Péter Kadlót

Péter Kadlót

fellow of Bridge Budapest, Ustream, San Francisco, 2013

So there was a picture in our hotel room

So there was a picture in our hotel room.

They changed it and now…

Hmm, okay I think I will tell you a different story. Let’s leave the problems at home!

How about a fast tour around the place because that’s what we did last week also.

We live in the financial district, just two blocks away from chinatown surrounded by Market street (San Francisco’s main street), the italian district and the piers, right in the shadow of Transamerica Pyramid. Total emptiness on the weekends and a huge drove through the weekdays.

Firestairs, delicious food, bazaars and steep hills are coming to our way in chinatown. Turning right the neon lighted bars of Broadway street and the nice taverns of little italy are just opening their sleepy, sunny bottles of wines. Then turning left and we find ourself on the everchanging Market street that shows us a new side and new kinds of people on every corner. Thankfully Halloween is coming and we can safely assume (for our inner peace) that what we see is only because of that and there is no way people are wearing costumes of bears, carrots, super heroes (sometimes all at once) or of the more common crazy crackhead bum look. And they only appear with leashes and insufficient leather pants just because of a funny street fair.

If we are a bit more adventurous than usual and we happen to have some change (chocolate at Halloween) than we can listen to the newest jokes and doomsday stories. But you should never totally shut out others or you will be stumbling over the precisely placed (in the middle of the street) bedrooms of people every minute.

Depending on our destination we could use one of the many great transportation services of the city. We can use rollers to dare the curly roads of Lombard street, take a bus buried in mobile screens, choose BART (aka metro), trams, the famous cable cars or even Zipcars, not to mention the many taxi apps.

For a great overview of the city you could choose a 10 minute walk on the stairs till the “more than 60 years” old Coit Tower or go a bit further to the top of Twin Peaks.

I should also mention the sunrise-sunset attraction. 15 celsius at the ocean with some seals.

And of course, last but not least, there are some really famous bridges that as an experienced tourist you should definitely put on every picture you take, just to make sure they look good. Bonus points if you catch them without the fog.

Long live tourism! 150 points!