Visiting Uncle Sam - 3 -Exploring SFO

Remember I told you that I was invited to my ex-manager cum friend's home for Lunch during Vinayaka Chaturthi...? Yeah.. so now, since I knew how to use the Caltrain, I just took one to travel South of California to Sunnyvale. She picked up and drove me home, gave me a very sumptuous and very tasty lunch (pongal, kozhukattai etc etc..) and we started chatting about everything under the roof.. She is much elder to me.. but I feel so comfortable talking to her about everything..I always have been.... Time flew and by 6 pm I started back home via the Caltrain and took the wonderful 10 min walk back to the hotel from the Belmont Caltrain Station. It was so pleasant walking down the road with the chill wind up on your face and there is practically "no one" on the streets..except for a few cars going up and down.. .Can you imagine that.... Well trust me.. it was such a beautiful evening.



Then I was feeling a little adventurous.. so I thought what can I do for Sunday.. Should I waste my time @ hotel or shud I go somewhere..then I just went through transit.511.org website.. It listed some good options to go to SFO city, particulary the Golden Gate Bridge... and that too along with the map. Even though I wasnt sure if I would really do that... I just saved a few trips and thought of printing it out in the hotel business room. Then I just slept without even deciding on what I will be doing on Sunday.



On Sunday, somehow I got up by 7 am. It wasnt bright.. there was no sun...but something lifted up my mood and I decided to visit San Francisco especially the Golden Gate... So I had my breakfast, got up handbag ready and called the taxi by 9.15 am to drop me off @ Belmont Caltrain Station so that I can catch my 9.48 am train to SFO. And guess what.. the taxi never turned up... Is that a good sign or a bad one ? I really decided not to even think negative about it.. I just wanna go.. So took up the taxi booked by my hotel receptionist and got off in the station by around 10.30 am.. The next train came up by 11 am and off I went to San Francisco. Since I had the plan(s) of my trip printed out (in the mean time I waited for the taxi), I was somehow sure of where I am going. Got down after an hour long trip in SFO and followed the map and got in the 30 number Muni (SFO Municipal Transit) which was supposed to drop me off @ Chestnut and Laguna cross street. Hardly did I know that there would be a long 30 no. bus or a short 30 no. bus and they dropped off @ different locations :). Well I didnt know at that time, so I was enjoying my bus ride in and around SFO City.. Its the proper city.. not anything like Belmont.. Belmont is more a village... you have to book a taxi if you wanna go somewhere.. but here.. taxi's were waiting for you :). The bus went through the Financial streets, the high profile buildings, the China town (doesnt China Town look alike in all places.. I mean I have see China Town in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and they all look the same!! why is that ??? ) and then finally it dropped us off near a school (I dont remember its name now.) The driver informed us to take the short 30 number bus if I want to go to Golden Gate Bridge (here on referred to as GG Bridge). So I boarded the short 30 no. bus to GG Bridge after exactly 5 mins. Well this doesnt take you to GG Bridge directly.. it dropped me in Chestnut and Laguna Cross street and I took the 28 no. bus which drives through the Marina Blvd to GG Bridge parking lot.. How about that :).. Finally after 10 mins of drive.. I was there... in the GG Bridge parking lot.. Oh man.. it was so exciting.. Was I in my dreams.. !!! whatever... I am there and thats what it matters. And my camera started to overwork :) I went about 20-25 mins of walk in the bridge , took as many photos as I could, even asked an elderly couple to take my snap with the bridge as the background... and I was just enjoying the whole picture..

After almost 40 mins of roaming around.. watching the vehicle zoom to and fro the bridge, the Alcatraz Island faraway.. etc and then came to the Gift center .. did some window shopping and got down to the cafe to grab a bite...and sitting on the bench in that windy and cold weather, I was wondering what to do next. I had planned on going to Fisherman's Wharf, if I really did go to SFO...Now the dilemma was should I take the bus (for which I had the route map and the numbers) or should I just a taxi because you have so many taxis lined up for you to choose from there.. I just had my bite and large cup of coffee and thought about it for a while and then just took a taxi... it was already 1 pm.



Till now my fare was 8.25 $ in Caltrain for a day pass to and from SFO, 2$ + 2$ in the Muni bus and now the taxi to Fisherman's Wharf did cost me 17$ (the costliest on on the whole trip to SFO), but what big deal, as long as I am enjoying it :). So I reached Fisherman's Wharf by around 1.30 or 1.40 pm... Wow that was nothing like what I thought it would be.. First of all it was so cold and windy and chill.. I was freezing, literally. I just took my time to walk around the streets, checking out the shops, seeing some of the live shows happening there.. going through the gardens.. watching kids play and went to enjoy the waters.. I could see the Alcatraz island much nearer now. Saw lot of boat cruises and thought.. should I try that too ? But my hungry stomach wanted something for it first.. So went into the Pier 39.. roamed about everywhere inside it and tried finding a better restaurant which was less crowded.. and got into Boudin and had a cheese Pizza :) and then suddenly it dawned on me that I shud go for a ride.. It was already 3.30 pm.. So checked out the Blue and Gold Fleet which was available there and saw that there was a Rocket Bay Cruise for 30 mins for 20 $, but then I saw a 5$ off coupon in the free flier I had taken in the Caltrain station and 3.30 pm was the time already for the cruise and somehow I wanted to do something more... So checked out the next one... It was the SFO Bay Adventure Cruise for 1 hr and would take us down the GG Bride, comes round all the way showing the Angel Island and the Alcatraz (where you get very nearby to it). I wanted this. It was scheduled for 4 pm. So took it and waited in line and when I got in the boat and I was again excited and satisfied that I chose it. It was an amazing cruise and my camera saved me even though it had very less battery.. I love you camera... you stood by me @ the most important time (when the boat was cruising below the GG Bridge).. It was awesome.. We could see so many surfers and one particular fellow was very good even though he was showing off a lot for the photographers around :). The wind was freezing me already...and I was on the top floor of the deck...They went around came near the Alcatraz and explained about it in detail.

In the distance I could see the Bay Bridge just opposite to the GG Bridge. And after an hour, reached Pier 39.... Well it was hell of a trip :) It was 5 pm and I shud catch the Muni Train asap to get my 6.15 pm Caltrain to Belmont. Now to catch the bus I need to walk a little.. and guess what , I held up the map wrongly and walked the other way :) and when I came to the street, I found that I had to retreat and then take the other side.. But luckily, by the time I came to the bus station, there was a fully loaded bus which was about to take off.. I just signalled the driver who did stop and voila I was in the bus to the station :) I reached the station by 6 and the train started back to Belmont exactly by 6.15 and around 7.20 I was in Belmont. Walked again back to hotel with the chilld wind blowing up my face and my hands and feet were already half frozen. But all in all I was very satisfied that I did what I wanted to do.. Explore the place on my own.



I always wanted to do that but somehow never got the guts.. Now here in SFO, where I dont have friends around, I guess it kind of pushed me to do it. I am really glad I did it.. Not only it gave me enough confidence on my own, I could also do it in a very small budget trip :) Well, now that I have done this, I would really love to do it again.. Why not ? I enjoyed myself there.. You never know unless you tried. right ? I tried and now I know :)

I love it :D



Hope to do more exploring and hope you enjoying my trip as much I had (being there and writing it too :) )

Ciao till then...

Visiting Uncle Sam - 2

Ok, continuing where I left off..
If you dont drive or you dont have friends or friends of friends or any acquaintance, whom you wouldnt bother asking for a ride or a favor, or you do mind spending the money for cab and reimburse it from the office.. dont come here for longer period of time.. you might be intimidated. And even if you know how to drive, you might have to unlearn and learn it again a few times out here.. yes! Left hand driving..

The day after I arrived and crashed in my suite, I got up around 7 or 8 am and since it was a Sunday, thought of getting some groceries. Checked out with the Receptionist on the nearby place called Safeway and RadioShack for my adapters (Indian to US) to my laptop. Ok, now I need a taxi or a cab to go to that place right? So I walk to the main road (the hotel is little inside from the main road) and to my horror I dont see anything like a taxi anywhere..and it was hot and sunny..(and I was wearing my jacket!! assuming it would become colder) Gosh.. I was like "Where Am I ?" Luckily on my way back to the hotel, I saw two of my colleagues who drove me to Safeway and helped me buy a phone connection (along with a phone... you see those snazzy flip ones they show in the movie ;) ..adhedhaan) and then booked a taxi for me who arrived exactly the time I got my phone connection activated and was put on waiting charge till I got my stuff from Safeway and Radioshack.. My colleagues left by then and by the time I did my shopping and got back to the cab, it showed me 40$ .. OMG... I literally had an heart attack.. I was thinking "ayyo!! approx 40*50=2000 Rs.. enna kodumai sir idhu.." and by the time I got back to my suite, it was like 55$.. I was drowning in guilt by then.. what is this ...I am spending on cab so much..!!! and after that I practically did nothing... Called up my manager and informed that I had arrived and checked out the adaptors, got my laptop to life again and talked to my folks @ night thru GTalk, had taken some snaps , which I uploaded..and guess what , by the time I did that, my SD Card's lock broke and I was unable to take any more snaps.. I was like "Super!!! nalla time work out aagudhu". Then asked my bro to book one online and next day was Labor day and was my relaxing day.. I watched a couple of movies, ordered pizza and relaxed..

Hillsdale Shopping Center

The next day was my first day in my Company HQ. It was a 6-7 min walk from my suite. I am ready to live here for this lovely walk to the office :). There is a pool in the entrance of the Hotel and  then on the way to the office there is a small stream like thing.. I dont know what its called.. We need to cross the bridge to go to the office.. Its really a very scenic view and a breezy early walk. I started walking to and fro from office. I really enjoy those moments. 'This' we dont get it in Blr. :) I have to admit it. God! I love being in nature. And in office, its the usual. You get introduced to those people whom you have known by name. And then your usual work starts. For vegetarians, food is a little bit of an issue unless you cook for yourself or you are ok with trying out what is available for vegetarians (like mexican, chinese...etc) You cannot get indian food everywhere..But you have stores around which sells those readymade stuff. So you can survive...just that you cannot have it always your way :)

Hillsdale Caltrain Station

After 3-4 days of usual work, today my ex-manager cum friend offered me to drive me to Hillsdale Boulevard on her way home ( I wanted to buy a few stuff in a clothing store.. so she said, this was the place to explore..) So there was my first solo exploration :). I was little apprehensive..but thought of trying it out .. just to see how it was.. I had the cab number anyways.. just in case I wanted a ride back home. I spent around a hour and a half in the mall (got a few clothes, had a salad) just window shopping, saw some of those 'yo yo man!' kinda guys around and then came to Hillsdale Caltrain station to take a train back to Belmont :). I had googled it a bit (she had told me about it already) and so walked back to the station, bought the tickets and waited for the train.. Its like the metro kind of train you see in Chennai, except that its high class here :) You have a single seater at the first floor and then comfortable A/c seats. I got in and in a few mins I was back @ Belmont Caltrain Station. Well that wasnt bad, I thought.... Got some ready to make dinner items and since it was hot today, booked a cab back to hotel and walked around for almost an hour taking snaps of the picturesque locale.

A few things which I encountered today while doing my shopping my Ralston Plaza's Namaste Plaza...
a. Saw lot of Indians around that place (ok.. I know that this place Namaste Plaza is a India Supermarket.. but thats not what I am telling you about) but anni telugu vade. ekkaDikakkaDa chooste telugu ne. Otherwise Punjabi's. These were the commonly seen people around here.
b. The cab person was a Punjabi. As soon as the cab arrived, I was entering and he casually started talking in Hindi...And then he was asking me how long have I been here etc etc and started complaining.. "bees saal pehle aayethe yahaan pe.. tab sab kuch acha lag raha tha.. abhi tho mehengaayi itni badgayi hai.. rehene paarahein hain... kya karen..". I was like.." Boss.. everywhere its the same.. If it works to our benefit sab kuch acha lage gaa.."

And tomorrow being Vinayaka Chathurthi, she has invited me home for lunch :) Wow ! the place is slowly growing on me. Tomorrow its going to be a new place that I am going to go.. The Belmont Village Center is the place where these RadioShack, Namaste Plaza, Walgreens, Safeway are all located. And then El Camino Real (what is Unreal then? I wonder!) route where Hillsdale Shopping Center is there. Tomorrow its going to be Sunnywale :)

Hope you enjoy reading my journey :)