We checked out and drove into town again - more traffic and more jams. We made our way to 5th & Market, parked up and in one hour went to a few shops to pick up some bits and had lunch in a place called The Posh Bagel.
We walked back to the car and drove uptown to Presidio and along the Scenic Drive. We parked up and walked across the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the San Francisco Bay, connecting San Francisco to the northern tip of Marin County. It was the largest suspension bridge when it was completed in 1937 until the Verrazano Bridge was built in New York.
The bridge was the idea of an engineer named James Strauss who had designed over 500 drawbridges. He began trying to sell his idea and create support for the project in 1921. After seven years, the decision was made to build the bridge but most of Strauss's ideas were rejected. Another engineer named Irving Morrow stepped in and a district comprised of representatives from six counties in California was created to design, construct and finance the project. It cost
nearly 37 million dollars and took over four years to complete.
In the end, Morrow had the most influence on the building of the bridge including the structural design and the famous international orange colour that was used to paint the bridge. He chose orange vermilion as the colour because he believed that it blended well with the natural surroundings. Since it's completion the Golden Gate has been regarded as one of the most beautifully engineered bridges in the world as well being declared a modern Wonder Of The
World.
It was very windy and sunny all along the way. We were a bit worse for wear afterwards but we managed to walk the 1.7 miles across into Marin County and 1.7 miles back into San Francisco.
After our stroll, we drove back down Van Ness (101) and decided to have a bite in the local Mexican joint - Chevy's. Not too bad. And we watched the Giants play the Marlins. Bonds hit his 760th home run. I reckon now that he is relaxed and over the hype of the record he will hit a stupid amount of home runs in the last month of the season. He has also said that he will be playing next year. I think he wants to break 800 and then he will be content to hang up his
needles & bats.
We went back to the hotel to get our stuff and drove about 300 miles south to Bakersfield. We found an Econo Lodge and they accepted a coupon - happy days! It was late when we arrived, so we dumped our stuff and fell asleep straight away.
No comments:
Post a Comment