The long pending 'San Francisco' chronicles...

San Francisco. The name of the city itself evoked in my mind a whole spectrum of images and associations. And when I finally got there after months of preparation and anticipation, it truly lived up to the expectation…and surpassed it, in fact. To be honest, I haven’t been to too many cities outside my country, but the distinctive character of this place made itself felt in no time. After our very own Calcutta, I could sense a throbbing pulse, a restless and active soul.

It’s not a very novel observation, but I found that in spite of being a ‘big’ city, SF is not just about big brands and chains. Much of its character comes from distinctive enterprises that boast of the uniqueness and personal touches of the cultures and philosophies of the people running them. SF is a lot like a prism. It breaks up a rich amalgamation of cultures, people, lifestyles, activities, and cuisines … and serves up something for everybody. The statistical fact that no particular ethnic group exceeds 40% of the population here is probably the cause for this beautiful mosaic.

We were lucky to stay in a students’ hostel right in the heart of the business and shopping district: an area always throbbing with people and activity (including street performances at any hour!). It gave us the full freedom to access myriad options in food, tourism spots, shopping and entertainment options…all literally within walking distance. The walks were not always very easy though, thanks to the sharp ups and downs of the SF terrain…but always a whole lot of fun! What wasn’t within the walking capacities of our seasoned and sturdy pairs of legs was made accessible by the huge variety of transportation options available. If it wasn't for SF, I would have never imagined that it is possible to visit a city (that too an American one!) for 2 weeks and have utilized 6-7 different modes of public transportation (road, rail and sea…and subway!).

The location of Orange Village hostel also meant that in addition to the Union Square, the arterial Market Street, and the huge, fancy departmental stores, and hangout places; we were also in the vicinity of locales which are the hotspots of people who have settled down from specific different cultures. Chinatown, Japan Town, Little Saigon (Vietnam), Little Italy (North Beach)… the list that was waiting was endless. And explore we did, as much as we could fit into our busy schedules and pocket capacity (SF is infamous as a really expensive city)! The area of our stay also bordered with the notorious Tenderloin district, where we didn’t venture much for safety concerns but got a sneak peek into the stark contrasts in lifestyle. We visited more than once, the varied spots and attractions on the Embarcadero (including the piers, especially the colourful and boisterous Pier 39), the Fisherman’s Wharf and the Russian Hill and adjoining areas. Not being used to a city which is lined by the sea, it was very refreshing to take in the bay breeze and blissful blue of the Pacific water, with brave seagulls hovering and landing nearby; and the bustle of the city right behind us.

In addition to all the touristy (and otherwise) spots we covered on foot, the street car, the historic cable car, and the metro; one of the most fun things that we did was to take the ‘Hop on hop off’ Big Bus tour. It gave us an overview of a broader part of the city with some insights into historical and cultural facts. The flexibility of getting off at spots of interest to us and taking time to explore them was truly great value for money. It took us away from our familiar zones to parts of the city with completely different individual appeals.  From locales bearing signs of the decades old hippie movement… to the quaint and picture-postcard style residential areas dotted with Victorian style homes… to the Golden Gate Park (with Japanese gardens and the very absorbing California Academy of Sciences),… and to a ride back and forth over the Golden Gate Bridge…it was simply superb.  The best part of it was, viewing these varied places during the day and then watching the same places transform by evening from our chilly rooftop seats.

The stay in SF was obviously also a gastronomic extravaganza, with all the available diversity and variety. As die-hard foodies, the list of cuisines we managed to sample in 2 weeks would include: American (general stuff as well as the distinct Cajun style), Italian, Mexican (the unforgettable slow roasted carnitas at Chevys, in addition to a lot else), Chinese (must mention the first time experience of the delectable Peking duck), Japanese (tried a mountain vegetable stew and sashimi), Thai, Vietnamese, and Irish! SF is really a paradise for sea food lovers and we had our fill of the distinctive clam and crab chowders, melt in the mouth crab cakes and loads of fried calamari! All washed down with local brewed beer! On a lot of days, even breakfast (brunch, rather) proved to be a truly memorable affair. Not to forget, the numerous visits to the Ghirardelli Stores where we feasted on and stocked up on delicious varieties of dark chocolate!

I wonder if SF is always this lively and touristy all through the year. Or was it because we went in Spring (including Valentine’s Day) that it all looked so fresh? Or was it just the way that we perceived it because it was such a long awaited and special trip? I don’t really know…but someday I would love to come back!