Saturday, January 21, 2012

Train Time and Playland at the Conservatory

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I just love trains….

 

I always come back to the conservatory of flowers during the holiday’s so I could visit the holiday train exhibit – its one of the pleasures of visiting San Francisco during the holidays. Isn’t is a great combination to have play trains and plants all under one roof?

I love that they used a lot of natural materials, mosses and live plants, even the structures are repurposed materials used to create the famous landmarks around the park and at the long gone Playland at Ocean Beach.

 

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This years exhibit was geared towards the old Playland which originally was along the ocean front of San Francisco and had its heyday during the forties and fifties and ran all the way to the early 1970’s. The exhibit was a lot of fun seeing recreated parts of the ocean front and the huge cliff house along the edge of the cliffs.

 

A close up detail of the many trollies from the city going to Playland.

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The ornate Cliff house, hugging the cliffs of the city and facing the expansive ocean beach into Playland. I love the miniature plants chosen to fit the sizing with the buildings and landscapes, here a variety of herbs, miniature evergreens, california natives and large tropical plants in the background used just for texture. Even the wonderful moss covering the fake earthen hillsides add realistic touches to this scene.

 

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I never saw the large victorian Cliff House here, I think it burned down in 1907, just one year after the great earthquake of 1906. It must have been the place to visit while in San Francisco back then. The adjoining Sutro Baths were a popular destination point for locals and tourists alike.

 

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As usual the place is packed with children coming to see the train exhibits and jostling to have fun at the toys and props that they can play and climb on.

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How do you make this go, I’m sure this kid is wondering?

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I love these special exhibits and am fortunate to see this when I visit during the holiday’s. Hope you enjoyed the visit also!

3 comments:

Alistair said...

Great fun for young and old I am sure Noel, and in San Francisco, wow, dream on!

Garden Sculptures said...

Dress your garden with accessories that add life to your garden and help create a natural environment, which is classy, modern and contemporary in taste.

Andrea said...

That is a very well planned garden, the adults can appreciate their plants while the kids can have their own interests. Because kids normally dont like plants.

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