San Francisco, California, USA. Just a couple of miles down the same coast from the souvenir-soaked tourist mecca that is Fisherman's Wharf, there's a place where you can actually see and meet REAL FISHERMEN!

At Crissy Field Pier you can witness the unpredictable excitement of fishing and crabbing in the bay, a culture that appears to be alive and well.

In the short time I was there, on a recent mid-week spring evening, I watched enthralled as one person caught a skate ray, struggling to bring it up without breaking his line or pole, and soon after another person pulled in a cage containing a shiny brown crab and a hitchhiking starfish.

Asking the young man at the end of the pier what he was hoping to catch, he deadpanned, "A mermaid," then smiled.

A great value, admission and parking at Crissy field are free, and come with phenomenal views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge. Visit in the golden hour before sunset for the best photo conditions.