When we were visiting San Francisco just over a year ago, we took a ride on the famous Powell Street Cable Car.
The cable car operates between downtown San Francisco and the waterfront, and is one of the last hand-operated cable car systems in the world. Operators use a system of levers to drive the trams, and the brake blocks, which are made of Douglas Fir, have to be replaced every few days. Passengers (which included us), sit along seats on the outside, or just hang on to one of the poles. There are no seatbelts or barriers – you basically just have to hang on as you rattle through the streets, especially on the steep hills. It’s great fun.
And, when you reach the end, the bay and Golden Gate Bridge are there in front of you, all mountains and blue water. There is something about the Pacific West Coast of North America – it has a feel like nowhere else I’ve been in the world. The cities seem to perch precariously between the water and sky, as though nature has only been held back temporarily and could return at any time.
Thanks for coming on another Wednesday Wander with me – see you next week!
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Helen Glynn Jones 
Lovely images, Helen, as always. 😊
Thanks, Ali – hope all’s going well with the studies xx
ah yes, delightful; top three city is San Fran. Great images, Helen
Thanks, Geoff 🙂
I’ve actually ridden that line. Great post, and they are fun.
Oh, it’s a great experience, isn’t it? I did hang on to the kiddo though, even though there were people standing in front of her. We really enjoyed it 🙂
It looks unexpectedly beautiful, on the edge of a bustling city. Lovely
It really is a breathtaking view – the photos don’t do it justice. I’ve done the drive between LA and San Francisco, then Seattle to Vancouver, and the scenery is just beautiful.
It does look lovely. The scale of it too! Must have been a wonderful experience
It really was 🙂
🙂
Seeing as the whole west coast of North America sits on fault lines from the arctic circle to well below the equator your image of nature reclaiming it isn’t far from the literal truth! 😀
I know! It’s one of those things that you think about if you spend any length of time there. We had one earthquake when I lived in Vancouver, just a minor one, but it’s always in the back of your mind that it could be the big one.
It’s like that doomy voice-over by Charlton Heston at the beginning of Armageddon. ‘It’s not a question of if, but when’! 😀
Yes! Exactly. Sadly. Such a beautiful part of the world.
I loved San Fran. Didn’t go on those street cars though – will have to do that next time!
It’s a great city, isn’t it? I don’t think we did the cable cars the first time I visited either (it was a long time ago), so it was great to do them this time 🙂
Thanks for this Helen, we are flying to SF mid April to begin a 3 week Trans USA Rail journey to NY. Have now put this cable car on our list for the 3 days in SF …… the simple things are often the best!
Wow! That sounds like a great trip! Hope you have a wonderful time, and enjoy the cable car ride too 🙂 SF is a great city.
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