San Fransisco visit - USA -

It was about a one-and-a-half-hour train ride from San Jose to San Francisco. Public transportation is our favourite, so we enjoyed looking at the scenery out of the window. Our goal was to visit key places to recall my memories and explore new spots.

I visited the United States for the first time when I was 19, filled with anticipation. The short tour of major cities in California was part of my programme to study English abroad. All of my experiences in the USA turned my world upside down; it was the moment I began to feel like I had wings to explore the world.

1. Townscape of SF.

The photos shown below perfectly capture my memories of this city: colourful Victorian houses and cable cars running up and down the steep hills! We relied on public transportation and our feet to explore San Francisco. It was more adventurous to notice things we wouldn't normally be aware of.

Lombard Street is famous for its winding roads with hairpin turns framed by lush gardens. The scenery from there offers stunning views of the entire city. We took a bus and then walked up to Lombard, which was quite a workout given the steep hills. Afterwards, we took a cable car down the slope and enjoyed a different perspective from the car!

2. Fisherman's Wharf.

This spot was bustling with tourists, yet it was fun to visit! I had a vivid memory of trying clam chowder in the past, so I wanted to have it again. The sea lions were scattered around the bay, lounging on the rafts and occasionally roaring. I couldn’t remember if I had seen them during my first visit or not!

3. Chinatown.

While walking in Chinatown, we craved egg tarts after a long walk from Lombard Street. We needed a sugar boost, and just as we were talking about them, we spotted a sweet shop displaying egg tarts in their showcase. What a coincidence!

A monkey and a human are chatting in the street, holding hands. Hihihi 

4. Golden Gate Bridge.

We took a bus to the lookout point of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was such a beautiful sunny day with a few clouds, making the bridge clear to view. I was so happy to revisit this place with my partner and share the beautiful landscape I admired when I was a teenager.

5. Haight Ashbury.

My partner was excited to visit Haight-Ashbury, known as the centre of the hippie movement in the 1960s, particularly during the "Summer of Love" in 1967. The vibe was bohemian and artistic; we saw a band playing while women danced along to the music with bare feet in the street. I also spotted some thrift shops with high-quality, whimsical and nostalgic designs that I loved! I wish I could have bought some pieces if it weren’t for the weight restrictions on our luggage.

6. IT company, Salesforce.

My friend's husband works for Salesforce, and he kindly took us to their office building, the tallest in San Francisco! We were amazed by the views of downtown and couldn’t stop taking photos. There was a café offering complimentary drinks and snacks, plus well-arranged sofas, chairs, and tables. If I were in my 30s and obsessed with working in the IT sector, I would definitely have tried to get a job at this company!

7. Food of the week.

We primarily cooked our meals to share with friends, even making sandwiches for our day trip to San Francisco because we felt the cost of living there was high and wanted to save money. One dish we tried for the first time was curry pizza! We were unsure of how the flavours would blend since they usually stand alone, but it turned out to be delicious!