Begin The Financial District

Buildings get much bigger and all glass and concretey.

Oh, and irony. Our trip to the financial district did have the purpose, outside of wandering, to find a giant bronze sculpture. With only vague ideas of where it was and a poor travel book map, it took a long time.

Anglo Bank here is quite the mystery. I have spent the last fifteen minutes trying to figure out how it started, and what bank owns it now and have totally failed you, my loyal readers. Much like the need for a horticulturist I also need a historian following me around.

I can tell you that the Bank of Guam was started by a former Bank of America executive who was disillusioned by banking as it were. Or at least that's what there website says. I can also rephrase to say that Jesus started the Bank of Guam. Go Jesus go.

For taking literally thousands of pictures, it is rather unbelievable that this is my only picture of a cable car. Well, my only in focus picture.

Home base of my bank. Wells Fargo. All because they had free checking for being an employee of Winter Park. Stupid free checking has suckered me for life.

This one has a plaque. Which I have a picture of, so I can tell you that this is Union Bank of California National Association. Incorporated in 1864. Pretty impressive.

Well, WaMu. Hasn't been a mutual company since 1983, is now part of JP Morgan Chase. And oh yeah, the largest banking bankruptcy in U.S. history. Based in Seattle, they hilarious built their new headquarters across from their old one. You should check it out.

Also known as the "Tweezer Building", 345 California Center is San Fran's third tallest building. It's a pretty famous building around town. Yet somehow, I forgot to look up. I didn't realize what building this was, until just now when I looked it up. Go figure.

And here it is crouching over one of four historic buildings. I couldn't find out why they are historic outside the obvious, being old looking.

Crazy geometric hotel anyone?

The density is pretty unreal. Looking at giant buildings always makes me want to move to a bigger city. Unfortunately all those giant buildings come with giant crowds of people. Which tone down the moving urge quite a bit.

The Embarcadero Center, still can't pronounce it, is office buildings on a pretty fancy-pants mall. Not super hoity - toity, but definitely about run - of - the - mill.

Another hotel, this one has balconies on the outside and inside. How crazy is that? Well, not that crazy. Even the Hyatt in Milwaukee has that.

Hey, its San Francisco's 6th (tied) tallest building, 101 California Street. According to Wikipedia its most famous for a '93 massacre, not its seven story all glass atrium. Which I totally missed. I'm getting the feeling looking up buildings after I get home makes me feel like I missed everything cool.

Which totally isn't true. Well, that's pretty much it for buildings. Tomorrow, sculptures and staircases! Enjoy, jon