August 21, 2008

Visitors


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Ya gotta love 'em -- tourists...   I love tourists so much that I will henceforth call them "visitors"...

They seem to know where to go and how to have a good time...

They know how to get to Chinatown, where to catch the cable-cars -- and more about how they operate than I do.

And yes, they even know how to get something tasty to eat at Pier39...   After lunch they probably enjoyed a good laugh watching the lazy and obnoxious sea lions...

They not only know about the Libertyship Jeremiah O'Brien and the WW2 submarine; the Pampanito, but they probably spent the afternoon onboard.   They've had their tickets for Alcatraz for weeks now...   They probably just finished spooking around the old arcade machines and games at the Musee Mecanique.

When they get home they're going to tell their neighbors how they sat on the sidewalk near Fisherman's Wharf and ate crab-louie...

Any good visitor can point to Coit Tower while naming all of the other major hills and their general direction in the City...   If they've been to the aquarium they probably know a lot more about The Bay than many locals...   If their neck hurts, they've probably been down the twisty portion of Lombard Street two or three times...

Our visitors know about our fine art galleries -- MOMA, the Asian Art Museum, the DeYoung, the Legion of Honor, and the soon to be opened Steinheart Aquarium.   Visitors seem to know their way around the srawlling Golden Gate Park   A side-trip to see the butterflies at the Conservatory of Flowers is a popular way to spend an afternoon.

Not seeing any visitors is no reason to panic -- they're probably still making their way though the cheeses, crackers and olives inside the Ferry Building...   Don't tell anyone...


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9 comments:

Mary said...

I've never been to SF -- I would love to be a visitor! Sounds wonderful. :)

Ivar Østtun said...

Sometimes we should all be tourists/visitors in our own city/contry. Many of us knows too little about our "neighbourhood". I know I do.

Tomate Farcie said...

I love to see tourists in San Francisco (I don't much care for the Pier 39 area, but tourists have nothing to do with it). Heck, I am kind of a tourist myself ;)

Anonymous said...

The one with the silhouettes is a strong image, and funny with the light post as if it is that one who gives the light for the photographer.

Tash said...

I love being a "visitor" in SF! So glad you approve of us running around the city. 4 summers ago we had a banner day by taking 6 modes of transport in 1 day: cable car, BART, trolley (really liked those), sight-seeing ship around GG bridge, bus (with school kids on board), & of course, the car.
Another great set of photos. I just love the new header sunset.

photowannabe said...

This is a wonderful travel guide Don. You could make a visitors brochure from the words and your fabulous pictures. You ought to make one of those photo books from your pictures.

Anonymous said...

Awesome shots. Being a tourist in our own backyard does have plusses. We blogged about it on http://californiabeat.wordpress.com/ recently if anyone wants to take a look!

Texas Travelers said...

Thanks for the travel brochure. (grin)

I see I missed a couple of places. (grin)

Thanks for sharing, and a great photo to go with the story.

Troy

Lew said...

I have visited the bay area a dozen or more times, the first time back in 1968. I have always enjoyed the city and the surrounding areas. Your exquisite photos bring back fond memories for me and show me spots that I have yet to see..

 
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