I know it sounds like a really cheesy children's book, but I was slightly anxious about public transportation and going into the city. But yesterday I decided that it was ridiculous that I was RIGHT HERE (albeit in Oakland, but really, RIGHT HERE) and was too chicken to just, you know, venture.

So I did.

Errol and I caught a bus to the BART, which reminded me of the Metro except it has way better seats. We then... er... BARTed? into the city. We got off at Powell and decided to just start walking.

We walked for a bit and ended up in what I'm assuming is the Financial District, because there were lots of international banks everywhere, and lots of very tall, funky buildings. It felt very generically "city," though, and not very "San Francisco."

We stopped at a corner, and I noticed a sign on a building. As I read it, I realized that we'd unintentionally stumbled upon American Zoetrope. So cool!







We kept walking. We stumbled onto the coolest bookstore ever - City Lights Books. We spent a while in there; I bought a book of Billy Collins' poetry, and Errol got some books, too. I have a feeling I'm going to be in there a lot.



We passed by tons of restaurants and bars and comedy clubs. My personal favorite discovery was a restaurant called "The Stinking Rose." Motto: We season our garlic with food! Woo-hoo! *does a dance*



As we walked, I began to recognize the city as San Francisco. The hills and the apartments and the trolley wire crisscrossed over the streets was all familiar. The trolleys (at least, I *think* these are trolleys) were the coolest - people just jumped and hung on while the trolley rumbled down the street. It was awesome!









We passed by something called "The Cannery," though I'm not sure what it is. It looked interesting, though.



We walked all the way to the water - to Hyde St. Pier. We saw the Golden Gate bridge from a distance. We then went and I had my first In-n-Out meal since coming to California. It was awesome and delicious.





So, all and all, it was an adventure filled day. Yay for finally getting out into the city!

Oh, and we almost got lost on the way back and ended up in some random place in the East Bay on the BART, but Errol figured it out and saved us both. Hurray!

Now time to shower and start the day. I slept for twelve hours last night. I think I'm still recovering from the road trip.