8:20-8:54 Walnut Creek Bart to Embarcadero Bart
Got to Bart just in time to get my ticket and catch the train. It was on time and packed with business people going to San Francisco. I was tired so I got quick nap in on the way over.
8:55-9:05 Walk from Embarcadero to Ferry Building
It's only a few blocks walk from the Bart station to the Ferry Building. There was some kind of outdoor REI demonstration with a ropes course going on at the Embarcadero but i didn't want to miss the ferry so I just kept walking.
9:10-9:45 Ferry from SF to Larkspur
I haven't taken a ferry in a long time and I was really surprised at how nice it was. It was definitely a big step up from Bart. It was also a lot faster then I remember the ferry being and the views were amazing. Here is a picture I took of The City as we cruised by.
9:50-10:05 Cab from Larkspur to Civic Center
The cab ride was short it's only five miles from the ferry terminal to the civic center. I got there early enough to grab a quick bite to eat at the cafeteria which is where the tour started from.
10:30-12:00 the tour
I was one of the first people waiting for the tour so I signed into their log book and waited for the tour to begin. The tour was five dollars and the group I was with was about ten or twelve people. The group was led by a very knowledgeable docent named Noel Rain. One of the best parts about the tour was that we got to go places the average visitor doesn't get to see. Of course we started of with the library, the conservatory and the main halls, but then shortly after that we were able to go into one of the court rooms while it was in session. This was pretty amazing because I've never seen a court room like this in my life. The judge was at the same height as everyone one else in the small circular room and she didn't use a microphone because of the great acoustics of the room. The court room had beautiful wood all the way around with circular designs throughout the ceilings. Another place we were able to see was room where the county supervisors meet at. It was as stunning as the court room. There was a lot of similarities with the intricate ceilings and the wood work throughout. You can see a picture below of the circular lights and raised ceilings.
There is also an observation deck outside of this room that had some great views of the top of the buildings and the golden tower. The golden tower was one of my favorite pieces and was really a shock to see because everything is circular and symmetrical and then all of the sudden here is this tall,skinny, sharp edged, golden tower. It is sometimes referred to as Frank Lloyd Wright's "exclamation point."
Here is a picture of the view from the top of the observation deck and the building below is the Hall of Justice. The weather was perfect up there.
12:00-12:30 Interview
After the tour wrapped up I started my interview with the docent. Every time I asked her a question she would tell me an entirely different story that didn't have anything to do with my question. Although she did tell me a lot of interesting story.
1:15-3:30 headed back home
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