Mission Bay Stroll

The trick to pandemic strolling in San Francisco's downtown these days is to find routes with the least people and/or sidewalk tent encampments. Last Saturday, Seventh Street going South of Market turned out to be a sleeper hit in both categories.

We turned left under the freeway and found ourselves in Mission Bay, where all the new businesses servicing the new housing were closed except for a Gus's Market on 4th Street. It was not only mellow by pandemic grocery store standards but the take-out sandwiches were perfect for a picnic along a thin strip of park fronting the north side of the canal.

The public walkway on the other side of Mission Bay has been under construction for ages, but has finally been completed, and it's a gorgeous new city oasis.

So far speeding bicyclists and scooter riders haven't ruined the wide pedestrian walkway like they have the Embarcadero sidewalk.

It was easy to distance six feet across and most people wore masks, except for a few comically selfish young things who strode around in their own digital, mobile bubbles.

The views across the inlet to the remaining houseboats in what used to be called China Basin are charming.

The fancy new apartment housing fronting the walk is gated but beautifully landscaped and open to public view.

The houseboats remind me of Sausalito, where a Bohemian artists community existed on the water for decades. The houseboats still exist, but were gradually surrounded by very wealthy people, which always changes everything.

I am glad the developers grandfathered the houseboats into the new Mission Bay neighborhood...

...and felt envy for those who were able to shelter in place in such beauty.