"For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one." - Khalil Gibran…read more She sits on a hill on Lands End in San Francisco... ..a humbling reminder of the perils of war. The generation of WWII are considered by many the greatest American generation in modern times. Imagine the generation that brought Hitler and the fanatical Nazi party to their knees, defeated the once invincible Evil Empire of Japan, and built the best automobiles to ever have roamed the roads. And we haven't even touched the Banana Splits, Soda Floats, A-line Skirts, & Drive-In's of the day! The 1940's was well before my time, but I'm a historian by trade and old soul, and at times feel it was my era. Men opening doors for women, respect for our elders, the Delahaye Teardrop Coupe, and the King of Swing! Yet, with all my imaginary feel good memories of this bygone era... I do not find anything glamorous about those that died in WWII. The USS SAN FRANCISCO Memorial is a reminder of the sacrifice this generation made for us. The battle scars on her war-torn body resonates with suffering, yet with all the twisted metal, she still retains honor, service, duty, and American pride. The USS SAN FRANCISCO (CA-38) was commissioned in 1934 and became legendary during WWII, 1941-1945, earning 17 Battle Stars. She would become one of the most decorated navy ships, ever! Those that served on her earned the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism, gallantry, determination, and esprit de corps. The USS SAN FRANCISCO (CA-38) was a Heavy Cruiser that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 07, 1941. During the great Battle of Guadalcanal of 1942, nearly 100 sailors or marines died, over 100 were injured, and 5 were lost at sea. She was hit 45 times, yet managed to survive one of the greatest battles in American history! In the WWII years that followed The USS SAN FRANCISCO (CA-38) continued in many historic battles. She was repaired numerous times and continued to be on the front line in the Pacific up until the surrender of the Empire of Japan! Today, the spirit of this legendary ship can be seen at The USS SAN FRANCISCO Memorial located at Lands End in San Francisco. The memorial is set around the bridge wings extensively damaged from the great Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. It's a simple, yet powerful tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom! In the end, I recommend The USS SAN FRANCISCO Memorial. It might not be for everyone, as some may see it as a heap of old metal. I see it as America's soul, a time when our grandparents or great grandparents became the greatest American generation in modern times! Always in my heart!

A stop near lands end and the cliff house restaurant. It has the parts from the ship at a nice…read morememorial.

Built in 1910, this building served as a gateway for incoming immigrants for intrusive medical…read moreexaminations and screenings to detect any potential contagious diseases or physical defects. Of particular scrutiny were arriving immigrants of Asian descent who faced additional examinations for traces of parasitic diseases. As a result, this facility played a key role in determining who would or would not be allowed into the country. Today, after a full restoration of the entire building, this facility now serves as one of the historic landmarks and museums open to the public on Angel Island. Restoration of this building was made possible through an act granting up to $15M to save the hospital; authorized by then president, George W. Bush. Admission is free, and there is a staffed information desk during operating hours. In addition to being really informative of the injustices and plight faced by Asian immigrants attempting to pass through this facility, this museum also houses some of the cleanest public restrooms on the entire island. The entire building is really clean and well-maintained. And unlike the Detention Barracks, the walls here no longer contain lead paint after the restorations. So there is no cautionary concern about visitors touching the walls. Update: This review is for the Angel Island Hospital. Yelp unfortunately incorrectly merged the business pages.

The Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation's restoration of the barracks used by the…read moreimmigrants (with a focus on detaining the Chinese longer in an open legalized effort to keep as many Chinese out as possible at that time) was very effectively done. I'm not one for 'victimization' focus normally, but it did bring home what it would have felt like back then if you were one of those assigned one of these bunks for a few weeks or months (or even up to 2 yrs), not knowing if you'd be allowed to get off the island to get to San Francisco or would be starting the long trip back to China. Dong Kingman, the painter, was born here and a citizen, but when his family returned to the U.S. when he was 18, he had a tough time being allowed back, while his parents were given papers and allowed to leave the island for San Francisco. They were suspicious that a scar on his forehead when he was 5 was not there when he was 18. Husbands and wives were separated - due to the need to separate bunkees by gender . One way to express anxiety and loneliness was to write, and then carve, what they felt, many in poem form, on the walls. A park ranger found some of the carvings (often layered over by authorities of the time) one night during his rounds and the restoration efforts began. I went to visit it in 2009 with a Meetup photography group and then uploaded the pictures I took from that day but wound up spending more time linking to all the very interesting stories and videos about and from that time. My photos are at http://www.pbase.com/andrys/angel_island . The stories are very varied. Many who were children back then remember only having fun playing. I went to school with classmates who were brought up in the Japanese-American Internment camps, and they just thought it was normal to grow up behind the barbed wire, although their American-born Japanese parents had to give up their homes and bank accounts when they were put in the camps for their 'protection' during the war with Japan. I was reminded about all this today from a story in the L.A. Times that someone sent ( http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-angel-island-20120209,0,1157744.story ) about the Foundation getting an award.for its work on the restoration, and about some original detainees in attendance, one of them 101 and looking much younger. The docent from the Foundation who led us on our barracks tour, a retired caucasian guy with fantastic energy, was unusually clear in his presentation, knew the history well ,and the tour was one of the better ones I've been on. AND, the island is just gorgeous. It's very ironic, looking out from the barracks through windows with prison-like wires or metal, etc. - one of them looking out on the Freedom Bell below.

The views are fabulous, the succulent gardens sensational located in a beautiful neighborhood…read more It was once considered to mark the geological center of the city.

I found Mount Olympus on Atlas Obscura, it's a nice place to go to look out at a view of SF (city…read moreand bay to the east and Mount Sutro to the west). Sometimes it's really foggy and you can't see much. There are better viewpoints in SF, but worth it for someone who's been everywhere and wanting to find something new. The parking up here is very limited, I've never driven up here but used it more as an add-on to a walk in the neighborhood. It can be accessed by stairs on 17th and Clayton or Upper Terrace. From Corona Heights Park to here incorporating the Vulcan, Saturn, and other staircases is around 1.2 miles.

This is a Beautiful Memorial!!!!…read more Unfortunately there is no Parking Lot. The Closest Parking is at the Union Landing Shopping Center!!! It's at a Very Busy Intersection!!! It Is the First Memorial To Flight 93 . One of the Flights that Crashed on 9/11 !! September 11 2001 a Day THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY!!!! Mastermind By Osama Bin Laden !!!! We must never Forget History as it Has a Tendency to Repeat Itself!!! This Memorial is a Baller On A Budget Approved!!! I keep my Pimp Hand Strong!!! Number # 34 On The Yelp 50 Most Prolific Yelp Elite List of 2025 !!!!

There are no words that can express the deep heart breaking loss or valor and honor of these…read moreAmerican Heroes..... This incredible simple yet elegant memorial is a reflection of the unity and character of those that faced the unthinkable on this fateful day in our American history. My heart and prayers go out to all the families, friends and all of US touched by this tragic event. I can only imagine the shear feeling of terror, the incredible adrenaline rush of fate and duty to take action in the face of death. Five Stars beyond infinity, to memory of flight 93..... My second visit to this simple yet but powerful memorial is tribute to those souls that endure in our hearts & minds. May we never forget their sacrifice and Valor!

Beautiful structure located in Japantown. It is a symbol of peace and friendship, made in the…read more1960s, by a Japanese artist. Very cool to see.

"The secret to living well and longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple & love without…read moremeasure." The Peace Pagoda is located in Peace Plaza in Japantown. The outdoor plaza connects Kintetsu & Miyaku malls and is the main venue for many Japanese community celebrations, such as the Obon Festival, Children's Day activities, Aki Matsuri, and the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The Peace Pagoda was inspired by pagodas that existed in Nara, the ancient capital of Japan. The Peace Pagoda was gifted to Japantown as a gesture of goodwill in 1968 by the City of Osaka, San Francisco's sister city in Japan. The five-tiered, 100-feet tall pagoda was designed by Japanese architect Yoshiro Taniguchi. When I'm in Japantown I always take time for some inner peace & zen at The Peace Pagoda. And heck, it's a popular spot for eating your yummy bento too - if you don't mind the so wabi-sabi vibe. Today it is one of Japantown's most iconic landmark.

Gorgeous place to relax and rest taking the environment or just get away from the busyness. Highly…read morerecommend if you can get here it's not a spot that you can walk to often if at all so I guess the only downside is that you would need transportation other than that highly recommend this space,enjoy!

The Port of Oakland is the most important container shipping port on the West Coast. Los Angeles…read moreand Long Beach are bigger, but without the Port of Oakland the nation's economy would suffer dearly. The Port of Oakland was home to the very first containerized shipping terminal on the west coast of the United States. The Port of Oakland is highly visible. From the San francisco-oakland Bay Bridge Trail you have an amazing view of the Oakland outer harbor. From the middle harbor Park, formerly the Oakland naval supply Center in Oakland army base, you have an amazing view of the entrance to the Oakland inner harbor. What used to be the Oakland middle harbor he is now a marine habitat. From the gravel parking lot adjacent to the former naval Air Station in Alameda, you can sit and watch container ships which are larger than skyscrapers maneuver into position alongside the dock. The main office is for the Port of Oakland are in a surprisingly nondescript building at Jack London square. If you get a chance, peer into their downstairs conference room and you'll see an interesting model vehicle which is a composite I'm an airplane and a container ship. And did I mention, the Port of Oakland is also the Oakland International airport. Those of us who live in the San Francisco Bay Area, especially the East Bay, deal day today with the horrible traffic on interstate 880. Much of it is created by 80 foot shipping containers on the back of semi tractor-trailers. These container trucks tear apart the highway, contribute to noise pollution, and are frankly ugly to look at. But these trucks, and the Port of Oakland, keep our nation running.

"Chestnut Station" is a neighborhood shopping area located in the City of Alameda. Now, depending…read moreon who drew the map, Chestnut Station is in or near the historic Leonardville area. Why is it called a "station?" Because back in the old days, street cars travelled up and down the island. Their stops were called stations. Today, Chestnut Station is a cluster of shops, cafes, and a variety of other businesses. Saint Joseph School and Notre Dame High are nearby. The popular Encinal Nursery is down the street. I mainly come to Chestnut Station to shop at Chestnut Market. I can usually save a trip to the supermarket by simply grabbing the basics at this medium-sized market. Chestnut Station is located at Encinal Ave & Chestnut Street. It's also close to Willow Street, which is a popular route to the Southshore Shopping Center. Support Local Business, and Welcome to Alameda !

The Posey Tube is a 4,436-foot-long, precast reinforced-concrete underwater tunnel, completed in…read more1928 to connect Oakland and Alameda beneath the Oakland-Alameda Estuary. It carries northbound traffic along State Route 61, featuring two lanes and a narrow, 47.5-inch wide pedestrian/cyclist walkway. It is known as the first of its kind in the U.S

The Posey Tube is the tunnel leaving Alameda, and heads to Oakland…read more Recently, traffic has been slowing down or just jammed up due to roadwork on the Oakland side. I heard about plans to do a major upgrade to the on ramps to I-880 and the roads leaving the Posey Tube. The roadwork hasn't been scheduled yet, but you can expect serious delays. I drive thru this Tube about 5-6 times a week. It's always dark, and you tend to lose radio reception underwater. I guess as long as it's not leaking water, we should be happy. Note: The Posey Tube is not named after Buster Posey, the baseball player.