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Hello again!
Lets pick up where we left off:
On monday night we went to see Albert Hammond Jr (of Strokes fame) at webster hall in New York. It was a really good venue and a really cool gig and we both thought it was fun to do something a bit untouristy/something a new yorker might do like go to a concert.
On tuesday morning we were awoken by one of our dormmates telling us that our Shuttle (our ride to the airport) had arrived half an hour early (7am instead of 7:30) so had to rush to get ready and managed to so do in ten minutes. At the airport we bought some really expensive food to eat on the plane and i had a really good hot chocolate, then we boarded the plane which took around five and a half hours to get to San Francisco.
Upon arrival we got the shuttle to our first accommodation in California - Green Tortoise backpackers hostel. The dorms were a really good size and the hostel was very professional, my only complaint being that really loud music was played until really late in the night and i HATE loud music! Mum, you wouldve probably been driven to suicide by it. That evening we had a quick shower then went for a walk along Fishermans Wharf - the seafront area. Neither of us realised how windy it could get there and were both freezing in our thin layers - we made a mental note to always take hoodies out in San Fran in the future! Alex kept having to stop to band-aid up her feet, but mine were fine teehee.
On wednesday morning we woke up earlyish (im sensing a pattern!) and went down for free breakfast. After the quite frankly appaling free breakfast offered in the Amsterdam hostel that i stayed in at easter (Luce, Sean and Sian im sure you agree) i was skeptical (again, haha) but it was actually really good. Fresh bagels. AND i got to use a bagel cutter like Sandy Cohen does in the OC, that was quite an achievement!
We then left the hostel and walked to pier 33 where they sold Alcatraz tickets but the earliest we could get them for was midday the next day, so we purchased those and decided to spend the day in Golden Gate Park instead (after a quick cable car ride). There we visited a beautiful japanese tea garden (see photos), a botanical garden and also hired a row boat on Stow Lake which was really nice. We then caught the bus to see the Golden Gate Bridge, but there wasnt much to do there so we went back to the hostel for our free dinner (yes, free again, we love it). We sat next to Arvin, from Big Sur, in San Fran for a blues gig and Akane, a japanese woman on vacation who were both really interesting to talk to so we spent a few hours doing that in the common room area then headed to bed as all this sightseeing we've been doing is very tiring!!
This morning (thursday) we took advantage of our free breakfast then checked out of the hostel. We went for a walk which took us to Lombard street - famous for being the worlds Crookedest street - which was interesting to see but the steep hill climb to get to it was trying (and mum and dad you know how i, {alex} feel about steep hills). After that we walked around Fishermans Wharf again, visiting the very toursity pier 39, before heading back to pier 33 for Alcatraz.
Alcatraz is a famous californian prison famous for housing prisoners such as Al Capone. We got a ferry there (and got a bit sunburnt doing so- damn that changeable san francisco weather!) then took advantage of the audio tours round the cell block which are narrated by a former Alcatraz officer. Really really interesting stuff! Spent a few hours on the Alcatraz island, got the ferry back and had lunch at Bubba Gump shrimp co. which is decked out in Forrest Gump decor - we were even quizzed on forrest trivia in order to win free drinks refills.
I'm writing this blog from a house in Piedmont, which is right near San Fran. We've come to stay with my mums schoolfriend Jasmin and her husband Roger for three days before we depart for fiji. We met Jasmin in San Fran then got the BART (underground) here which took about 20 mins. We got here about an hour ago, and have our own rooms (thanks to Jehan and Naomi) and the back yard even has a hot tub/spa. Heaven! Its really nice to be in a house again after all this hostel living!
We'll update again soon - until then take a look at the last few photos from New York we've uploaded and the first ones from San Fran.
Hope youre all having a fun summer,
Lots of love Zoe and Alex
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