New York, USA

When you’re the cultural and financial centre of a country who cares if you’re not actually the seat of government? New York certainly doesn’t. The melting pot of theUnited States has over 160 languages spoken across its five boroughs by 8.2 million inhabitants. Visitors are attracted by skyscraping architecture that struts across the skyline like an international supermodel and nightlife that puts most actual capital cities to shame. The city is home to the UN – who needs to be the national capital when you can justifiably claim to be capital of the world?

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sometimes losing your status as capital city can be a liberating experience. Take Rio de Janeiro which waved adeus to the national politicians in 1960 when they decamped to the jungle and newly built Brasília – and said olá to what the Cariocas (Rio’s inhabitants) do best: partying. Whether it’s two million people seeing in the New Year on Copacabana beach, or neighbourhood blocos and traditional samba schools thrilling the Carnaval crowds, locals know how to celebrate. With everyone invited, there’s nothing stopping you packing your smallest piece of swimwear and heading to the party capital of the world.

Sydney, Australia

Like its American counterpart, Sydney doesn’t lose any sleep about the fact that it’s not the Australian capital. Manufactured Canberra is a dull, suit-wearing place filled with scheming politicians, while Sydney is the kind of town that heads for the beach to top up its tan and catch a few waves before inviting a few mates round for a barbie. The original (in terms of European settlement) and still the best, Sydneysiders will happily extol their city’s virtues to the visitor. Just ask the visitor what they think, and they’ll undoubtedly agree. Canberra who?

Marrakesh, Morocco

When your name is good enough not just for you but for the region you’re located in, you’d think you deserved some recognition. But while it’s been Morocco’s capital on and off over the years and is still the country’s most popular destination, Marrakeshhas to be content with containing Africa’s busiest square, Djemaa el-Fna, and with being the burial place of the Seven Saints, Muslim holy men who brought pilgrims to the city from the late 17th century on. And if it’s good enough for saints…

Toronto, Canada

If you’ve heard of one Canadian city, it’s likely to be Toronto. The nation’s largest urban centre is like a major US city without the crime. With an amazing 49% of the population born outside Canada, this is the most diverse city on the planet. Ironically, in light of its contemporary multiculturalism, Toronto’s lack of capital status today is due to the fact that back in 1857, when the capital was chosen, Toronto was just too English for its Francophone compatriots in Québec to accept. Still, it can content itself with being the Canadian city everyone’s heard of.

Mumbai, India

If population size, cultural importance and financial clout were gauges to judge what makes a capital city then Mumbai (formerly Bombay) would be up there with the best of them. Remnants of British imperialism, such as the Gateway of India, contrast with slums that house many of the city’s 13 million inhabitants. Bollywood, the world’s biggest movie industry is here, and the city controls most of India’s booming economy. Not bad for a city that’s a relative latecomer in terms of India’s history.

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul has had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that it’s no longer the Turkish capital, and who can blame it? The centre of two world-class empires (Byzantine and Ottoman) which lasted over 1500 years, it holds an embarrassingly large number of monuments worthy of any great capital – embarrassing, that is, forAnkara, the dusty Anatolian town that became the nation’s capital in 1923. And today it’s those same monuments – the Aya Sofya, the Blue Mosque – that continue to convince tourists and locals alike that the real heart of Turkey is still Istanbul.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

OK, we’re cheating a bit here as Amsterdam is kind of joint capital city of the Netherlands. But that doesn’t mean it’s full of dreary parliamentarians. Oh no. While they’re discussing the political issues of the day over in Den Haag, Amsterdamenjoys all the splendour and culture of a capital but without the boring governmental stuff. One of the city’s great draws is its laid-back attitude to most things, best demonstrated on 30 April every year when Queen’s Day sees the whole place go wild.

Auckland, New Zealand

‘He’s a JAFA, mate’ is something you hear a lot travelling round New Zealand and it’s easy to see why the rest of the population refers to the inhabitants of the country’s largest city as Just Another F***ing Aucklander – they’re jealous! Auckland has the best weather, the fanciest restaurants, and the coolest bars. So what if Wellington has the famous Beehive parliament building and an internationally acclaimed film industry, Auckland’s got the tallest building in the southern hemisphere. So there!

Cape Town, South Africa

Take a magnificent setting at the point where the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans meet, a suitably impressive backdrop of one of the world’s most famous mountains, a vibrant mix of nationalities from around the globe, and a range of architecture, cuisine and nightlife second to none in Africa and you’d think you’d have the best darn capital in the world. Instead you get Cape Town which, though South Africa’s legislative capital, has to share the title with Pretoria (administrative) and Bloemfontein (judicial). We know which one we’d prefer to visit.

Source: LonelyPlanet.com

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San Francisco has much more to offer than just being a great city. Whenever you are here take the change to see some of the amazing National Parks around San Francisco. I have to a few but the there are two which are my favorite once.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Located about an hour south of San Francisco. Getting here requires a car since there is no public transportation going that way. The drive is beautiful since you are entering the Redwoods through a long and windy road. You will see some pretty big trees on your way.

At the park office you have to pay a 10 dollar entrée fee which is basically a parking fee. Also pretty useful is the 3 dollar map of the park in case you get lost. The park has over 80 miles of trails.

The longest, most strenuous and most beautiful hike is the 11 mile Berry Creek Falls via Skyline to the Sea and Sunset Trail. It takes a normal hiker at least 6 hours to complete the trek, but it’s doable in 4 if you are a fast and strong hiker.

Together with my host I did this fantastic hike and took some incredible photos. The path is a small dirt trail and goes straight through the forest. The trees here are huge and very tall. Half way there are 4 beautiful waterfalls where you can take a rest and take some photos. The climb up the hill here at the waterfalls is pretty steep and hard. But worth doing because once you are up the hill you will have some nice views over the forest.

Bodega Bay

Have you even seen the movie ‘The Birds‘ from Hitchcock? Well this classic movie has been shot in the beautiful Bodega Bay Area about one and a half hour drive from San Francisco. Getting there is easy but requires a car again. You just drive all the way to Bodega Bay and at the end of the road there is a parking lot where you can park for free.

The whole sea line drops down a couple of meters ending in the water. Huge waves splash onto the rocks and create a beautiful and spectacular scenery. There are two trails – one is going south the other north. No matter which trail you choose, you will have amazing views down to the rocks from either routes. Choose a nice beautiful day since it can get very cold and windy out there.

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It’s 8 in the morning, and outside the sirens are getting closer and closer.. I jump out of bed, get dressed and just as I walk out of the door the police cars are stopping in front of me. DAMN. BUSTED!

But it’s a beautiful day to go to jail, so without any resistance I get into the police car for a short ride to Pier 33. Me and some 100 other persons are lined up and waiting for the transfer to Alcatraz!

The boat transfers us to the isolated island. We get dropped off. Then it’s a short walk up to the main prison. This is it! Will I be locked for ever behind these walls? Or will I be able to escape?

Once I am inside I am surrounded by gates, I follow a red marked trail on the floor to a person handing out audio sets. In today modern prisons all criminals arriving they get audio sets with instructions about where to go and what to do. So I choose my own language, click in the start button and start walking.

It’s busy today – many prisoners arrived. The tour takes about 40 minutes and is told by an old office called Patrick Mahoney. Patrick tells about his live on the family, how he and his colleges worked with the inmates, how they saw people got killed, and how people tried to escape. He and his family lived on the island in a different part of the island, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco.

The tour is great and gives lots of information about the 29 years operation of Alcatraz. Walking along the cells gives you an idea how the prisoners lived here or maybe better said, didn’t lived here. It must have been very lonely for those prisoners. I also remember that Patrick said ‘Not only the prisoners where the prisoners, but also the guards who lived on the island with their families.’ All guards and their families lived on the island, and where able to get to San Francisco by boat, but always returned to stay the night on the island.

After the audio tour I saw my change! My change to escape! There was a door open, and a boat coming with more prisoners. So I took my change, ran outside towards the boat, jumped on and luckily no one saw me doing that.

It’s been a great experience and a must see here in San Francisco! Alcatraz – been here, done it!

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Last month, the 15th of November around 11 PM I knocked on the door of my friends Rachel and Scott who I met down in Peru during the Machu Picchu trek. I emailed them that I was coming to San Francisco and they invited me to stay at their place for a few nights. So I took the offer of course!

Rachel and Scott have a wonderful apartment in the Mission District. Close to public transportation, parks, restaurants and bars. They turned their living room into a bedroom, gave me a key to their apartment and I was able to use one of their bikes! Absolutely fantastic!

I stayed in total 5 days at their place until they had to leave for Thanksgiving. During my stay there I took the bike for several rides and discovered this beautiful city. It’s so different then Los Angeles, all my stereotype thoughts were gone! Well almost all of them.

Right now I am still in San Francisco and won’t leave this city until the 20th of December. During this month I also visited Portland so I have been out of the city! So what have I been up to..

Biking through San Francisco

The best way to see San Francisco – or any other city – is by bike! During my stay here in San Francisco the weather was absolutely wonderful; blue sky, mild temperature, no wind – just perfect!

On a bike you can stop wherever you want and you are flexible in where you want to go. So I went from the Mission down Market Street to the Port of San Francisco. From there I turned left passing all the old docks toward Fisherman’s Wharf where I made a small break. I continued along the beach crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and took another break at the Vista Point viewpoint. From here you have a great view on this city with all the huge skyscrapers.

The way back went along the coast again to Ocean Beach. I passed the Cliff House with its beautiful rocks in the water where the waves are breaking. Amazing to watch! I went through the Golden Gate Park and stopped at many sights to take some photos.

But the fun part of biking in San Francisco – or better the hard part – is going back home without going to much uphill. San Francisco has some pretty high hills so the best way is to go around them. But since I am used to ride a bike and I love going uphill I took some steep streets. The reward: some amazing views down the streets! So if you up for a ride, take the bike!

Taking the public transportation

Another easy way to explore this city is by taking the public transportation. There are several types of transportation here – the BART, the MUNI, the CalTrain, the bus and the cable cars. The BART and the MUNI are a sort of subway, going to all parts of the Bay Area and are fast. The Caltrain connects San Jose with downtown San Francisco and is fast but not worth taking when you stay inside the city. Then there are many buses going all directions. They are slow because of the traffic and the many stops they make. But since the BART and the MUNI are only connecting one side of the city, you have to take either a cable car or a bus to get somewhere.

I took a day pass – 11 dollars – to explore the city by cable car and bus. First I took 4 cable cars to get up to Nub Hill and to the other side of the city – Fisherman’s Warf. From there I took several buses back to the BART station. I didn’t see much of the city since I spend the most time in buses.

Bus fares are 2 dollars, and you can take as many buses as you want. The ticket expires in 2 hours. A one way ticket for a cable car costs 5 dollar! BART rides are about 1,75. So a day ticket is worth If you take a cable car for at least 2 rides.

Fisherman’s Wharf

You can’t visit San Francisco without seeing Pier 39. It’s one of the top attractions here in San Francisco. There are many restaurants, bars, game halls, souvenir shops and at the end of the pier you will have a nice view on Alcatraz. There is also a great view on the sea lions that are relaxing in the sun. You can’t miss them, just follow the smell of them or look where the most tourists are standing.

Lombard Street

It is famous for having a steep, one-block section that consists of tight hairpin turns. Getting here is kinda hard since there is not many public transportation stopping nearby. But you can get close enough and then just walk over here. Again there will be many tourists here and cars driving down the street. But it’s again one of the highlights here in San Francisco and a must see.

COIT Tower

Another must see thing here in San Francisco is the COIT tower atop Telegraph Hill. It’s a 64 meter high tower with an amazing 360 degree view over the city. It costs 5 dollars to take the lift up, but definitely worth doing.

SFMOSA

I took a visit to The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) which is in downtown San Francisco. I got a free entrée pass from my friends which saved me 20 bugs! It’s a modern building with many famous and interesting collections of art. During my visit there was an exhibition of Candice Breitz – Working Class Hero (A Portrait of John Lennon) – which was absolutely fantastic! 25 video screens of different people singing the same song, without music. Hilarious to see!!!

China Town

Well China Town was really disappointing.. again just some streets with a high occupation of Chinese people and shops. If you are looking for something special, something from China, this is the place to be. And maybe it’s nice to walk through this part of the city but to say it’s a must see.. not really.

Other sighs

Well there are many district which are worth a visit. Financial district for the huge skyscrapers, the Mission district for the beautiful wall murals, bars and restaurants, little Italy for the pasta and pizza’s and the Haight district for shopping. Whenever you have more time to spend here in SF, make sure to visit all parts of the town, either by walking or taking a bike.

End of part one!

Coming up stories: My escape from Alcatraz – Breathtaking views from breathtaking national parks around San Francisco – Highway 1 – TopTips for a cheap San Francisco & How To Waist Time  In San Francisco.

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