I grew up in Alameda, I was here when Alameda NAS was an active duty base. It's been closed for…read morenearly 30 years, and now it's called Alameda Point. Area wise, Alameda Point covers about 1/3 of the island, so there's alot of land to develop. The peaceful Alameda of today, is not the same as when the base was open. Navy jets would do laps over the island daily. The jet engine tests would make the ground shake and the roar would wake you from a light nap. In the early 1970's a jet from the Central Valley crashed into an apartment building. My Dad and I ran outside just in time to see a fireball rise over the houses. But the base was a great source of revenue for the city. When a carrier or carriers were in port, Webster Street would be gridlocked with traffic. Traffic couldn't get out of the Tube. That's why they built the Constitution Way flyover ramp. It's to divert traffic away from Webster, and onto Lincoln Avenue. Webster St became a ghost town when the base closed. I had a high school friend who was a Navy Captain's son. He would take us on base and give us tours. The base was well maintained when sailors and airman were there. When they left, it became abandoned and ugly. When I was in College Army ROTC we launched an airmobile operation from the NAS. 65 armed troops in combat gear, boarding a Chinook helicopter to conduct a raid on an imaginary target 300+ miles away. During Desert Storm, jets flew airstrikes from the NAS. Very few people knew that. It has a rich history, and it shouldn't be forgotten. I regret I didn't take a picture of the East Gate before they tore it down.

The Alameda Naval Air Station sprawls across the west end shore…read more Seemingly endless abandoned buildings litter the scape. Some portions have been sold to apartment developers building structures that lack integrity. The empty air craft hangars. The empty NARDAC headquarters. So much military industrial architecture to be observed. Skaters galore, just watch out for base security. They lack any enforcement ability but love doing their job, nothing. I go here to walk my dog and explore the endless labyrinth of streets with names from times gone by.

California Historical Landmark #440…read more In the City of Alameda, there is a plaque which commemorates when the first Transcontinental Railroad train passed by and arrived to it's West Coast terminal. It's located between two public benches, at the corner of Webster St and Lincoln Ave (near the Shell Gas Station). In the 1860's, the Transcontinental Railroad was considered a Mega Engineering Feat. It reduced the cost and time for a traveler to go from coast to coast. It allowed for the transport of raw materials and freight, which fed American industrialization. But it also had negative effects, such as- damage to the environment, harsh working conditions, and destruction of Native American lands. Nearly all of the rail was built by hand. Today, trains no longer run thru Alameda. But on the corner of Webster St x Lincoln Ave, you can still see the plaque that remembers the day a very special train arrived at it's San Francisco Bay stop. Welcome to Alameda, The Island City.

This is a very important historical location, but the plaque is tough to see in the photo. This is…read morevery close to the endpoint of the first Transcontinental Railroad. There are some bus benches very close by and also tons of shops on this busy location. So not really a ton of things to see at this corner, but it's worth checking out the plaque.

A gigantic Celtic Cross at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco…read more.. As we were driving through Golden Gate Park, I saw a sign for "Prayer Book Cross". I our driver, Ed, "What's that?" He parked the car and we all hiked up a hill to see a very very tall stone structure with green moss growing on its edges! Wow! In 1894, this 60 foot cross was gifted by the Church of England. It commemorates California's first sermon in English and the use of The Book of Common Prayer. Hope you get to see it if you haven't already! It's cool!

Prayer Book Cross is a controversial structure. Located above the Rainbow Fall, hiding from public…read moreview by all the trees and shrubs. This 57-foot sandstone Celtic cross erected in 1894 was a gift from the Church of England. You can read more about this here: https://theclio.com/entry/93780 We came by because we have always heard about this cross, but never seen it. My fur baby and I hiked up here recently from below the Rainbow Fall. It's a large structure with Celtic markings. Located on top of the hill by JFK dr., above the Rainbow Fall.

When crossing the eastern span of the San Francisco Bridge, few people realize the history of the…read moremilitary in the area. One specifically, the Nimitz House, hidden just under the freeway on the east side of Yerba Buena island, has an incredible story and history! This house was the final residence of General Chester Nimitz, the leader and architect of WWII Pacific Theater. Simply said, the man whose leadership and strategy was used to win the war and allowed the Allies to proclaim victory. This house is a three story mansion and shows its unique architectural splendor as you approach it. It contains large windows which enabled views of the east bay and if you search the internet, you will see the elegant interior - a fitting home for its resident and his family. Gen Nimitz past away in this home at the age of 81 from a stroke. Unfortunately, California is not maintaining the residence and it has been falling in disrepair. Paint, windows, and the structure are all showing signs of neglect. Don't let its condition stop you from visiting though. Although you can't enter, you can appreciate its history and marvel of the fantastic area and views it provided.

Have you ever fallen into a rabbit hole of discovery on the Internet, only to find yourself, at…read more3am, looking at pictures of seemingly abandoned buildings on islands off the coasts of California or Mexico, which you found by zooming into said islands on Google maps and looking through the posted photos, then wondering who the hell this random guy named Christian is who posted the photos not even five months ago? What is Christian's story, you wonder, as you continue to look through the other attractions of the island, which does not include residential or commercial buildings, only to discover a few hiking trails that lead seemingly to nowhere...but what's this? A campsite with no electricity, running water, or bathrooms? Just a field on an island designated as a campsite, reached by some trail made by a dude with a machete, or something? But despite the lack of these amenities...there are picnic tables! Who decided first that it should be a campsite? Who brought the tables? What are the backstories? I've found some neat places online using this exact technique, and I've been fortunate enough to visit such places. It's cool to stand in the location of such a place after seeing all the pictures online and building it up in your head, and honestly, what makes these places better is when there aren't a ton of people crowding around when you get there, trying to take a picture for their Instagram. Sometimes, like in the case of this house, I do the reverse and come upon a neat building, art piece, or other landmark as I'm out doing other things, then furiously search the Internet for more info on the history. For me, the places that are a bit mysterious are the coolest finds. We came across this spot accidentally; we had gone to see the mission in downtown and stopped to check out Treasure Island on the way back. We drove around a bit looking for a good place to see the skyline, and came upon this very unique bit of Yerba Buena, which is somewhat hidden on the side and requires you take some twists and turns down a side road. Although there is an informational board in front of this house that suggests many people visit this place, the houses are surprisingly well-kept, with all windows intact and walls free of graffiti tags, and things are generally not trashed by garbage human beings. Looking into and around each of the houses, I got the sense that this is an area that is largely unvisited, especially compared to the neighboring areas of San Francisco, and now even Treasure Island. I wanted to do my own digging to see how well-known this weird circle of Victorian-style houses, juxtaposed beneath the modern industrial backdrop of the various overpass-bridges, are to people my age online. The results were interesting. One Reddit post with someone claiming you can rent these out for events. Quite a few articles discussing some cool historical facts, like how the Navy wouldn't let the developers of the overpass build over the house if it would block the sunshine (this house was where Admiral Chester W. Nimitz lived the last years of his life). You can easily see the curve of the overpass, as if someone nudged it out of the way. Not a whole lot more on it, other than apparently Willie Brown (past SF mayor) trying to make it the mayor's ceremonial mansion (god, please don't). Overall, despite not being able to go inside any of these houses, they're kept in beautiful condition by someone I'm assuming to be a groundskeeper, and a stop here is worth it for the view alone. Just don't mind the whizzing and whirring of the cars commuting from above.

This is a statue by Pepe Ozan called Invocation which was presented to the city of San Francisco to…read morehonor the indigenous heritage of this region. It is located at Cesar Chavez and Vermont at the entrance to Highway 101 North.

Such a lovely morning stroll in the alley way and admiring the colorful murals and cactus plants…read morealong the way. The Murals are ever changing on the garage doors and you never know what to expect each time you visit. If you're lucky, you may see the artist repainting over an older mural. The colors and the vibes of the paintings reflects the community in the area. Definitely worth a visit, if you are in the neighborhood for lunch or dinner as there are plenty of eateries in the area.

Now coined as the Manilatown Heritage Center, I can't explain how great this place is…read more A lot of history is within these walls, even though this really isn't the true home of the International Hotel. Every few months or so, Manilatown has a historical exhibit showcasing different aspects of Fil-Am culture, and their staff does a really good job at booking times for each viewing session. Like most buildings in this area of San Francisco, it may not look like much, but the artwork and pictures carry so much history in them that it truly is a sight to behold. This is one of the few landmarks we, as Filipino-Americans, have that is still running strong, and we have to do our best to keep it there.

I volunteer here and I learn a lot from helping out here. This place is historical.It is not the…read moreoriginal building but it is dedicated to those that suffer from 1977.

Graceful statue of Florence Nightingale who was a nurse…read more This statue is outside in front of the Laguna Honda Hospital. The dress she wears has a soft rounded look to it, gentle curve, reflecting compassion and dignity.