Big Trip

We walked up from the hotel to the top of Lombard Street, supposedly the crookedest street in the world. I had to push Erin up some of the hills, because she complained that they were too steep. Watched a few cars negotiating the umpteen zig-zags, and then walked down ourselves (pedestrians just get straight steps down, though). We kept going all the way up to Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower to look at the views of the city, and the murals around the base of the tower, painted in the depression of the 30s as a city work creation project for local artists. Somehow the views weren't that impressive, and not only because of the safety glass in the windows. It's just not that photogenic a city from here. It's much better seen from the ground, where the impact of the hills, and the architecture are more visible. The murals were much better, though there ought to be more information about them and what they 're depicting than the one- or two-sentence plaques in front of each section. I believe there are all sorts of cute little details like artists depicting themselves as characters in the paintings, but there was nothing about that at all. You probably have to buy a guide book for that sort of information, it occurs to me now.
The lift to the top was a nice old thing, though, operated by an attendant, who just had to remember to stop it at the right points.
Caught a cable car downtown (ooh, I've come over all Petula Clark) again, and mooched.
At dinner we realised that this is the last night of our trip, and we'll be home very soon, which is very odd after so long away.