bridges of san francisco

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The mystery I wanted to solve when we visited San Francisco recently was this: Why is the golden gate bridge…not golden?


As you can see, it is red. Quite red. (Seems like someone told me recently she knows someone who's job it is to keep painting the golden gate bridge over and over again. Dangling from the heights in harnesses and such. Sounds both exhilarating and frightfully depressing at the same time. You're never finished!)

The answer (why it's red & not golden) really isn't all that interesting. Apparently, the "golden gate" is the passageway between the hills that the bridge spans. Maybe you really need to approach the city from the sea to understand. I'm guessing it has to do with the golden color of the California hills most of the year?

Now, the Oakland Bay Bridge…that one looks golden.


Except when it's completely shrouded in fog. Then it's gray.


Or invisible.

1 comment:

Mom McGinn said...

I thought the same thing, Jen, when I first saw the Golden Gate Bridge. But Dad McGinn explained it to me. He is so smart with all the trivia he collects.