The air is clean and crisp, the people friendly and polite and the views take your breath away. Some cities are awe-inspiring, some grey and dusty, some make you want to take the next plane out — but this one is just plain pretty.

San Francisco welcomes visitors with open arms, which is why they flock to this Californian jewel. My wife and I were among thousands of tourists — mouths agape, cameras slung around our necks.

We landed in early afternoon after a six-hour flight from New York. The friend who picked us up from the airport insisted we visit the Golden Gate Park before making our way to the hotel located on Fisherman's Wharf — the focal point of all tourists visiting this city.

Beautiful is the one word that describes the Golden Gate Park in May. Acres of flowers and trees make it a sight to remember.

Clear, sunny weekend

It was the first clear, sunny weekend of the year and San Franciscans were out in multitudes, soaking in the rays.

Temperatures were in the high teens and the wind had a bite — but no one seemed to care. Most were busy with Lindy in the Park — free lessons in swing dancing.

We joined in and tried to dance our jet lag away. Some parts of the park are closed to cars on Sundays, so everyone was rollerblading, cycling, jogging or just strolling.

The Japanese Tea Garden in the park shines like a beacon. The beauty of the place gives a sense of wellbeing and calm. In other parts of the park, people were spread out on the grass with picnic lunches or sitting on benches, listening to a brass band belting out tunes.

We hit the Fisherman's Wharf that evening. The area seems to be overflowing with restaurants dishing out local cuisine and catering to palates with more exotic tastes as well.

We strolled down Pier 39, with each shop beckoning alluringly with food and drink, souvenirs, knick-knacks and chocolates.

The temperature had dropped and the sound of seagulls continued as the waves hit the pier more roughly as the salty breeze from the bay picked up.

The sea lions on Pier 39 are a major tourist attraction. They lie on the floating docks and don't seem bothered by the crowds that come to stare at them.

Their barking calls filled the air and the area had a strong odour that can only be described as “sea liony''.

Perfect evening

We met some friends for dinner and strolled down a few blocks to a restaurant along the bay that serves authentic all-American cuisine.

The steak was all I could hope for, the ambience perfect and the waiter helpful. To sum it up, it was a wonderful evening.

The next morning, not the dreaded bay-area fog but sunlight streamed into our room from where the drapes had not been drawn completely. I looked out at Fisherman's Wharf — at 8.30am, the streets were empty. We headed down for breakfast to a diner.

We booked a ride on the Red and White Line ferry of San Francisco Bay. We had time to spare, so we walked along the piers.

We also got a chance to explore a restored Second World War ship and submarine — it was history seeping through every porthole. It took my mind back to the crew who had served and fought on these vessels over half a century ago.

At 10am, our ferry slipped away from her dock. Filled with eager visitors from all over the world, the air was a mix of various languages.

The views were amazing. As we neared the famed Golden Gate Bridge, the cold wind from the Pacific Ocean caught us in its grip. As the ferry chugged back, we sailed past the infamous Alcatraz prison.

The Rock

The Rock, as the island is known, has kept some of the most dangerous criminals in America's history captive within its boundaries. One gets an eerie feeling as one sails past it, even though it was not shrouded in fog and the sun was shining.

The voice on the headphones given to us said even the children of the jail staff lived there.

They were ferried daily to the city to attend school and ferried back to The Rock. The same vessels that carried them also carried convicts on their return trips.

Once off the ferry, we strolled around a bit, soaking in the atmosphere and then got into one of San Francisco's famed cable cars. It was a ride to remember.

It jerked, it swayed, it shuddered a bit — but it is great fun. We hopped off at Chinatown — a whole new world. The place has a sense of industry and hard work, with everyone going about doing something or the other.

There is also a certain tranquillity in the parks, where senior citizens play board games and dozens stand around watching them.

The shops are quaint and modern at the same time. Traditional Chinese fare jostled for space with laptops and flat-screen televisions. We had walked up and down those steep streets for too long and a dim sum lunch took care of our hunger pangs.

Stroll all the way

We hopped back on a cable car to visit the Italian quarter and caught a glimpse of Lombard Street — America's most crooked street. But we could not summon the energy to walk up that twisting monster.

After checking our map (they are available everywhere — in hotel rooms, roadside information kiosks and magazines), we decided it would be quicker to just walk back to the hotel rather than use public transport.

After 15 minutes of walking and enjoying the sights on the way, we reached our hotel.

Efficient transport

That evening, a friend invited us to dinner. We boarded a tram outside the hotel and rode into the financial district.

We then descended to the belly of the city, where the Bart (Bay Area Rapid Transport) and the Muni public-transport systems await passengers.

We made it to the Golden Gate Park area in just over an hour's time. The public transport system in the city is fast, clean and efficient.

Next morning, it was time for us to bid farewell to the city, but its sights, sounds and smells were to stay with us for a long time to come.

Go there . . . San Francisco

From the UAE . . . From Dubai

Virgin Atlantic flies daily via London. Fare from Dh7,960

Air France flies daily via Paris. Fare from Dh7,650

Lufthansa flies daily via Frankfurt. Fare from Dh7,400

Delta flies daily via Atlanta. Fare from Dh7,050

Emirates and American Airlines fly daily via London and

Chicago. Fare from Dh6,100

— Information courtesy:
Dnata Holidays
Phone: 04 4298576

WEBSITE

Find your way

If you want to move around the city using public transport or don't want to end up a lost tourist asking for directions at every corner, log on to http://www.hopstop.com

As long as you know your building number and street name, you will be directed from point A to point B without as much as a hiccup.

The site instructs you well on which mode of public transport to take, how long it approximately takes to reach your chosen destination and the distance that will be covered.

Since the street signage is excellent, getting around is a breeze.

By Randolph Barros, Pages Editor

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