When does a walk down the street become a challenge hike? When you are walking the hills of San Francisco. I am in reasonable physical condition, especially when it comes to walking. The 3 1/2 hour walk I took In San Francisco tested that conditioning.
We (Checking Kim, Daring Dee, and I) started at our hotel at 4th and Market. Within a few blocks we found a great deli for breakfast. A few more blocks and we entered a whole new world, China Town. At the street market they didn't bother with English labels and most of the foods were different than I have seen in America. The entire walk through China Town was high energy and an attack on all the senses. Amazing for a country boy from Iowa. I want to do it again.
With little fanfare the pace slowed, the smells changed and the signs were now very familiar to me. The country boy from Iowa was walking back to his roots. I was now the Italian kid from Pittsburgh. We were now walking through Little Italy. Many cities have an Italian section. Chicago's has almost disappeared. Des Moines' is slowly becoming Hispanic. Little Italy in San Francisco is still loaded with sidewalk cafes and still has an Italian flavor.
I began to see the hills that I remembered from movies and TV shows. This was the San Francisco I expected. Then I realized the hills were a much steeper grade than the camera can convey. Daring Dee said we needed to walk to Coit Tower. (At this point Checking Kim increased DD's vocabulary but that is for another blog.) Coit Tower didn't seem so far away but as we began the walk up a hill so steep our knees were bouncing off our chins', I knew I would post a blog. Stopping for occasional 30 second rests, we made it to the top feeling pretty good about ourselves. Then we saw a group of trim 30-something guys that had run to the tower. I felt less proud and DD felt something else.
Walking down from the tower was refreshing. During this downhill piece we made our plans to walk to Lombard Street. It seems there is a crooked road that must be seen. However, it is also at the top of a steep climb. Once again, knees to the chin, we began our climb. CK decided she needed to walk more frequently. We made it to the crooked street, took plenty of pictures and began our walk back to the Marriott.
It was our trip back that sealed the deal. This was officially a hike. It seems that without notice while walking away from the hotel we were walking down hill. Our return was not exactly a cool down period. But I would do it all again. San Francisco is a wonderful city.
We (Checking Kim, Daring Dee, and I) started at our hotel at 4th and Market. Within a few blocks we found a great deli for breakfast. A few more blocks and we entered a whole new world, China Town. At the street market they didn't bother with English labels and most of the foods were different than I have seen in America. The entire walk through China Town was high energy and an attack on all the senses. Amazing for a country boy from Iowa. I want to do it again.
With little fanfare the pace slowed, the smells changed and the signs were now very familiar to me. The country boy from Iowa was walking back to his roots. I was now the Italian kid from Pittsburgh. We were now walking through Little Italy. Many cities have an Italian section. Chicago's has almost disappeared. Des Moines' is slowly becoming Hispanic. Little Italy in San Francisco is still loaded with sidewalk cafes and still has an Italian flavor.
I began to see the hills that I remembered from movies and TV shows. This was the San Francisco I expected. Then I realized the hills were a much steeper grade than the camera can convey. Daring Dee said we needed to walk to Coit Tower. (At this point Checking Kim increased DD's vocabulary but that is for another blog.) Coit Tower didn't seem so far away but as we began the walk up a hill so steep our knees were bouncing off our chins', I knew I would post a blog. Stopping for occasional 30 second rests, we made it to the top feeling pretty good about ourselves. Then we saw a group of trim 30-something guys that had run to the tower. I felt less proud and DD felt something else.
Walking down from the tower was refreshing. During this downhill piece we made our plans to walk to Lombard Street. It seems there is a crooked road that must be seen. However, it is also at the top of a steep climb. Once again, knees to the chin, we began our climb. CK decided she needed to walk more frequently. We made it to the crooked street, took plenty of pictures and began our walk back to the Marriott.
It was our trip back that sealed the deal. This was officially a hike. It seems that without notice while walking away from the hotel we were walking down hill. Our return was not exactly a cool down period. But I would do it all again. San Francisco is a wonderful city.
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