I must confess that I was initially somewhat intrigued by this general consensus, which was actually one of the reasons that helped me take a solo trip to unveil the wonders of the city. Now that I have - as it is often said – “been there, done that and worn the t-shirt” (or, in this case, the hooded sweater, which is much better suited to the Bay area windy moods ;-) I feel obliged to eagerly join the legion of fans who have been seduced by the charms of Fog City.

You may be wondering what the fuss is all about. Well, to begin with, the food over there is great and relatively inexpensive, with seafood, sushi and ice-creams being my personal local picks. The bay area, due to its peculiar geography and its climate offers sights that are incredibly beautiful. I was amazed by the beauty of the sky at sunset, when the horizon seems to be whimsically colored to perfection using a palette that evolves slowly over time and space in flirtatious harmony. The panoramic views from elevated points around the city, namely the Coit Tower and Twin Peaks, were well worth the climbing and reminded me of Lisbon in spirit, as did the well-known cable cars that hastily dwell upon the city slopes. The Golden Gate bridge brought back memories from both the Eiffel Tower - in the sense of a metallic engineering colossus - and the Statue of Liberty - in the sense of the distinctive sign that welcomed immigrants who sailed to America throughout decades. Alcatraz smelt of gangsters, repression and cold decadence, but also of legend and universal significance. Castro and Haight-Ashbury oozed freedom and stood proud as witnesses from less (or was it more?) civilized times, when the power of love overcame the love of power. The Asian Art Museum, the DeYoung Museum, the SFMOMA, Mission Dolores, the Japanese Gardens and Legion d’Honneur are all jewels on the crown of a multicultural diversity that, in this case as in many others throughout history, has played a major role as an agent of prosperity…

I could probably go on mentioning further virtues, but I guess that in the end it all comes down to a feeling: San Francisco feels good. When you are there, it is easier to feel happy, and when people are happy they are more likely to be gentle to each other. Of course, when people are gentle to each other, it is easier for them to feel happy, and so the feeling is reignited. The circle is closed:

Francisco *heart* San Francisco.

p.s. Thanks to Victor and Rene for their priceless info and ideas that helped me prepare the trip.
:-)

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Nanauat |

1 Comment

1. Victor on 3:50 PM

   Thanks man!!, it was a real pleasure!
   Hope you loved California as I did