Day 14: San Francisco

Today was the first time along the trip I’ve been able to take a break. The reason? I’ve been here many times before. So when I awoke late in the morning, I didn’t fret about lost time – I’ve visited in San Francisco extensively over the past few years and been more than lucky to do so. I reached out to some friends based in the city and met up with them to visit. Of all the cities I’ve visited in the US, San Francisco is still my favourite (though it now faces competition from Denver, CO and surprisingly, Chicago!). But what San Francisco has over the others is the sea – the Pacific Ocean to be precise. I’ve been lucky in the past to stand on a cliff-side up the coast from Frisco and feel the full force of the Pacific winds in my face. The same winds (though calmer) blow through the streets of San Francisco. It’s a vibrant, soulful city with every possible combination of culture, race, creed and orientation – all living peacefully side by side. Today for example, I ate sushi and other fare in a restaurant in Japantown, took a tour of the hallowed corridors of City Hall, strolled down Market Street, stopped by the Yerba Buena Center (where Apple yesterday announced the iPhone 5) and later visited the neighbourhoods populated by the venerable “1%” – the elite Broadway street “millionaire’s row” (and probably a few billionaires live there too). Then I crossed through the Castro district up into another more private neighbourhood to visit some a new project which my friends are taking hold of very soon. I ended the day by visiting Vista Point overlooking a fog-enveloped Golden Gate Bridge (no let up this year!) and came back to my hotel to end the night early before tomorrow’s early rise.

An worthwhile, relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable day – made all the more relaxing by Pat & Christine – thanks guys!

San Francisco City Hall

A San Francisco MUNI car passes me on Market Street