“It’s what the politicians want” said the driver who delivered us to our San Francisco hotel yesterday. He was referring to many closed businesses, a significant drop in tourism and a surge in homeless living on city sidewalks. “It was the pandemic and all those financial employees who work at home” explained the Uber driver who took us to Fisherman’s Wharf today. The San Francisco Chronicle agrees, comparing the decline to that experienced in NYC after 9/11.

While certainly not bustling, San Francisco still offers gorgeous views and walkable tourist sites. We decided to use our one day here to be tourists, setting off this morning to ride the cable car to Fisherman’s Wharf. “Easy,” said the hotel clerk, “just four blocks up Powell St.” Oops! Four blocks uphill. So we took Uber. Best $15 of the day.

Fisherman’s Wharf is a tourist zone, with shops, restaurants and more recently, a population of sea lions basking in the sun. We lunched at Crab House, still very empty by 12:30, then boarded a bus to Marin County.

Much potential still exists in San Francisco. Here’s hoping that the politicians, workers and employees figure out how to use it’s resources wisely.

Cityscape with old Coit Tower and Salesforce Skyscraper which mimicked it.