A day in San Francisco

It is the thrill of the unknown that gets your adrenaline pumping. It is always a new day; it is always a new place.

So, off I went to see and drive on the insane San Francisco roads. Being cooped up at work and hotel for almost 2 months, this was like coming up for fresh air.

As the weather gets colder and colder here in Salt Lake City, my home for 6 months, I bundled myself up in a jacket and took my backpack and off I went to the airport. Airport is my second home :-P . Well you know, when you visit a new city and plan to take ton loads of pics, you have got to look your best. So, I had to get decked up!! And I had lotsa time in the airport for that before my flight.

I landed in San Jose Airport and waited for my cousin to pick me up. We had plans of having a nice breakfast in Bangalore Café. I was craving for a masal dose. And as luck would have it, the café was not yet open. Moreover, as we had an hour long drive to SFO, we had to make do with some other restaurant. (Lemme tell you, you are better off at eating American, Mexican or any other cuisine here in the US. The Indian food just does not taste Indian here. I make it a point not to eat Indian when here in the US. There are lotsa things here, why eat masal dose here and swear never to eat it again? Lol)

After a pretty full stomach, we drove all the way to SFO. It took us around 40 mins to reach SFO but once inside the city it took us another 30 mins to reach the Golden Gate Bridge. Another 15 to find a parking space. Word of advice? Park in a convenient place and please use the public transport :-)

The Golden Gate Bridge!! What shall I say about it?

When I was in school, there was this one particular movie, which had come out. America America. Was that a craze then or what!! There was Niagara, Las Vegas and what not, in that one song which showed the people back home the must visit places in the US. However, something that caught my attention was the Golden Gate Bridge. The protagonist of the movie tells, “I always come running to this place whenever I feel a bit low”. That somehow stuck. On the other hand, it may be my interest over monuments and structures more, which always makes me visit such places. Anyhow, the golden gate did not disappoint me.

It took me quite a few mins to form an intelligent sentence when my cousin asked me something. It was breath taking!!

We spent a bit of time looking at the bridge from all possible views and as always click loads of pics and selfies. Can you trust a girl not to? After we had our fill of this place and lost one of my earrings to the winds blowing over the bridge while walking across it, I drove down, rather up the streets to the Lombard Street. And, what an experience that was. All the time with my cousin asking me if I can drive up the roads and not let the car slide back!! Anyone watch Princess Diaries? Just imagine Anne Hathaway trying to drive her car up the road and ending up sliding backwards. Get the picture? :-D Anyhow I managed not to get any of us in any kinda trouble and we reached the Lombard Street. I drove down it. Must say it was a very nice drive :-P

From there we went to Pier39. Watched some street shows, went on the carousel, ate some junk food!! Hey, come on I was on vacation!!

It was almost evening by the time we decided to leave the Pier. Next stop was Ghirardelli Square. There was still some time for the Ghirardelli square to light up, so we went to the beach and walked on the pier to watch the sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge. The view was straight out of the King Kong Movie.

We had to finish our day with a hot chocolate fudge!! What better than have it in the Ghirardelli chocolate factory?

We called it a night then and drove back to San Jose. And my cousin was still hungry and the Bangalore café was again the choice!! (We had missed it earlier in the day, you see and hearing and reading Kannada on the menu somewhere so far from home is quite nice!! )

That adds one more city to my list!!

Until another place, another time, au revoir!!