San Francisco #1

I believe everyone has city of their soul somewhere in the world. A city that vibrates with your soul more than others, that is attracted to you magically. This is definitely my San Francisco!

Every morning, it’s dark and foggy, just like my mood when I have to get up early. Its full of uphills and downhills, like the sinusoid of the life. It is surrounded by ocean, because I love the sound of the sea, the breathtaking nature, the vineyards, it is full of cozy cafes, galleries and bookstores and other odd things to exactly satisfy all aspects of my soul – the caffeiner, bohemian and the forest woman. When I walk down the streets of San Francisco, I still feel in the air a message of  Beatniks like Jack Kerouac or Allan Ginsberg, who once formed the Beat generation.

“Beatniks were famous for books, black turtlenecks, bongs, beret and dark sunglasses, celebrating a lifestyle that was dangerous fun…”

I have to admit that America has never fascinated me. I have found Americans as boring, stupid consumers. I have heard about the beautiful nature, but beautiful nature we have in Europe as well, plus a rich history. But after visiting San Francisco, everything has changed. San Francisco is different. This city is probably not America at all!

California is cold!

Immediately after my arrival, I was shocked. We are in California in the middle of summer, and I’m feeling cold! The first prejudice immediately flies into a trash bin. There is drought in California (no rainfall for several months), but definitely not hot, especially not in San Francisco! Mark Twain also said the coldest summer he’d ever experienced was right in San Francisco. Most of the day it’s foggy and really windy. Only when the sun appears on the sky, you can put off your coat and scarf.

We start the day with a typical American breakfast – some eggs, bacon, toast with jam, pancakes with maple syrup and a cup of hot cocoa. Because we have just done 16 hour long flight, next steps go to our beds. But in the afternoon I meet with two of my colleagues in the hotel lobby. The goal of today is set – the famous Golden Gate Bridge. All of us very well-groomed: myself, Philippine Phoebe and Japanese Natsumi – all dressed in summer bohemian outfits, all apparently in San Francisco for the first time. Some of the crew advised us that we don’t have to spend money on taxi, so we leave the hotel with the map and notes. The “Bell Guy” is an old gentleman as a hotel himself and he can patiently respond to all our questions.

We wait at the bus stop for a few minutes, then we catch the line number 38. The ticket costs us 2 and a quarter of a dollar and is valid for less than three hours, depends on the driver. Coins to coins, banknotes to the special box and the driver will give you a time-limited ticket. It’s good to have a change in your pocket, because the machine doesn’t give you change. The bus is old, makes creepy sounds, sitting are on the sides. In addition, it is packed with strange people – Hispanics, Chinese, Asian… Under the windows are hanging some cables, which when you pull, the driver gets a signal that you want to stop and get off. During our journey, the bus stops constantly, and so it takes ages. We seem to have missed our stop, and so in panic we are jumping out of the bus and looking for the right direction. A barista in a café on the corner guides us speaking Japanese like Natsumi. Outside is such a cold wind that we want to cry! As soon as we get off on the stop to the Golden Gate Bridge, we go to warm up in a coffeeshop with a cup of hot chocolate. Then we’re ready for a series of mandatory photos with the famous bridge in the background. However, the half of the bridge can not be seen at all! It’s covered by fog. Who wants a picture like from well-known posters, has to buy a postcard in a souvenir shop. 🙂

Next stop is the Museum of Fine Arts. A beautiful replica of a historic building that originally stays somewhere in Greece. The weather suddenly clears up, suddenly no fog, just the blue sky and the warm sun. There are swans on the lake, the youth is sitting on the grass, the wedding photo shooting is going on. After little warm up in the sun we’re ready to look for a bus stop from where we can get to Fisherman Wharf. The famous harbor, where the seafood used to be so popular. Even today, the seashore is full of restaurants offering the fresh seafood, but not from local waters, nowadays all the seafood there comes from Alaska. Somehow, we can not find our bus stop, so we ask for help one lady walking her dogs in her flip-flops. She offers to drive us there. “You know what? It’s just 10 minutes from here, I’ll give you a lift!“ “Don’t worry, I don’t want to kidnap you, I have kids in the car!” she laughs when she sees our shocked expressions. We didn’t expect such a hospitality! The lady is very friendly, open and very talkative. In a few minutes in car, we find out how much cost the apartments in the city, where they have the best ice cream, and that our Natsumi can find a Japanese husband in San Francisco very easily. Apparently it is very multicultural city. Our companion has father from Egypt, mother from Sweden, British husband living in Libya and a Japanese brother-in-law. After a short sightseeing, the family drop us in front of the Scoma restaurant – the best in the city in terms of price and quality. First of all, we walk around the place and look at souvenirs until our stomachs can’t wait anymore. The Scoma Restaurant, though looks very ordinary from outside, but very cozy inside. After 10 minutes of waiting, the waiter finds a table for us. The interior is furnished in retro style, as if nothing has changed since 60s. Everywhere on the walls are hanging photographs of its famous visitors. I also have found Sinatra! Natsumi orders a crab, myself and Pheobe go for seafood pasta. All really tastes great!

After dinner, we plan a trip back to our hotel with a typical old tram, but outside is so cold again and the lines for drive are endless, so we give up and take a taxi. After a successful day I easily pass out. It has been an amazing day. It took just a few hours for me to definitely fall in love with San Francisco…

Napa Valley

Next day early morning – myself, Phoebe, our captain and our Food & Beverage manager are taking a tour to the Napa Valley wine region. I admit that I did not want to go at first place, but I’m glad I have changed my mind, even thought it costs 90 $. Who knows when will I fly again with such a great crew willing to go for such a trip? Experiences are far more valuable than saved money. And the price of the trip includes excellent California wine tasting! In less than an hour bus takes us to completely different world than San Francisco. The weather is beautiful, sunny and so hot! This is California as I always pictured! As soon as we get out in Napa, I’m excited! I feel like in Tuscany! All day we just taste wine and walk through the beautiful vineyards. For lunch we choose the restaurant with the sunny terrace and enjoy typical American burgers. I suddenly want to find a husband with such a vineyard in Napa Valley to start every day with a glass of wine. From Napa, we get back to the city at about six o’clock. My tired and tipsy colleagues got directly to the hotel, I still have some energy to walk through the sloping alleys. I’m looking for the right view of the famous Alcatraz prison. After a short walk I can feel my butt muscles. San Francisco’s streets seem to be more effective than an hour in gym! When I’m thinking of a day later in bed, I’m putting San Francisco on the list of the most beautiful places in the world…