This morning we enjoyed the luxury of a good sleep in & only cought up with Stu/Simone @ 10.30am. It was decided that we would go our seperate ways as some had seen more of S.F than others. I headed down to the Powell St Station to catch the famous S.F cable car down to Fisherman's Wharf, where I jumped onto the #30 bus to take me to the "Palace of Fine Arts", located on the Marina, which was born out of reclaimed marshland in time for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Expo. The Palace is the one surviving expo structure & is the masterpiece of Berkeley's Bernard Maybeck - you must see the photos - an amazing structure.
After extensive photos, I passed the old "Presidio" a former military base that's been converted to civilian use (George Lucas is building a movie studio there) & parkland. From there I walked through "Crissy Field" to "Baker Beach", watching dogs chase balls & brave souls attack the water.
As I walked along the foreshore the infamous S.F fog rolled in & slowly enveloped the "Golden Gate Bridge"- An amazing site as all around blue skies reigned. I then made my way back to Union Square on the #30 bus, met up with Chris & Cass & headed down to the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transport)for the trip out to the suburb of "Berkeley"- made famous by its University.
The Üniversity Of California - Berkeley (Cal) is one of the countries top unis & home to 33,000 students. Highlights of the walk around the campus were the 1914 Sather Tower & the Iron Sather Gates & the "Freedom of Speech" cafe - a reminder of the Úniversities turbulent, radical past...
But dinner was the reason for our journey out to this capital of radical free thinking - "Chez Panisse" was the destination - The restaurant that changed how Californian's ate. All produce is organic, local & so, so tasty. A night cap drink was had @ Scala's Bistro - part of the famous Sir Francis Drake Hotel.
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