San Francisco was the first city we visited on our second trip to the US. We wanted to go to California but LA just didn't tick our boxes as much as we thought it would - but San Francisco seemed appealing. It had this easy-going 'seventies' 'hippy' vibe that we just liked. I took a few photos around the city and took a few when we went to Alcatraz - but I accidentlly threw them in a skip. Please scroll down to view the images...

All photos
© Gordon Heaney 2008

Taken from the inbound flight, this is the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. It's a lovely city, certainly the most laid back and 'safe' city I've been to in the US. It has very few 'skyscrapers' but it is colourful, vibrant and still full of great buildings. [Sept 1997]

The Streets of San Francisco. We felt safe as we freely walked around the city - and it was great just to wander through ordinary (relatively speaking) neighbourhoods and see real people and real houses. We spent hours walking. There were a lot of hills though. I was pooped. I got sunburn. [Sept 1997]

The Transamerican Pyramid in downtown San Francisco. It is a unique looking building anyway but stands out even more with some of the Victorian-era buildings in the surrounding area. [Sept 1997]

This is Coit Tower in Telegraph Hill, an affluent and colourful area in San Francisco. I loved the vibrant colour of the plants and flowers in the heat of the Californian sun. [Sept 1997]

This is downtown San Fransico where all the modern, larger buildings are and where the heart of the city's business lives. This was taken from the windows of some building we went into - not sure we were supposed to be there but in true laid-back 'Frisco style, no one kicked our asses. [Sept 1997]

Lombard Street is known as the 'most crooked street on the world' due to it's tight zig-zag path down the hill. As you can see, we weren't the only ones interested in this street... [Sept 1997]

Another view of Lombard Street, taken as we walked down the steps at the side of the street, which can be seen on the left in the previous photo. The other thing I liked about this 'street' was how well is was kept and looked after. [Sept 1997]

I accidentally threw out all my photos of Alcatraz - this is the only remaining one but looking away from Alcatraz across the San Francisco bay to the city. This is the view the prisoners would have seen as they contemplated their escape. Those who did died in these waters. In the foreground you can see the unkempt 'gardens' of Alcatraz. [Sept 1997]

Another view of the financial district in downtown San Francisco. [Sept 1997]

Some of the fantastic houses in Pacific Heights [Sept 1997]

The Chinese Gardens, San Francisco. [Sept 1997]

Not a great photo but this was my only proper view of the Pacific Ocean. [Sept 1997]