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A motorized vehicle that resembles the old cable cars that are still used in the city. This was taken along the waterfront, so it's probably for a tour of the city, but interesting nonetheless. The originals date to the 19th century. After witnessing an accident that killed a number of horses who slipped on the wet cobblestone streets while trying to drag a heavy load up a steep hill, Andrew Hallidie decided to put his wire-rope system, first designed and used to build a suspension bridge across the American River near Sacramento, and later for pulling ore carts out of underground mines, to use in the city. The first cable car system was tested in August, 1873 near the top of Nob Hill. On September 1, the Clay Stret line began public service, and various other rail companies followed. The San Francisco cable cars are now world famous.

San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California, with a population of about 765,000 as of 2007. The Bay Area is home to more than 7 million people, however. It's a relatively young city in general, as it was first settled by the Spanish in 1776 following the establishment of a fort and later a mission named for Francis of Assisi. It really grew during the California Gold Rush in 1848, when it expanded into the largest city on the West Coast. Much of the city was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fire, but it was rebuilt so quickly that it was able to host the Panama-Pacific International Exposition only 9 years later. It's had a lot of different influences, beginning with Chinese immigration in the 19th century through the WWII era, when it served as the departure point for servicemen and women to the Pacific. After the war, it became famous for the Summer of Love and later as a staging point for gay rights. It's a popular tourist destination, and deservedly so, as it's an amazingly beautiful city and has a lot of cultural attractions as well, such as its world-famous Chinatown, the Golden Gate Bridge and Park, the steep hills and mix of Victorian and modern architecture.