Mel’s Drive In and Ripley’s Believe it or Not in San Francisco

This morning was wash day. The laundry is situated in the garage of the Holiday Inn just a short walk up the road. So I purchased enough quarters to do a couple of loads, one today and one before we leave for Las Vegas. The costs for using the laundry are as follows:

• Laundry powder – $1.00 per box
• Washing machine  – $2.00 per load
• Dryer – $2.00 per load

So all in all quite economical.

Once the washing was completed we headed off to Levenworth St to purchase tickets for the hop on hop off bus. I forgot to give the girl the voucher from the back of the tourist map which gives you $10 off the price so it cost $100 for the two of us. Still the pass lasts for 48 hours and gives us access to all of the bus loops including:

• Downtown loop
• Golden Gate tour
• Night Tour
• Park Loop

We were unable to get tickets to Alcatraz because you need to book 10 days in advance at this time of year and the next available tour is on the 17th August and we will be in Las Vegas by then.  Never mind, I have already been and Val doesn’t seem to care one way or the other.

So we take the bus into town and get off at Macy’s. Val wants to check out a pawn shop in Mission and 6th street for some reloading gear. Well once again we go the wrong way and turn down 3rd street before he tells me we need 5th Street and Mission. But there isn’t anything at that address and we finally find out that we need to continue on to 6th. Talk about walk for miles. Val goes into the store and I wait outside. I must say I am quite happy when we get to leave.

Apparently you cannot buy guns in San Francisco and they didn’t have any of the reloading gear he was looking for so he will have to wait until he gets to Las Vegas. Next thing I know Val is chatting to a police woman who is riding a bicycle, and they are discussing the firearms laws in the different states. The police officer told him that prostitution and firearms are legal in Nevada but that firearms have been outlawed for some time in San Francisco.  For those who aren’t aware, my husband is an avid hunter back in Australia. I finally manage to prise him away so that both we and the policewoman can continue our travels.

On the way down Mission St we see a diner and as I am feeling a bit peckish we head back the way we came to try it out. There is a sign on the window stating Steak meal $7.95.

We are at Mel’s drive in and it is a vibrant, busy cafe.  The staff are pleasant and efficient and before long we have our steak, 3 eggs, potatoes and toast. My eggs are done just how I have asked for them to be cooked.

All of the food is delicious and beautifully cooked.  Our waitress  is bright and bubbly and makes us feel very welcome. i have a coke with my meal and the bill comes to $18.90. Now one thing I do like about the bill is that it has the recommended tip printed on the bottom, both the 15% and the 20%. Plus we get a voucher to go back the next day and receive a 20% discount off the meal.

Now I thoroughly recommend that you go to Mel’s drive in for a meal, pleasant staff, great food. And they play great music without it being too loud.

After eating we go through Bloomingdales to get back to Market St. Its time for a pit stop and Bloomingdales have very classy restrooms. The cubicles are quite large and the area is tiled with marble tile.

Finally we arrive back at Macy’s and wait for the bus. Our first guide in the morning was Theresa and it was her first day on the job after a two week training period. She was very easy to understand and enjoyable to listen to. I don’t know the name of our second tour guide but he was extremely entertaining and funny when talking about the points of interest as we passed them.  Val and I hopped off the bus at Pier 33 hoping there may have been a cancellation to Alcatraz but no tickets were available.

We walked back towards the hotel and stopped to go into Ripley’s Believe it or not.  I thought this might interest Val more than Madam Tussuad’s.

Well this exhibition is thoroughly entertaining. Ripley collected all sorts of information about the weird and wonderful and if you get the chance to visit one of the many Ripley’s Believe it or Not exhibitions you will be amazed at the peculiar and interesting items that are on display.

Mels Drive In

Some of the Exhibits from Ripley’s Believe it or Not

 

Elvis Picture -Barcode Art.

You Just Have to Wonder!!!

 

 

 

Filed under: America & Canada • San Francisco

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