San Francisco: Cheap, Free Or Priceless
I made it to San Francisco in one piece! I will write a proper account of the whole thing but of course that will have to be on my other site, Travel Minx. Here I’ll mention the money.
A few people have exclaimed, “A six hour flight! Whoa!” but really, that’s nothing. NZ to LA is 12 hours at least. Now that’s a long flight. NY to SF cost $250 one way, no lunch. Cheers from 25 years ago played on the big screen at the front. Cue ’80s flashback.
You don’t have to spend much money to enjoy San Francisco. I’ve been walking everywhere, puffing up hills, tumbling down hills, only stopping to refuel with a strong coffee at Italian North Beach cafes where hippy poets Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg used to wax lyrical, and Mr Coppola wrote a first draft of The Godfather. “I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
City Lights Bookstore is awesome. They published Howl in the’50s. “Pull up a chair, read a book,” the signs inside urge, so I do. For an hour. The smell inside is one of my favorites: fresh books, studied silence, black and white photos from half a century ago of tattered, bearded poets.
The views of the city from the top of the crooked Lombard Street are amazing. Once I get my breath back, I take photos of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. The wind is cold and fresh and the cable cars trundle past with tourists hanging out. $5 a ride, up and down the streets, all the way straight to Fisherman’s Wharf with the tacky souvenir shops, $5 clam chowders and smelly protected sealions sunbathing by Pier 39.
Chinatown has $6 noodle soups and steaming dim sum. A box stands outside a shop labeled ‘Karate Kid Drums, $2′. Three blocks and I haven’t heard a word of English.
Union Square is a mini Fifth Avenue: Tiffany’s, Saks, Macy’s. I avoid. The pace here is slower than NY. People aren’t rushing or shouting into their Bluetooths, taxis are rare. Homeless are not. Venture into Tenderloin and you get asked about wanting crack. I avoid.
Internet cafe, $8 an hour. Gotta go.
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Thursday, June 28th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
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San Francisco is a great city! I love the people from there because they are so friendly compared to where I live right now. You have to love diverse cities right? Perhaps you could learn Chinese while you are there, assuming you stay long enough to pick it up! I am unsure of what dialect they speak there but it would be interesting to find out.
June 28th, 2007 at 7:57 pmFour words: House of Nan King
June 29th, 2007 at 12:57 amRichard: Six weeks might not be long enough to become fluent, but you’re right I should pick up a few words. I know Ni Hao at least.
LMaM: Awesome, thanks.
June 29th, 2007 at 12:36 pmGlad you made it out there safely! I’m sure you’ll have a blast, and a great experience!
How long do you plan on staying? Any big plans while you’re there?
June 29th, 2007 at 8:28 pmThank you Ryan! I’m glad to be out of airports for a few weeks what with car bombs and explosions in the UK over the last few days…
I’m here for six weeks I think, and planning some road trips like to the Grand Canyon. Exciting! And blogging-wise it looks like there are some local bloggers so hopefully we’ll have a meetup. Meeting bloggers in person is fun.
June 30th, 2007 at 12:32 pmIf I could only convince you to come to St. Louis!
June 30th, 2007 at 6:02 pmI’ve always loved San Francisco. I haven’t been in a few years– hopefully the Cliff House is still there, with its camera obscura and the museum of antique arcade games– that was one of my favorite places.
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:45 pmI looked in my guidebook and Cliff House exists, but they’ve moved the museum to Pier 43. Antique arcade games definitely appeal so will have to check it out!
July 3rd, 2007 at 12:08 am