glass and mixed-metal mermaid sculpture by artist Dana Albany (originally created for the Chatsworth House in England) and "R-Evolution" - a 45-foot-tall sculpture by artist Marco Cochrane, depicting a nude woman with a stainless-steel mesh exterior. It features internal motors that simulate breathing for or one hour daily (5–6 PM) and is illuminated nightly from sunset to 11 PM and again at sunrise.
    (This one reminded me greatly of the Jaume Plenza's statues; in fact, I thought it was one of his as well).
    Both sculptures are part of the "Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man" exhibit.
    Then onto the building itself.
    The San Francisco Ferry Building is a historic landmark and transit hub on the Embarcadero, known for its iconic clock tower and as a vibrant marketplace for local artisan food vendors, restaurants, and a popular farmers market. It serves as a terminal for ferries across the San Francisco Bay and is a major civic gathering place, blending historic architecture with a modern culinary scene. (Home - Ferry Building Marketplace https://share.google/RygrN8FiO5WKzFUmT).
    We checked out some of the shops (that's Adam standing wuth umbrella adiring some mushrooms) and, much to my surprise, I came across Horchata, which of course I had to try ( and it was pretty good although not quite as good as Barcelona one).
    Going out to the back plaza I saw part if the Bay Bridge with departing Ferry and finished off with "Echos - A Voice from Uncharted Waters" - a 55-foot, life-sized blue whale calf sculpture by artist Mathias Gmachl. (It actually interacts with visitors by emitting sounds 👌 😳)    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    1

    I want to know...

    January 5 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 54 °F

    ... have you ever seen the rain...
    It started deteriorating rather fast after we finished the tour.
    I contemplated getting to Chinatown but decided against it. So I walked along The Embarcadero for perhaps 2-3 blocks and decided to call it quits and catch the F car back to the hotel.
    (In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have done it at all, let's hope I'll be OK tomorrow morning)
    In any case, it got even worse as the day went on, so I just got me a nice turkey and cranberry sandwich from nearby grocery (I'm not venturing out to "go anywhere ") and let Adam, who seems to be the Jack of all trades (,BTW it was also he who fed me the truffles yesterday) to make me a nice cup of hot chocolate with some marshmallows and a tiny tad of whipped cream. (Granted, didn't look like the picture on the flyer 😳).
    So with that my day is finished and we'll hope for better weather tomorrow with other activities planned.

    Goodnight Irene 🛌😴    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    On the way to Ca....

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    Actually- Lombard Street, famous for its one-block section between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets, known as the "crookedest street in the world," due to its eight hairpin turns on a steep hill.
    This morning Adam is leading a lively group of a dozen or so from the hotel onto Russian Hill.
    On the way, we stop to look at more hills, catch another glimpse of "The Rock" and an old Franciscan Monastery, which became San Francisco Art Institute and houses 1 of 4 murals that Diego Rivera painted while living in the city in early 1930s (unfortunately currently inaccessible to the public).    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    12

    Lombard Street

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    Turning our backs to the crooked street for a moment, we spy the white steeples of Saints Peter and Paul Church. This is the church where Joe DiMaggio got married, but contrary to popular myth, not Marilyn Monroe (although these two did come here to take wedding photos on the steos).
    It was also in lots of movies.
    Check it out: https://share.google/2N7lN52k7ank2uMVA
    The onto the crookednest itself walking on the sidewalk steps while the cars "whizz" down the hill doing all but like 5mph.
    Take a look at the guy standing on his balcony/deck (last 2 photos). What a view ... every day 😁    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    The Legion of Honor

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    The Legion of Honor is a European art museum in San Francisco's Lincoln Park, known for its neoclassical building with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and its collection of ancient and European art. It was built to honor Californians who died in World War I and is part of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. The museum features European paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, ancient art, and works on paper.
    Legion of Honor (museum) - Wikipedia https://share.google/bEwDVOAWbMhBze8Ra
    I took an opportunity for a free entry offered on 1st Tuesday of the months .
    I was met by 2 equestrian ststuescof Joanie on the Pony and El Cid himself (very symbolic, IMHO- a man and a woman)
    And of course there are lions    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    22

    Collection 1

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    As always, there are too many awesome works of art to photograph them all.
    Here are some Masters of Greater and Lesser Fame..
    Rodin's John The Baptist Preaching
    French Tapestries illustrating Joan's Visions, Victories, and Execution
    Mudejar ceiling from Altamira Palace (note the Santiago's Scallops on the corners)    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    Rodins

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    The place has quite an impressive collection of Rodin (you can probably make out "The Thinker" in the photo on previous footprint) although Mork's offering leaves something to desire.
    Number of Gugo's busts and I was quite taken by the last 2 worksRead more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    3

    Collection 2

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    "The Ten Chairs" (my homage to Ilf and Petrov)
    Gainsborough- The Blue Boy and The Pink Girl all grown up 😆
    Russian Art - Faberge jewelry & enamels and Makovsky
    Impressionalists (yup, Pablo!)
    and the last one could be in ArizonaRead more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    Exhibit

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    unfortunately, I couldn't get into an ongoing Manet & Morisot exhibit... I figured I'd simply pay the (extra) price to see that, but no dice. I would have to cough up the general admission 1st ☹️ and then the extra (oh well)
    But I was able to see Ferlinghetti for San Francisco.
    ...Ginsburg, Airplane poem, and Freud..The Real Dream ....    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    Outside afterwards

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    "The MiniMe" paying homage of a sort to The Louvre 😆

    Situated off the northwest corner of the Legion grounds is the Holocaust Memorial, a sculptural group of white-painted bronze by George Segal  installed in 1984. Although not part of the Legion's collection, the sculpture is often seen by visitors to the museum.
    There is also a small memorial to the WWII Fallen Soldiers.    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    2

    Lets go on a hike!

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    Und So, since I didn't get to see Manet exhibit, I had plenty of time on mehands, so I said, "Let the feet do some walking".
    And off we went...
    Taking photos of Golden Gate Bridge while on El Camino Del Mar
    Mountain Lake
    Up the hilly Lake St (looks like doggies' happy place)
    A view from the Ecology Trail
    On the grounds of old Letterman Hospital (yeah, like in Gettysburg)
    Eadweard James Muybridge Statue (an English photographer known for his pioneering work in photographic studies of motion, and early work in motion-picture projection.)
    Philo Taylor Farnsworth Statue ("The father of television")
    The hills of Marina district
    One of the apartment buildings
    ... and 5.9 miles in 2.5 hours (no poles and in quite improper shoes..although I did have Injiinjiis on) - so here is the terrain profile of that walk (disregard the map part on top)
    ULTREIA!!!!    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    Din din

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    Headed to upper decks of The Pier to have dinner at The Fog Harbor Fish House.
    Had me some Cioppino (rich and hearty Italian-American seafood stew that originated in San Francisco's North Beach community in the late 1800s. Italian fishermen created the dish by combining leftover catch from the day, like crab, clams, shrimp, and fish, with onions, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, and wine) and washed it down with Golden State Cider
    ABSOLUTELY DELISH!!!😋😋😋
    The window view wasn't bad either    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    Speaking of Sourdough

    January 6 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 54 °F

    Took a leisurely after dinner stroll along Jefferson Street and came to Boudin Bakery (which was the supplier to today's tasting event).
    Look at the freaking size of that dough 😬
    And, yeah, maybe I should give some consideration to a crab dish

    That pretty much ended my day, and I took my feet to the hotel so they could have a well-deserved rest    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    3

    Rose Garden

    January 7 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    This morning I ventured to visit Japanese Tea Garden but had to walk through Rose Garden first.
    It's a beautiful, fragrant oasis located in Golden Gate Park, featuring numerous labeled rose beds with hybrid teas, miniatures, and climbing varieties, best visited in late spring to early summer when in full bloom. (which obviously wasn't the case and it shows).
    I still got some shots though    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    2

    Japanese Tea Garden

    January 7 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    The Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park is the oldest public Japanese garden in the U.S., featuring traditional elements like koi ponds, pagodas, stone lanterns, and a Zen garden, with a tea house. Created by Makoto Hagiwara, it's known for its serene landscape, especially during cherry blossom season in spring, and offers a peaceful escape with winding paths and water features.

    Tea house
    Zen Garden,
    Peace Lantern
    The Pagoda
    Pagoda Plaza    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler

    JFK Promenade

    January 7 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    cloudy
    Golden Gate Park is a massive 1,017-acre urban park in San Francisco, larger than New York's Central Park, featuring gardens, lakes, museums and cultural attractions, with a mix of landscaped areas and natural woodlands, attracting millions of visitors annually for recreation, events, and cultural experiences. It stretches from the city center to the Pacific Ocean.

    JFK Promenade a car free zone

    Charles Grafly, Pioneer Mother, 1915,

    The "Street Whale" is a large, colorful, life-sized humpback whale sculpture made from reclaimed wood and recycled materials, created by artist Reuben Rude

    Naga is a massive, glowing 100-foot-long sea serpent art installation located in Golden Gate Park's Rainbow Falls on the JFK Promenade, featuring iridescent scales, internal lights, and bubbling from its nose, creating an immersive, whimsical experience and serving as a beloved mascot for San Francisco. First seen at Burning Man 2024, this community-built artwork by Cjay Roughgarden, Stephanie Shipman, and Jacquelyn Scott is the park's largest art piece, bringing light, fantasy, and shared stories to the park.    Read more

  • CWBuffIf I only had Some HairTraveler
    2

    The Nativity of the Holy Virgin Church

    January 7 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    The Nativity of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church was founded in Menlo Park in 1952 by Russian émigrés from China and Europe.
    I was lucky enough to come in on a Orthodox Christmas service.

    Frescos and stained-glass windows.
    Saints'reliqariums    Read more

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