Friday, July 13, 2007

I Walk the Streets of San Francisco...

finally, I get to post this long-delayed entry. what with having the film developed here and then wonderfully scanned and cropped. ^^
I never expected to go to San Francisco as I originally intended to fly to Los Angeles from Manila. But since I'm a chance passenger and I chose the very convenient time of flying at the start of summer vacation, I got bumped off the flight to LA (twice). It turned out to be my best mistake so far. Hehehe. San Francisco was actually the better bet of chance passengers since it's not as overbooked as the LA flights. And so when all hopes of flying to LA became nil, I was off to the check-in counter for SFO and from there, I was off to San Francisco. Away from the blistering heat and on towards the biting cold. (It may be summer in the Philippines in April but spring has just started in the US.)

I have been to San Francisco many times before but this is the first time that I traveled by myself. And this in itself made it even more memorable. A few days after I arrived, my friend Myka graciously offered to come with me to the city as it was her day-off from work at the time. It's amazing to be in San Francisco once more as the last time I've been there was five years ago. Nothing much has changed from what I can remember; the city is much more laid-back and less polluted than LA. And furthermore, it's more fun to walk there. :-)

The Ferry Building at the Port of San Francisco. Myka and I rode the ferry from Vallejo, and this is where we docked. The fare was actually very outrageously pricey (11USD one way) and we staggered at the cost. But what the heck, this is my first time to ride a ferry there and I am a tourist, after all. The ride was worth it--calm, blue waters, nice scenery, and the prospect of seeing a whale as we passed the Golden Gate Bridge which we didn't see anyway. ^^ And don't you think the sky is perfect?


Waiting by the traffic light to cross Mission Street. The Hyatt is shown on the left side. Take a look at the clean, clean sidewalk too.

Emporio Armani on Grant Street. Grant Street is like the Fifth Avenue of NYC, with lots of designer stores such as Banana Republic, Versace and Juicy Couture.


Random building and streetcar. Obviously the sun hasn't reached this part yet so it's quite dark.


Gateway to Chinatown on Grant Street

Chinatown. Isn't this street so clean? I could walk barefoot here. This is just one of the many steep streets in San Francisco that gives instant exercise to people.


The TransAmerica Pyramid, which is probably the most recognizable structure in San Francisco because of its unique shape.

Another thing that I like about San Francisco is that there weren't that many people walking on the streets at that time, given that it was a Monday. It's almost like Ortigas Center. hehehe. Oh well. I may be back in Manila now, but San Francisco will always be close to my heart. Oh, not really, coz I already left my heart there. :-)

go, miss cheesy!

I just love San Francisco and I can't wait to go back there.

22 comments:

  1. Very nice photos. I'm hoping to visit the area next year if things go well. Most of my relatives are there. Kami na lang naiwan. So exciting to travel along minan ano?

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  2. thanks for the tout of san Fransisco, great shots!

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  3. Very nice photos; thanks for the tour. I've never been there before but I'd love to go there someday.

    Traveling solo --- it must have been fun, di ba?

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  4. nice photos. probably better kung kasama ka.. hehehe (nabasa ko yung hirit sa ibang blog)

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  5. oh well...hanggang Ortigas na lang ata ako hehehe

    Thanks for the pics Carlotta...at least ngayon "nakarating" na ako sa San Franscisco...naks! hehe Nwei those are really clean streets/sidewalks...but is that because it's early in the morning? or it's really maintained all throughout the day?

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  6. thanks for the walk through sanfo. i know, one of these days i will be there, too

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  7. ay ang ganda sa SF...kalinis...lalo un china town..chinatown sa ny parang ongpin, pati nga lasa ng siopao at mga noodles lasang parang sa manila e. saka ang dumi.hehehe.ongpin nga.hmm.unti lang shots ko nun andun ako..maybe next time na pasyal ako dun.

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  8. ferdz: agree ako jan. =)

    luke: thanks! =)

    kyels: it's a really beautiful place and yeah, saya mag travel solo. =)

    gharri: hmm, anong hirit sa ibang blog? ;)

    vernaloo: actually mga lunchtime na kami dumating dun. konti talaga tao at sobrang maintained talaga ang lugar. =)

    sexymom: you'll really leave your heart in san francisco. ^^ sanfo and nyc,,, i so love them. =)

    germs: honga, parang ongpin ang chinatown sa ny... di nga lang ako nakasample nung foodies dun. =)

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  9. Ansarap naman ng buhay ng iba diyan...:-)

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  10. Thank you for taking us along on your walk through these wonderful photographs, Carla. You really had a great summer, huh?

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  11. walking tour of SFO, eh?

    ganda nga ng blue sky that time...invite na ko tagal na ng friends ko dyan but i prefer Japan and europe ;)

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  12. A fine series of shots. I especially like the variety and excellent quality of the images. NIce work.

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  13. aryo: magbakasyon ka na rin kasi eh. =)

    señor enrique: thanks! yes i really had a good summer. very unusual too. =)

    tutubi: aside from NYC, sanfo is my first love. hehe. bata pako gustung-gusto ko na rin makapunta ng japan pero tatay ko di naman ako sinasama. =)

    don: many thanks! =)

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  14. I love San Fo too... their hilly streets, clean surroundings, lots of activities. I'd love to go back there. :) You've got great pictures Carlotta!

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  15. toe: yup, sanfo is definitely a place worth going back to. ^^ many thanks! (i didn't expect the pics would turn out that way considering i was using a jurassic camera hihihi) =)

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  16. Thanks for a tour of San Francisco. All I know of it I saw from pics and the movies and song ... so you left your heart there?

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  17. annamanila: hi! in a manner of speaking, yes, i left my heart there. it's hard not to! =)

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  18. sana isang araw makita ko rin ang san francisco ng personal, inggity ako sayo/.

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  19. I also prefer San Francisco to LA.

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  20. iskoo: hindi ka magsisisi pag nakaapak ka na sa san francisco. sobrang ganda talaga. ^^

    febeth: i so agree with you on that. and the atmosphere in sfo is so much clearer, not that much smog like in LA. thanks for dropping by! =)

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  21. did you left your heart in San Francisco? =)

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  22. ganda ng walka tour...pero mas ok pa din sa avenida at escolta.hehehe

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