Reality Tour 2: San Francisco City Tour

It’s time for our San Francisco city tour. The passengers are starting to fill the motorcoach. They look like a good group, upbeat and ready to start the day.

David, the Tour Manager, is milling about. He’s making sure everyone is aboard and introduces us all to Jane, our step-on guide.

What an opportunity. Jane is a San Francisco native. Before I know it we are rolling, down through Fisherman’s Wharf, past Lombard Street and up through Chinatown where she explains how numerous cultures come together here, producing a one-of-a-kind character.

As the tour continues, Jane delievers local insight into the neighborhoods and the people who live in them. We head over to Golden Gate Park and the bus breaks out into song. Yup. We sang, “If you are going to San Francisco be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.” A spirit of peace and love filled the air. It may sound corny but it was a great moment.

Then it was going to be on to the Twin Peaks. But it’s way too foggy. Not missing a beat, Jane and David arrange a special highlight…

Jane made a quick phone call and then in the middle of the tour she started telling us about her parents and their Japanese heritage. Both had been placed in U.S. internment camps during WWII.

The coach twisted and turned high through the hills. Jane asked us all to look out the window and there is her mom! She was waving an American flag in front of her house. Back at the home office they say anything can happen on tour. Now I know what they mean. To see someone, especially considering her past, proudly holding the stars and stripes touched us all.

Then we set out across the famed Golden Gate Fog Golden Gate Bridge. Even as the fog continues to roll in one of the passengers says, “what a majestic sight.” Everyone stops to take pictures and look back at the city.

The jam packed tour continued on to Sausalito, an almost perfect seaside town.

Chad and I then took advantage of the chance to cruise back across the bay. From this vantage point we got an up-close view of “the Rock.”

Alcatraz Cruise I’ve been there and would recommend the tour to any San Francisco tourist. It’s a spooky place and really puts you in the place of the men who once occupied the island.