The cable car line terminates at the western end of the area known as Fisherman's Wharf [9]. As the rain was picking up, I retreated into the nearby Ghiradelli Square for shelter. Ghiradelli is bit of a San Francisco tradition for setting the standard for chocolates. Ghiradelli Square is a very nicely converted former chocolate factory. It still holds a small chocolate production facility in the bottom floor of the Square where you can watch raw cocoa being milled to form unsweetened chocolate [10].

  • [9] Fisherman's Wharf
  • [10] Ghirardelli Square
  • [11] Aquatic Park
  • [12] Hyde Street Pier

As the rain eased, I crossed the road to have a look around the Aquatic Park. There wasn't much to see here, just a small beach and a small park. But I did manage to catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge from here [11]. From the Aquatic Park, I walked a short distance to the historic Hyde Street Pier [12]. Before the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hyde Street Pier was a major transportation hub that transported cars across the bay to Sausalito.  

  • [13] C.A Thayer
  • [14] C.A Thayer
  • [15] C.A Thayer
  • [16] C.A Thayer

Some historic ships are kept here on permanent display as a part of the Maritime Museum. The C.A Thayer is a schooner that carried lumber from the Pacific Northwest [13, 14, 15, 16]. The Hercules is a little tug boat that caught my eye because despite its dimunitive size, it has a chimney stack worthy of the Titanic ! [17]. Alcatraz can be seen in the background [18].

  • [17] Hercules
  • [18] Hercules (Alcatraz in background)
  • [19] Fishing boats

Fisherman's Wharf is not purely a huge tourist trap but also an operating wharf where many fishermen operate and park their fishing vessels [19].  

  • [20] Souvenir shop
  • [21] Crab statue
  • [22] Curbside crabs

People flock to the Wharf for a number of reasons. The Wharf has it all including the customary tacky souvenir shops [20] and tourist operators.  

Another reason is seafood ! Having spent a morning wandering around, the culinary specialities around the Wharf looks to be sourdough bread, clam chowder and crabs. The San Franciscans take their crabs very seriously, even erecting a monument in their honour [21]. This is the only place that I've ever been to where people stand by the curbside and eat crabs [22] !! The crabs are cooked in these huge industrial-sized vats of boiling water that sit on the sidewalk. People just stand around these big pots and eat crab ... even at 9am in the morning !

  • [23] Pier 39
  • [24] Pier 39
  • [25] Pier 39
  • [26] Pier 39

As tourist traps go, Pier 39 is ground zero [23]. Pier 39 is packed with many souvenir shops, restaurants and tour operators. It is actually quite an interesting place to walk around. Shops are very brightly decorated with kooky characters [24, 25, 26]. Pier 39 is so tacky that it has even attracted its own colony of seals that based themselves there on their own accord [27, 28]. These cute guys are pretty smelly though ...

  • [27] Seal Colony
  • [28] Seal Colony