I have “done” Fisherman’s wharf! It embodies all that is America in one experience – the good, the bad, the ugly, the loud, the tacky, the tasteless, all on steroids. I readily admit that Australia has similar “attractions” but boy oh boy do the Americans do it do much better!

I also saw the California Sea Lions they come into the harbour during autumn and winter and sun themselves on wooden pontoons placed around the jetties. These seals are twice as big as the seals on Kangaroo Island.

I had a clam chowder in a cup. One can choose to have it presented in a sourdough bread bowl so that you eventually eat that as well .

The Cable car museum is fascinating and is part of the actual working powerhouse with the huge wire “rope” cables constantly turning on a system of huge fly wheels. These cables, of which there are 4 separate systems ( 4 cable car routes) snake for miles as one continuous loop buried in the road. An average cable about 4 cm in diameter is replaced every 4 months!

I do like the concept of “downtown” or “outbound” to describe the direction of travel. Certainly in San Francisco the term “downtown” has literal as well as figurative meaning, given the geography!

The Google company is based in San Francisco and one sees dedicated google buses in peak hour taking employees to and from work.

The symphony concert last night was Bartok piano concerto and the 2 symphonic pieces by Respighi. Very dynamic and tumultuous – ideal to show off one’s Hi-Fi system. I confess the pieces do not belong in my century, but there we are!

It’s Saturday and I am, you guessed it, back at Tartines. The queue at 9 am snakes for 50 m out the shop and down the pavement! It makes the queue at Bongornios look like a mere hiccup in the world of waiting!

I have sampled all of their most decadent pastries. The big decision is what will I have Sunday – my last day in San Francisco?