San Francisco frequently finds a mention in our tech blogs thanks to Silicon Valley and the cool tech culture it displays to the tech enthusiasts across the world.
But Sunday was a day to celebrate the elegance, understated beauty and strength of a structure that has become synonymous with San Francisco.
Yes Americans celebrated the Golden Gate Bridge's 75th birthday. To mark the occasion, there was a day-long party in San Francisco, which culminated in a massive fireworks display and light show.
The bridge was covered in fog for part of the day, but skies were clear by twilight for the 18 minute-long display, which coincided with Memorial Day weekend. And the old bridge looks as beautiful as ever bathed in the light of the fireworks.
The History
Opened on May 27th 1937, the Bridge is a wonder of engineering, spanning 4,200 feet to link the city of San Francisco to Marin County. So wonderful, in fact, that it was named one of the modern Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The tourist attraction was named after the Golden Gate Strait, the entrance of water to San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean, which was built by engineer Joseph Strauss in the 1920s.
Thousands of people from all over the Bay Area lined Crissy Field to see the show and celebrate the 75th birthday of the majestic span.
It was the culmination of a daylong party including live music, art shows, boat parades, tearful renditions of "San Francisco (Open Your Golden Gate)" and happy, enthusiastic crowds bedecked in fleece and sweatshirts.
"It's one of the most beautiful pieces of artwork in the world. What more is there to say?" said John Moore, an air-traffic controller from Rohnert Park, who walked across the bridge with his family Sunday. "We wouldn't miss this."
Attendees included tourists and San Francisco natives, awestruck kids who remembered the bridge's opening in 1937.
Fred Ruhland, a retired financier from Kentfield, who was at the bridge's 50th birthday in 1987, recalled how the crowd flattened bridge’s normal arc.
"I was never so scared in my life. The bridge was shaking," he said. "But I decided to give it another try this time. I'm still amazed at the engineering of this bridge, how strong it is. It really is an icon."
On sunday thousands walked or biked across the bridge without. Cars crossed peacefully, too - traffic flowed easily most of the day, and the span was closed to vehicle traffic only from about 9 to 10 p.m. for the fireworks show.
There was a vintage car show on Crissy Field, a homage to the bridge's ostensible purpose: getting cars from San Francisco to Marin and vice versa.
Since it opened in 1937, more than 2 billion vehicles have crossed the structure.
Denise Brady, a consultant and native San Franciscan, displayed her gleaming red 1942 Plymouth Special Deluxe convertible. "I love the bridge, because it's the same era as my car, and I love my car," she said as she relaxed next to her vehicle, listening to Frank Sinatra tapes. "I'm just a nostalgic person. I'm a die-hard San Franciscan, and this is a great San Francisco event."
"It was awesome," said 10-year-old Fernando Tercero Jr. "It was beautiful and awesome."
