Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Visiting San Francisco
When visiting New York for a conference last month, I was lucky to get upgraded to business class both ways. Considering the nightmare it is to fly from Tokyo to New York, an upgrade can prove the difference between heaven and hell. When flying to San Francisco two days ago, I unfortunately did not have any luck getting upgraded, but it is hard to be lucky every time.
Leaving Tokyo at 4 PM and arriving in San Francisco at 9 AM, the only goal for the day is to stay awake until at least 9 PM. While not very easy, it is the best way to get over a jet lag. Luckily, San Francisco provides plenty of sightseeing opportunities for anyone trying to stay awake. After checking in at Le Meridien, we strolled over to Chinatown and quickly found a Vietnamese restaurant serving fantastic pho. There was hardly a Caucasian person in sight, and the restaurant was filled with Asian faces. If you want to feel like you're somewhere in Asia without actually having to fly the 15 hours to get there, Chinatown in SF is a good choice.
Afterward we walked down to the Ferry Building, which these days serves as the most popular market in town. It is a fantastic place to go shopping for organic products. With all the cheese, chocolate, and other temptations available, eating yourself to death seems like a tempting proposal. Oddly enough I bumped into Didi, a friend of mine from New York, whom I had not expected to meet in SF. This yet again proves that the world is a pretty small place.
Exploring the waterfront attractions in SF can keep you occupied for an entire day. We especially enjoyed watching the seals sunbathe at the Fisherman's Wharf.
Leaving Tokyo at 4 PM and arriving in San Francisco at 9 AM, the only goal for the day is to stay awake until at least 9 PM. While not very easy, it is the best way to get over a jet lag. Luckily, San Francisco provides plenty of sightseeing opportunities for anyone trying to stay awake. After checking in at Le Meridien, we strolled over to Chinatown and quickly found a Vietnamese restaurant serving fantastic pho. There was hardly a Caucasian person in sight, and the restaurant was filled with Asian faces. If you want to feel like you're somewhere in Asia without actually having to fly the 15 hours to get there, Chinatown in SF is a good choice.
Afterward we walked down to the Ferry Building, which these days serves as the most popular market in town. It is a fantastic place to go shopping for organic products. With all the cheese, chocolate, and other temptations available, eating yourself to death seems like a tempting proposal. Oddly enough I bumped into Didi, a friend of mine from New York, whom I had not expected to meet in SF. This yet again proves that the world is a pretty small place.
Exploring the waterfront attractions in SF can keep you occupied for an entire day. We especially enjoyed watching the seals sunbathe at the Fisherman's Wharf.
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