Canadian Polemic

I just had the privilege of spending a week in beautiful San Francisco, California, one of the best cities I've ever visited. I'm pretty picky when it comes to travel, so you can take my gushing here to mean something pretty significant. Sure, it took my over 27 hours to get there and 20 hours to get back, but it was certainly worth it. SF is, for the most part, supremely clean and very safe, and it feels very alive - the city pulses beneath your feet.

I stayed with a friend in the Presidio, a wonderful national park found west of downtown that spawns the Golden Gate Bridge. A group of about 6 of us (give or take, depending on schedules) walked all over the Bay Area for days on end, seeing as much as we possibly could. We walked across the bridge up into Marin County, a pretty easy trek that gave us glorious views of the SF downtown area - mind you, it's often foggy, so you have to be lucky to get a fog-free day. We also saw Fisherman's Wharf, that tremendous tourist-haven on the north shore of the city, chuckling to ourselves at the hordes of people interested in spending $4 on a Coke and $10 on a bowl of chowder - no thanks.

We went into the Mission, exploring its streets that felt so much more lived-in and gritty than other parts of the city. We dove into Chinatown, taking in the smells of the pork buns in the bakeries and searching desperately for a silk kimono bathrobe for a friend - which we didn't find. We wandered through the Castro, the city's gay pride district right before Halloween, taking in the multitude of costumes and personalities. We ventured down Haight Street, marvelling at the crazy shops and getting some great Thai food. We walked through the Financial District, feeling dwarfed by the office buildings and towers, laughing at the Pacific Stock Exchange that now appears to house an upscale fitness centre. We hit the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the De Young Museum, Alcatraz, the Aquarium, the American Conservatory Theatre, Union Square, the UN Plaza and more. My one note would be to avoid the Aquarium - certainly not worth the $14 you'll pay to get in.

It really is a city of contrasts - granted, all are, but it seemed that the disparities there were much more prevalent. From the stereotypical yet all-too-real wealthy Californian lifestyles of Chestnut Street to the sketchy area of the Mission. From the upscale and ritzy homes near the Marina to the children and young people asking for change in the Haight. Never before have I seen such huge disparities laid so close to one another.

That being said, the city is marvellous, and I'd encourage anyone to visit. The food is great, the people are reasonably friendly, the city is clean and safe, and it feels so alive. Hooray for having all of that plus palm trees and sunshine in the middle of October.