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 | San Francisco Walk S.F. Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 37 |  |
 | |  |  | Walk S.F.: Stalking the Wild Parrots | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
Locals may snicker but for the last couple of years I have unsuccessfully been stalking the "wild parrots of telegraph hill" on every trip to San Francisco, climbing the Greenwich steps to Coit tower listening for them, but with no luck. I was walking a couple of blocks from my hotel through what I think is called Ferry park on Drumm & Clay sts, when I heard screeching. Looking up ~ 50 ft. near the top of the trees, there they were: nowhere near Telegraph Hill. Sorry about the poor quality of the picture but the light was terrible (it was almost dusk) and they were so high up even the zoom & telefoto on my camera couldn't get enough close light for detail. (I wish you could have heard them... it must have been parrot "cocktail hour"...)
But here's the good news. The only reason I knew the parrots existed, and one of my favorite SF sites over the years has been Hank Donat's "MisterSF" website. To see the parrots as they should be seen, just click below: Hank Donat's MISTER SF site & enjoy one of my favorite San Francisco websites. Say "hi" to Hank for me, he is good people, he cares, and imho is potentially the next Herb Caen. If you find the SF parrots as fascinating as I do, click below to learn everything about them from their best friend, Mark Bittner. Mark Bittner's Parrot Pages Update 5/3/05: The documentary film about the Parrots has finally been released, and it is wonderful. Here is a taste: Ebert Review: Wild Parrots and here is the website Wild Parrots with all the info, a trailer, and where it is playing in your town. Highly recommended. UPDATE 2006 The Wild Parrots DVD is now available for everybody. Peace Conner, wherever you are. Leave a Comment
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| | | | Walk S.F.: Only in SF: strong legs required | Tip Rating:  | | | | |
Get yourself to the base of Telegraph Hill (try taking the F Market to Greenwich and the Embarcadero). Psyche yourself up for the climb by the tranquil gardens and waterfalls of Levis Plaza. Then head toward Telegraph Hill, via Filbert Street. Filbert dead-ends into a long stairway built into the side of a cliff. Take it. If you are here in August, grab some wild blackberries draped over the railings. Mind the thorns. Climbing this stairway, known as the Filbert steps, is one of the best ways to truly know San Francisco. As you ascend, the stairs become rickety and wooden, the gardens on either side amazingly lush, the cottages too quaint for words. The gardens were tended for years by Grace Marchant, a neighbor who had so much love to give the City and somewhere to give it. The homes on lanes like Napier and Darrell are among the oldest in the city. Don't apologize for needing to break and catch you breath. The views behind you as you climb demand your attention. At the very top of the hill take the trail toward Coit Tower and visit the Art Deco murals in the Tower lobby. The elevator ride to the top of the tower -- and the views from there -- are unforgettable. NOW: you can head back down the way you came, or keep going, down the other side of Telegraph Hill. Filbert, Greenwich and Lombard Streets all lead into North Beach, the Italian neighborhood that served great coffee when Seattle was still pouring watered-down swill to Boeing employees. Try Caffe Trieste at 609 Vallejo at Grant, toward Downtown. There is no shame in sipping a latte. Sit for a while and listen: yes....that IS the beat of the Beatniks you hear. All these streets lead to Columbus, which has buses, cabs and a cable car that can take you back downtown -- if you are too tired to walk. Leave a Comment
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