San Francisco Has It All Backwards...

Wow. What an adventorous weekend... Ryan and I celebrated our 2year anniversary. We drove down to San Jose and spent the night at the San Jose Hilton. We had a really nice room up on the 12 floor. Ryan and I both said to each other that we don't think we've ever stayed that high up in a hotel before. We had a beautiful view of down town San Jose. When we checked in the agent was really sweet and gave us 2 free coupons to the bar/restaraunt (up to $11.95 per coupon). Ryan and I ordered some porkchops from room service and enjoyed our night.

The next morning we were up and ready to get to San Francisco. The drive was easy, no traffic and we didn't get lost. We drove through the city and stopped for some lunch and over the Golden Gate bridge we went to get to our second hotel in San Rafael. We checked in at the Embassy Suites San Rafael and hung out in the hotel room, and ordered more room service for dinner. The next morning we ate our breakfast, checked out and started driving to the bay. We were heading back over the Golden Gate bridge, when we hit a toll booth.

First of all I would like to point out -- they didn't have any prior notification of how much the toll would be. I had $2 in cash, so I figured that should be enough. And sure enough we get through all the lines, and the toll is $3!! I only had my debit card and we had used all of the change in the car for the parking meters. The gentleman was nice enough to say that he would find a dollar and that we were free to go. And off for a wonderful day in the bay.

Ryan had never done any of the touristy things like Fisherman's Wharf or the wax museum. So we started out at Ghiradelli's square. Went through the shop to get our free chocolate and bought something so our parking could be validated. We walked down the street to the pier, passing all of the nifty stores and street vendors. We ended up at Pompei's Grotto for lunch. It was a nice little seafood restaraunt right on the shore. Ryan had a lobster and shrimp pasta, and I ate some of the best cod fish and chips, I have ever eaten. And their tartar sauce was to die for. After we were done, we rolled ourselves out of the restaraunt in search for Fisherman's Wharf. When we found it we walked all the way down and back, peeked in all of the shops -- including the cutest purse shop! We decided it was getting late, so we headed home.

We got into the car and headed over the Bay Bridge. And got stopped at another toll. Once again, no notification of how much the toll was, and there was no sign saying "if you do not have cash get off NOW". So once again Ryan and I pull up to the toll with $2 and some change in my hand. The toll was $4! I explained to the man what the situation was and tried to hand him the $2 and some change and he wouldn't take it. He told me that I would recieve a fine in the mail, and it was up to 100 fine! I was appauled. That put the biggest damper on our wonderful weekend.

Between one way streets, toll bridges and hippies everywhere... San Francisco has it all backwards.

Update: I recieved the fine. And it was $25 for evasion of a toll, and then the original $4 fee. Hmmmm... have I mentioned that San Francisco is REALLY backwards?