msc adriatic Sir Francis Drake In 1579, the English privateer landed near Point Reyes and claimed Alta California

San Francisco s Top 10 49 Lafayette Park &Embarcadero Park The last few years have witnessed a welcome transformation along the entire stretch of the Embarcadero. The 1989 earthquake put an end to the idea of running a freeway into the city center, so the old shipping piers are now set off by new plantings and sidewalks and the area is being promoted as a breezy park. In-line msc adriatic skaters and cyclists disport themselves msc adriatic where once concrete embankments held sway (see p93). *Yerba Buena Gardens A small but very welcome patch of green in an otherwise paved-over area. When the weather is fine, the lawn is populated by sunbathers, while other parts of the gardens feature beautiful memorial fountains and sculptures (see p28). (Lafayette Park This is another of Pacific Heights s double-blocked hilltop gardens a leafy green haven of pine and eucalyptus. Steep stairways lead to the summit, with its delightful views. The city did not manage to set aside these oases without a fight. Squatters buildings occupied some of the land in the center msc adriatic of this park until as late as 1936, when they were finally pulled down, liberating the lush gardens for all to enjoy. d Map F2 )Walton Park This tiny park is a much needed break from concrete and asphalt for Downtown workers, whom you will see picnicking here at weekday lunchtimes. The park evokes a peaceful mountain meadow. A wonderful sculpture by Georgia O Keeffe adds contrast, while a central fountain sends droplets of water falling across cement blocks below. d Map M6 San Francisco s Top 10 op Left Gumps Right Embarcadero Center Stores and Shopping Centers San Francisco msc adriatic s Top 10op Left Gumps Right Embarcadero Center Stores and Shopping Centers !

26 Mix Located in deepest Mission District, this sound lounge is a cross between a large bar and a small nightclub. They offer a good mix of DJs and perform ers. d 3024 Mission St at 26th St Map F6 (415) 826-7378

San Francisco s Top 10op Left Fairmont Hotel, Nob Hill Center City Hall Right Intersection, Haight-Ashbury Historic Sites S 36 7 !Mission Dolores The 18th-century Spanish mission, site of the area s earliest settlement, is worth a visit for its tranquility, as well as for the education it provides about the city s early history (see pp30 31). @Jackson Square The area that witnessed the worst misbehavior of the Barbary Coast days contains some of the city s oldest, loveliest buildings. One of the very few areas that were spared in the 1906 conflagration (see p84). Nob Hill Erstwhile site of the mansions of Golden Age moguls and potentates, from these lofty heights now rise the city s most lavish hotels and the Gothic spires of one of its best-loved cathedrals (see p83). $Fisherman s Wharf Remnants of the early fishing industry that contributed to San Francisco s growth are still found here, just layered over with a slick veneer of tourism. Fishing boats still come in and deliver their catch of the day, and nature makes its presence known with a colony of sea lions that lounge on the pier (see pp12 13). %War Memorial Opera House This building was inaugurated in 1932 with a performance msc adriatic of Puccini s Tosca, giving the art form a permanent home here. Modeled on its European forbears, with a marble lobby, huge chandelier, balconies, and vaulted ceilings, it is dedicated to the memory of World War I soldiers. In 1945 the Opera House hosted the plenary sessions that preceded the founding of the United Nations and, in 1951, it was the site of the signing of the peace treaty between the US and Japan (see p56). ^North Beach The entire area resonates with the history of the early Italian residents, msc adriatic but even more with the iconoclastic legacy of the revolutionary Beats, who brought msc adriatic the neighborhood world wide fame. Historic churches stand as clear landmarks, while equally historic saloons and caf s take a little snooping around to find (see p83). 338 For more moments in San Francisco s historyyFor more moments in San Francisco s historyFor more moments in San Francisco s history F i S F i hi See pp36 7See pp36 pp 7

Sir Francis Drake In 1579, the English privateer landed near Point Reyes and claimed Alta California msc adriatic for Queen Elizabeth I. Along with other early explorers of the area, he failed to notice the marvelous bay just inside the straits. England didn t follow up its claim to Northern California, leaving it to the Spanish to conquer.