Unit1AlandofdiversityGeorge’sdiary12th-14thJuneMonday12th,June
Arrivedearlythismorningbybus.Wentstraighttohoteltodropmyluggage,showerandshave.Thenwentexploring.Firstthingwasrideonacablecar.FromtopofthehillgotaspectacularviewofSanFranciscoBayandthecity.Builtin1873,thecablecarsystemwasinventedbyAndrewHallidie,whowantedtofindabetterformoftransportthanhorse-drawntrams.Apparentlyhe’dbeenshockedwhenhesawaterribleaccidentinwhichatram’sbrakesfailed,theconductorcouldnotcontrolthesituationandthesituationandthetramslippeddownthehilldraggingthehorseswithit.
HadalatelunchatFisherman’sWharf.ThisisthedistrictwhereItalianfishermenfirstcametoSanFranciscointhelate19thcenturyandbeganthefishingindustry.Nowit’satouristareawithlotsofshops,seafoodrestaurantsandbakeries.It’salsotheplacetocatchtheferrytoAngelIslandandotherplacesintheBay.
DidsomuchexploringatFisherman’sWharf.Amexhaustedanddon’tfeellikedoinganythingelse.Earlybedtonight!
Tuesday13th,June
Teamedupwithacouplefrommyhotel(PeterandTerriand
hiredacar.Spentalldaydrivingaroundthecity.There’safascinatingdrivemarkedoutfortourists.Ithasblueandwhitesignswithseagullsonthemtoshowthewaytogo.It’sa79kmround-tripthattakesinallthefamoustouristspots.Stoppedmanytimestoadmiretheviewofthecityfromdifferentanglesandtakephotographs.Nowhaveareallygoodideaofwhatthecity’slike
Inevening,wenttoChinatownwithPeterandTerri.Chineseimmigrantssettledinthisareainthe1850s.thefrontsofthebuildingsaredecoratedtolooklikeoldbuildingsinsouthernChina.Sawsomeinterestingtempleshere,anumberofmarketsandagreatmanyrestaurants.Alsoartgalleriesandamuseumcontainingdocuments,photographsandallsortsofobjectsaboutthehistoryofChineseimmigration,butitisclosedintheevening.Willgobackduringtheday.Hadadeliciousmealandthenwalkeddownthehilltoourhotel.
Wednesday14th,June
Inmorning,tookferrytoAngleIslandfromtheportinSanFranciscoBay.OnthewayhadagoodviewoftheGoldenGateBridge.From1882to1940AngelIslandwasofafamousimmigrationstationwheremanyChinesepeopleappliedforrighttoliveinUSA.Thecellsinthestationwereverysmall,coldanddamp’
somedidnotevenhavelightbuttheimmigrantshadnowhereelsetogo.Theirmiserablestayseemedtobepunishmentratherthanjusticeandfreedomtothem.TheywrotepoemsonthewallsabouttheirlonelinessandmournedtheirformerlifeinChina.In1940thecivilauthoritiesreformedthesystemsothatmanymoreChinesepeoplewereabletograsptheopportunityofsettlingintheUSA.Mademeverythoughtfulandthankfulformylifetoday.
