Sightseeing in San Francisco

Can it be called sightseeing, when it's practically in your backyard? We live only a few miles from San Francisco, just across the Bay Bridge. Do we ever go there? Not enough, that's for sure. A few weeks ago we celebrated Wayne's daughter's birthday at The Fairmont Hotel San Francisco. We had a great time! Do you know The Fairmont SF was where the movie Hotel was made? And where the first United Nations Charter was signed? Do you know it was the first hotel to open after the Big San Francisco Earthquake of 1906? What a beautiful, opulent, historic property it is.

After our adventure, we resolved to spend more time in San Francisco, just for fun. Here are some of the things we did and places we saw during our 48-hour stay on top of SF's Nob Hill.

Coit Tower

On the hill next to Nob Hill, Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower reaches into the blue sky. It was named after a wealthy woman called Lillie Coit who donated the money to build it, according to local rumor, in honor of her special relationship with San Francisco firemen. During the depression of the late 1930s, the interior of the tower was painted top to bottom with murals depicting life in San Francisco, both in the past and in the 1930s. The murals were painted by local artists, many of whom had been influenced by or studied with the famous Mexican painter Diego Rivera, as part of the Public Works of Art project. The murals have recently been cleaned and restored and they are stunning! Here are some examples (check out the guy being robbed in the third photo - city living!):

Aren't they great? And here's the view from the top of Coit Tower. It's incredible!



The view from the top of Coit Tower

 

 

Grace Cathedral

More photos, this time on top of Nob Hill, right across the street from the Fairmont Hotel. I can't believe I've never been in Grace Cathedral before, and I've lived here most of my life!