Musical Stuffed Monkeys

This, admittedly, oddly-named attraction is my favorite little slice of joy at the joyous Musee Mechanique on Pier 45 in Fisherman's Wharf. Unfortunately, the music filter on this blog site seems to be blocking the accompanying song (it's Herb Alpert) due to copyright issues. You'll just have to hear it for yourself. You may want to wait until the summer throngs have moved on until you give this place a visit, but when you do , these little Bimbos won't disappoint.

Gone to Seed

We're still in Aquatic Park (probably because it's so nice this time of year). Most of the Wharf, deservedly, gets dismissed by locals, but this is one place with something for everyone. The Hyde Street Pier and Aquatic Park comprise the National Maritime Museum and they are perfect places to enjoy a beautiful late spring day. If you approach the park via the trail from Fort Mason, you can forget all about the crowds that throng such attractions as Hooters, Rainforest Cafe and the Wax Museum. It's easy, and not entirely fair, to dismiss the Wharf. Good things are happening and The City seems to be making an attempt to spruce the old cash cow up a bit. Lord knows, it seems the tourists will put up with anything. They still flock to the crowded sidewalks strewn with "performers" covered in silver paint. Then again, if you stay away, you'll miss the Musee Mechanique, the S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien and the U.S.S. Pampanito. That would be a bad thing.
Back to Aquatic Park; the scrappy shrubs pictured above used to spell out "Aquatic Park" and were a very nice, old-fashioned touch. Now they're just ill-maintained shrubs. I'm hopeful that they'll be groomed to their previous perfection once the ongoing park rehabilitation is complete.

Laff, Sal, Laff

She's everyone's favorite Cacklin' Doll, located at the marvelous Musee Mechanique at Pier 45 in Fisherman's Wharf. But, did you know she has a sister? Yes, Santa Cruz's Laffing Sal, the evil (or slightly more evil) twin our our beloved Sal (formerly of Playland at the Beach) continues to bounce and guffaw on the Boardwalk in Surf City. Evidently there were dozens of Laffing Sals, frightening young and old alike, across the nation. The two Sals remain estranged and will continue to do what they need to do, if only to keep from crying.