Around the World in San Francisco

“I live on planet earth and I travel to discover the reaches of it…

Who knew I could reach 3 different continents over ONLY 3 days in San Francisco?

By bus, trolley, F-train, BART and taxi I was whisked from one district to another, however with eyes closed I could have sworn I magically sailed the Pacific and soared over Africa to reach each new destination! Was it all in my head?

1st Stop: China

“Move back! Move to the back! EVERYONE, MOVE BACK!”

Back Ally Fortune Cookies

Crushed in the middle of an overly crowded #30 bus through the main streets in Chinatown I heard this yelled over and over by the bus driver and other passengers. I have never experienced so many people glommed together everywhere around me…and this was just the bus!

Feeling relief when I could yell to get off at Stockton and California St….I smooshed my way through the bodies of the young and the old and descended the steps to another world…Being from Vancouver, Canada I thought I had experienced “Chinatown”. I now realize that my experience has been a very westernized version of the real thing.

Walking…no….ambling…strolling…definitely not…I am struggling with the right word for how I made my way down Stockton Street…hmmm I guess I pushed and propelled myself, it was a mixture of ducking out of the way and squeezing through small cracks of people, all of whom may I mention were Asian. Other than my two friends I only saw 5 other non-Asian individuals during my journey, yes I counted I couldn’t help it!

Women with small children clinging to them pressing through crowds to gather mangoes and vegetables; old men hunched over street stalls with things beyond my comprehension; gatherings of people on milk crates and ally floors playing cards…Golden ducks hanging by their tied feet in every few shop windows; severed fish heads on tables spilling into the street; jars with unknown parts floating around…

My favorite moment in China: 

Entering one of the many unmarked alley ways to stumble upon a secluded, hole in the wall restaurant…taking the plunge and feasting on the best dim sum I have ever tasted! Did I know what any of it was, no… Did I want to know what most of it was, nope!

While I’m on the subject of food….let me tell you about my experience in the next San Francisco region I found myself: gelato, pasta, pizzerias…these were my first sights as I arrived at my next destination, this time a country in Europe!

2nd Stop: Italy

We arrived to Little Italy in a leisurely fashion. We took the trolley part way, then wandered through meandering streets with beautiful homes until popping out to be greeted by women sipping espresso and scooters whizzing by on narrow streets lined with sidewalk cafes.

We were lured into one of the many cafes by an overly stereotypical Italian…Lorenzo! “Ladies, you are beautiful!” He called to us in his gorgeous accent…how could we resist?

Our New Italian Friends

Piccalo Teatro only got better from there…our Italian server, Marco, who had arrived in San Francisco only 3 weeks prior, asked us what we liked and ordered an assortment of items, complete with all of his favorites. Before he could return Marlo the bartender was there with a round of drinks, “Ladies my favorite Italian cocktail, you try!”…Feeling very satisfied, almost like I was going to need to be rolled out of there…my eyes got large as Marco arrived with Tiramisu…”Bella’s on the house, enjoy!” Wow did we enjoy…it was 5 minutes (didn’t last long) of pure ecstasy…”love in my mouth” as my friend Davia would say!

We were welcomed into the Piccalo Teatro family and shut down the restaurant with our new Italian friends, Lorenzo, Marlo and Marco. Dancing and drinking, just generally loving the Italian life.

My favorite moment in Italy:

Finding out over the evening that everyone in the restaurant was from the same small village in Italy…Lorenzo came to San Francisco and opened Piccalo Teatro and has been convincing his friends and family to come over ever since! It felt like we were part of their family, welcome to enjoy life with them anytime, anywhere. I think if we asked they would have given us their Grandmothers address in Italy!

That open, genuine, free-loving, family first type of culture is something I love and think is really lacking in North America…although South of Border is a whole nother story, which brings me to the next stop on my San Francisco World Tour…

3rd Stop: Latin America

Luckily, we hit San Francisco’s Mission District on the most eclectic weekend of the year…Carnival! Carnival is a legendary Brazilian festival which I am sure all of you are familiar with…San Francisco has embraced this culture and turned their carnival into a weekend to celebrate all things and regions Latin American.

We arrived via F-train at 9:30am extremely excited for the largest parade of the weekend. The streets were all blocked off and filled with women, men, children and animals…everyone trying to get the best position to view the festivities that were about descend upon Mission Ave.

Soon after, as if painted with large brush strokes and spray-paint cans the streets were magically filled with a myriad of bright colors, feathered head dresses, and performers of all types. Not knowing where to look, constantly darting my eyes so as not to miss anything I tried to take in the vision I was now enveloped in…again felt transported to another time, another place…magically forgetting I was actually on the West Coast of North America.

My favorite moment in Latin America:

The authentic Carnival costumes…masks and headdresses…everyone of all ages colorful and feathered and fit for the party of a life time!

Golden Gate Bridge

“I live on planet earth and I travel to discover the reaches of it…

Does anyone else feel drawn and invested in this statement?

If so…I would suggest purchasing a $200 ticket to San Francisco…you will walk away feeling rich with worldly experience and your mind will be reeling with wonder….Was I really just in San Francisco this whole time?