Flat Stanley visited San Francisco in December of 2012, and started his tour in Chinatown!
The Gateway Arch (Dragon Gate) is the only authentic Chinatown Gate in North America. 
Grant Street had hanging lanterns displayed for the holidays
It was so early in the morning, the China Bazaar was not even open!
The Transamerica building towers over Chinatown!
Stanley found the Jackson Produce store just opening up.
Here's where the first bookstore in San Francisco was built, in 1849.
Stanley shows us the Transamerica Pyramid, the tallest skyscraper in San Francisco.
At 7:30am, this truck delivered fresh fruits and vegetables to the local market.
Oh-oh! Stanley shows the ticket we got for not paying the parking meter. Even when you go on vacation, you need to read and follow all the rules!
Now Stanley rides up Market Street. This main San Francisco street runs diagonally from the Ferry Building to the Castro District, just south of Twin Peaks. Let's follow Stanley!
The traffic was busy at Grant and O'Farrell Streets!
There's the Hibernia Bank on the right, which was built before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
The UN Plaza was created in 1975, and commenorates the signing of the United Nations Charter in 1945. Behind the Plaza is San Francisco City Hall.
Here's another view of City Hall. The dome was renovated after the 1989 earthquake. Luckily Stanley missed all the earthquakes!
Pioneer Monument sits between the Asian Art Museum on the left, and the SF Public Library on the right. It commemorate the different epochs in California's History.
Here's a view of the Public Library - and it's Bookmobile! Too bad - we were too early to check out any books..
On the left is San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall, and on the right is the War Memorial Building, home of North America's second largest opera company, in operation since 1932.
Everywhere Stanley went in San Francisco, he found workers constructing new buildings. Here is a truck-load of lumber for new condominium apartments.
Here's the old San Francisco Mint! Pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters - all kinds of coins were created here, starting in 1874. The last coin minted here was in the 1960s.
In front of this construction crane is one of San Francisco's vintage trolley cars. The city runs them on Market Street, for all the tourists to enjoy.
Stanley looks a little fuzzy, but he's proud to show you the Twin Peaks that tower above Market Street. In just a moment you'll see what Stanley saw from the top.
While we're stuck here in traffic, Stanley wants you to see the Sutro Tower off to the right. It rises 977 feet above the city, and transmits signals from 11 TV stations, 4 FM radio stations, and almost 2 dozen wireless services.
The Castro Theater is San Francisco's Historic Landmark #100. Built in 1922, it showed silent movies accompanied by music from "The Big Wurlitzer", which still plays music at intermissions today.
What is this? A tree that's popping up through the sidewalk!! Stanley was very impressed with how sturdy the trees are in San Francisco. 
Finally! We made it to the top of Twin Peaks, and Stanley says - "What a VIEW!" The diagonal road behind him is Market Street, which Stanley followed all the way from downtowon San Francisco, and up the winding streets to Twin Peaks. Don't you agree - "What a VIEW!!"
In the distance behind Stanley are the hills of Oakland. Stanley will save that for his next visit to the Bay Area!
Here's one more view of the twisty road up to the top of Twin Peaks, and the beautiful city of San Francisco. Can you find the Transamerica Pyramid? 
There is the Pacific Ocean - Stanley is delighted!! What a wonderful morning ride this has been, from Chinatown, up Market Street, past the Castro District, up to Twin Peaks, and now looking west to finally see the Pacific. Stanley LOVES it in San Francisco!!
Alas, Stanley says goodbye to the Sutro Tower, and sends his love to all his friends in Texas. He will bring back many fond memories, and have lots of stories to tell. Who knows, maybe you'll even want to come with Stanley next time he comes to visit us! Bye y'all!!
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