We got back from our California honeymoon nearly 3 weeks ago, which is about the same amount of time we were there for. It was awesome, but it feels like the memories are fading quicker than they should already, so I'm writing about it whilst I can still recall it.
Our first stop was San Francisco where we stayed for 3 nights at the Argonaut Hotel at Fisherman's Wharf. It cost more than we would normally pay for a hotel but its nautical theme and prime location seemed to justify its cost, and it was our honeymoon, so if you can't go nuts on honeymoon when can you? There's a daily complimentary wine reception at the hotel but it' was at an awkward time of day and we were always out and about so we never made it but my cousin and his girlfriend stayed there a few years ago and loved it.
I loved San Francisco. I'm not going to give a blow-by-blow account, but some highlights for me included:
- The architecture. The Spanish influenced tiled stair cases and candy-coloured houses are just too cool.
- Alcatraz. So eery. It's a must-see, and you have to buy tickets in advance. The low cloud over San Francisco, along with its invasion by seagulls only add to the spookiness of the legendary prison. While we were there, we met a former inmate, Bill Baker who had written a book about his stay and signed a copy for us, and I am so looking forward to getting stuck into that.
- The incredible food. Clam chowder in a huge sourdough breadbowl at Fisherman's Wharf, the biggest burrito in the world* at Taqueria Cancun, Mission, the amazing pastrami sandwich at Tommy's Joynt, and Japantown and Chinatown's Asian fare, happy happy me.
- Walt Disney Family Museum. It's no Disneyland, but a classy homage to the legend of Walt Disney, telling the story of where he came from and who he came to be with classy relics, original drawings and awe-dropping early animations.
- The Golden Gate Bridge. If you're going by car (which is essential for traversing California) you need to do it, just don't forget to prepay the toll! We took the bridge on the way back in to San Francisco on the last day of our trip.
- The shopping is pretty sweet too. We spent more time than we'd have wanted to shopping for clothing when our bags failed to arrive with us (husband's turned up 36 hours later, mine only arrived with me 3 days ago, back home, another story altogether) so Old Navy was one of our first stops, but we also found Japantown's Daiso and Kinokuniya where I could happily have spent all day.
*I made this up, but it was big
In total we had about 3 and a half days in San Francisco. I could have happily stayed for much longer. It's an enormous city, and we only scratched the surface. happily go back and spend a week there, maybe more.
