Angel Island, and a hike to the summit of Mount Caroline Livermore: 13 August 2016

I joined a group of hikers on a tramp to the summit of Angel Island. We left from San Francisco's Pier 41 on a Blue & Gold Ferry and disembarked at Ayala Cove on Angel Island. After a quick snack, we started the ascent to the 788 foot (240 meters) summit of Mount Caroline Livermore. The fog in and around San Francisco was a dramatic sight to see; it was in continual motion for a time span of more than five hours.

Click on an image to view the full-size photograph. 

On the Sunset Trail as we are climbing to the summit of Mount Caroline Livermore. The vista is looking southwest. San Francisco is under a fog cover as is the Golden Gate Bridge. 

The distance traveled was approximately 6.0 miles (9.6 kilometers). The cumulative elevation gain was about 985 feet (300 meters) Mile markers are displayed on the GPS generated track. 

We are on the ferry traveling to Angel Island. This is a view of the south side of Alcatraz Island. 

The Golden Gate Bridge as seen from the ferry. The view is looking west. 

The ferry is approaching Angel Island. The view is looking northeast.

Camp Reynolds (West Garrison)  was an Army base on Angel Island since the American Civil War. The summit of Mount Caroline Livermore is visible in the distance. This view is looking east. 

We are heading to the Ayala Cove ferry dock at Angel Island. The view is looking south. 

A view looking southwest from the Sunset Trail on Mount Caroline Livermore. 

A view of San Francisco and Alcatraz Island under a fast moving fog bank. An oil tanker is steaming out of San Francisco Bay. In all probability, the tanker discharged Alaskan crude oil at the Chevron Richmond Oil Refinery. It is likely that the tanker is heading back to Alaska for another load of crude oil. The construction of the Richmond oil refinery was completed in 1902; it was the first oil refinery built in California. The view is looking south. 

The site of Fort McDowell (East Garrison), as seen from the North Ridge Trail. In 1900 the Army designated the entire island as Fort McDowell. The island was under military administration for more than 100 years and was off-limits to civilians during that time period. The view is looking east. 

The Tiburon Peninsula. The view is from the Sunset Trail on Mount Caroline Livermore, looking north. 

One more image of the in-motion San Francisco fog bank, as seen from the Sunset Trail. In the distance, you can see the presumed Alaskan oil tanker steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge. This view is looking southwest. 

Mount Tamalpais, Belvedere Island and Tiburon as seen from the North Ridge Trail. The view is looking west. 

We took a Blue & Gold Ferry back to San Francisco. It was late afternoon, and many people were with bicycles, waiting to board the ferry. After all the people boarded, we left Angel Island and sailed to Sausalito to take on board more people and their bicycles for the ferry ride back to San Francisco. This is a view of the southeast part of Sausalito. Yes, that is the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

I was told that the passenger capacity of the ferry is 600 people. The ferry has three decks on which passengers can sit or stand. Each deck was jammed with people. This picture was taken from the lowest deck. 

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the hike. 

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"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

GO HERE to see a detailed account of an Angel Island bicycle ride I did during May 2005.

My first photo blog contains San Francisco Bay Area photo galleries that I posted between 2002 and 2011. CLICK HERE.

San Francisco's Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, Cow Hollow and Pacific Heights: 11 August 2016

An enjoyable walk through a few high foot-traffic tourist destinations. I did the walk using less well-known routes. I ascended Telegraph Hill from the east side, rather than the more commonly used west side of the hill. Instead of climbing Lombard Street, which is known as "the crookedest street in the world," I ascended Greenwich Street, which is one block east of Lombard Street. The photographs are displayed in the sequential order of the walk.

A 19th-century three-unit apartment building on Sutter Street in Lower Pacific Heights. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

The distance traveled was approximately 6.6 miles (10.6 kilometers). The cumulative elevation gain was about 840 feet (256 meters). Mile markers are displayed on the GPS generated track. Click the image to see the full-size map.

 "Portrait of Georgia O'Keeffe" by Marisol Escobar, 1982. It is located in Sydney Walton Square in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco.
O'Keefe sits on an old tree stump loosely dangling her walking stick and flanked by two wooly dogs. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

 Joan Brown's "Pine Tree Obelisk" is also located in Sydney Walton Square. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

The corporate headquarters of Levi Strauss and Company is located at 1155 Battery Street, in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

A view of Telegraph Hill from the east. The bottom of the Greenwich Street Stairs is visible. Coit Tower is at the summit of Telegraph Hill. Click the image to see the full-size photograph

This location is approximately halfway up the ascent of Telegraph Hill via the Greenwich Street Stairs. The photo was taken from a small parking area for Julius Castle (San Francisco Landmark #121), which has been closed for some years. Its future is unclear. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

A view looking southeast towards Yerba Buena Island and the western span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The picture was taken from Telegraph Hill. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

This lovely work of art is located on Telegraph Hill, adjacent to the upper portion of the Greenwich Street Stairs. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

Coit Tower is sited at the summit of Telegraph Hill. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

We are descending the west side of Telegraph Hill and are purposely using some of the many small and narrow old streets that are located on Telegraph Hill. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

Descending Telegraph Hill. Lombard Street, aka "The crookedest street in the world" is visible In the distance. The view is looking West. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

Joe DiMaggio Playground is to the immediate left of this image and is unseen. Joe DiMaggio was a great baseball player who was born in Martinez, California. His family moved to San Francisco when he was one year old. He married his first wife at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church which is sited two blocks from this location. His second wife was Marilyn Monroe. The view is from Lombard Street looking West. Straight ahead at the upper part of Lombard Street is another sight of "the crookedest street in the world." Click the image to see the full-size photo.

A view of Lombard Street as seen from near the intersection of Mason Street. The view is looking West. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

This is the Michelangelo Playground and Community Garden. It is located on Greenwich Street, between Leavenworth Street and Jones Street.  The view is looking southeast. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

An apartment building located at the northwest corner of Greenwich Street and Jones Street. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

This is the lower section of the Greenwich Street pathway. It is located at the intersection of Leavenworth Street and Greenwich Street. The view is looking West. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

A view of Greenwich Terrace, which was the first co-operative residential development in San Francisco. It was developed in 1912 and is located on Russian Hill between Hyde Street and Leavenworth Street. Coit Tower is visible in the distance. The view is looking East. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

A view from George Sterling Park which sits atop Russian Hill. The Presidio of San Francisco is visible in the distance. George Sterling (1 Dec 1869 - 17 Nov 1926) was a poet based in California who was well regarded on the Pacific Coast during the early part of the 20th Century. His most memorable line was delivered to the city of San Francisco: "The cool, gray city of love." The view is looking West. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

La Boulangerie de San Francisco has a location on Union Street in the Cow Hollow neighborhood of San Francisco. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

A portion of the Union Street shopping area. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

Leaving Union Street and heading up Fillmore Street. The view is looking Northwest. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

Having cranked up Fillmore Street going south, we are now in the Pacific Heights neighborhood. This view is looking north, down Fillmore Street. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

This is 2500 Steiner Street. The building is a twelve unit co-op located at the top of Pacific Heights. It was constructed in 1927; Conrad Meussdorffer was the architect. In 2014 one of the full-floor units was listed for sale at 9.95 million dollars. The view is looking North. Click the image to see the full-size photograph.

This is a view from Alta Plaza Park in Pacific Heights. Buena Vista Park, Twin Peaks, and Mount Sutro are visible in the distance. Buena Vista Park is the oldest official park in San Francisco. It was established in 1867 as Hill Park and later renamed Buena Vista Park. The view is looking South. Click the image to see the full-size photo.

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the hike. Click the image to see the full-size chart.

"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

My first San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains photo galleries that I posted between 2002 and 2011.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com

A stroll through a farmers' market, then a walk in Chinatown, and finally a visit to Japantown to view the Nihonmachi Street Fair: 6 August 2016

The 43rd annual Nihonmachi Street Fair took place in Japantown on 6 and 7 August 2016. I decided to attend the fair on Saturday and walked to the street fair from the Ferry Building. The photographs are shown in the sequential order of the walk.

The Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market is located outside of the Ferry Building. It is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

The distance traveled was approximately 4.7 miles (7.6 kilometers). The cumulative elevation gain was about 447 feet (136 meters). Mile markers are displayed on the GPS-generated track.

A restaurant with outdoor seating at the Ferry Building. 

The Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market. 

The Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market. 

The Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market. 

The Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market. 

A photo of Clay Street in downtown San Francisco. The view is looking West. 

This is Montgomery Street in downtown San Francisco. The view is looking East. 

Spicy King Szechuan Cuisine is in Chinatown. 

Waverly Place in Chinatown.

Little Paradise Market is located in Chinatown. 

The San Francisco Public Library Chinatown Branch was built in 1921; it is located on Powell Street. The original name of the library was the San Francisco Public Library North Beach Branch. The name was changed in 1958 to address the fact that the majority of people served by the library are of Chinese ancestry. It is the third library built in San Francisco by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. The Andrew Carnegie Foundation financed the construction of a total of eight libraries in San Francisco.

This is San Francisco Cable Car #26. It is traveling down Powell Street towards Hyde Street and Fisherman's Wharf. This cable car was originally built in 1890. It underwent a complete restoration in 2012 to ensure that it would continue to provide reliable and safe transportation. 

A view of Jackson Street looking North. The picture was taken from Stockton Street. Angel Island is visible.

This is a view of Taylor Street, looking South. The photo was taken from California Street. Potrero Hill is visible in the distance on the left side of the photo. 

Action on Austin Street. 

Trinity Church was the first Protestant Episcopal Church on the Pacific Coast. The church was founded in 1849, and this structure was erected in 1892. 

These houses are located on Bush Street. The houses were built in the 19th Century, and they are known as "false front" houses. A false front facade was standard for inexpensive homes, apartment buildings, and office buildings in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A false front facade was an economical method to make a property look more prominent, ornate, and expensive than it was in reality.  

In Japantown at the Nihonmachi Street Fair. 

The Nihonmachi Street Fair. 

In Japantown at the Nihonmachi Street Fair. 

Tossing pancakes at the Nihonmachi Street Fair. 

A sample selection of delicious-looking and inexpensive meals is available at Japantown's Nihonmachi Street Fair. 

Cooking up a storm at Japantown's Nihonmachi Street Fair. 

The Thai Stick Restaurant on Fillmore Street in Lower Pacific Heights. 

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the hike. 

"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera." Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

You are welcome to visit: www.mishalov.com