LAST DAY IN SAN FRANCISCO

Well, the day started off sunny, then it became overcast as the day went on, and by the time we got to the Golden Gate Bridge, it was so foggy you couldn't see the top of the bridge! Still, it was thrilling to see it in person. I was also dressed in a tank top and workout capris, so I was not prepared for the weather change and ended up wearing my grandmother's coat, since she had on 3 other layers anyway.

But first things first...We woke up today and had to get our showers in as soon as possible because we had to be packed and checked out of the hotel by 9am. To make it easier, I already had most of my things packed and ready to go the night before. We had breakfast at Mel's Drive-In Diner before heading over to Coit Tower. To be able to take the elevator up the tower, it's $6 for San Franciscan residents and $8 for non-residents. We had to wait in a line for 20 minutes until we finally got in the elevator to go up to the top of the tower, and all the while I was wondering if it was really worth the money and the wait. But once we got to the top and saw the view, my question had been answered. Yes. The view was stunning and you could see much of San Francisco from there!

After having a birds-eye view of the city, we drove to Lombard Street, a.k.a. the "crookedest street in the world". It was definitely a windy road and was never a moment where there were no cars on the street. It's quite the tourist attraction, and I sort of feel bad for the families that actually live on that street. It must be hard to get to and from your own home.

By 2pm, the sun was covered by the clouds, and by the time we had reached the Golden Gate Bridge, the fog had set. Once my step-grandparents and I arrived at the Bridge Pavilion to park the car, we waited for my brother, sister, father, and step-mom to arrive. My other sister Kuyuki didn't come on the trip because she got pneumonia a couple days before and the doctor's told her she needed to stay home. So that was disappointing, but I was so happy to see everyone else! I get homesick really easily, so I had missed them a lot, even though we had only been away from each other 3 or 4 days. We all walked on the bridge, took pictures, and enjoyed the view (of what we could see anyway). While on the bridge we came across a speedometer and we wondered if it would read how fast we could run. So we played with the speedometer for a while, taking turns running past it, and got stares from the people driving by probably thinking we're crazy. Apparently I can run my fastest at 14 mph. Is that considered fast for running or not? I don't know. It took us about an hour and a half to walk to whole bridge, considering we stopped frequently for pictures and to take in our foggy view.

PIER 39

This morning I woke up freezing! It was cold all night, plus the fan was on (I can't sleep without it), so the first thing I did at 5am was sit in front of the heater. I don't know what it is about the heater in our room, but I love it! I like to sit in front of it even when I'm not cold. I don't know if it's the way the heat comes out or what. Is that weird? Probably.

But today was sunny and warm, and I was especially excited because we went to Pier 39! I loved it! The view, the shops, the location, everything! Once we got there, my step-grandparents and I headed straight over to the Aquarium of the Bay at the edge of the pier. I personally wouldn't go again just because there isn't a whole lot to see, but it's fun if you've never been before. There was a lot of starfish, jelly fish, sting rays you could touch, and cute little otters. I was hoping to see some seals sunbathing on the pier like I've seen in pictures, but they were not out today. Maybe we'll catch them later!

After the aquarium, we walked around the shops. We went inside one shop called Lefty's Left Handed Store where there are special pencils, scissors, kitchen utensils, and more specifically for those who are left-handed. And apparently in order to work there you also have to be left-handed. I cannot write with my left hand for the life of me. After looking through shops and at Alcatraz from afar, I took great pleasure in watching crêpes being made through the window of Crêpe Café.

GOLDEN GATE PARK

It felt so weird, yet refreshing somehow, waking up in a different bed. I woke up startled at first, not remembering that I was in Chinatown, but then once I realized, I was ready to take on the day and see what San Francisco had to offer. I felt so small in this big city. The buildings are so tall and there are so many people. I had a little bit of anxiety though. The traffic is so congested, everyone's honking their horns, every time we needed to turn left we couldn't, every time we needed to turn right we couldn't, and we were just going around in circles. 

After escaping the city traffic, my step-grandparents and I gave Golden Gate Park a visit. I was so glad that hardly anyone was there. I felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. It was such a quiet and serene place away from the busy city life. We walked around the Dahlia Garden and through the Conservatory of Flowers, taking pictures and breathing in the scent of freshly bloomed flowers. While I am not a fan of flowers, I do believe they are photogenic. So you can expect plenty of pictures of flowers below! 

The Hagiwara Tea Garden was just down the street, so I of course wanted to walk around there. With only a short amount of time in San Francisco, I want to see all that I can see. The little bonsai trees along the sidewalk were so adorable. We walked through a shrine-looking entrance and was in awe of all the trees and shrubs. I wanted to look around more but it was $8, so we decided to save our money for something bigger we might want to do later. It is now on my bucket list for the next time I visit San Fran!

CHINATOWN | SAN FRANCISCO

Today, my step-grandparents and I set off on a roadtrip to San Francisco. I have never been there before so it was quite exciting. The purpose of this trip was to have a family reunion with my step-mother's side of the family. The reunion is not in San Francisco, it's in Gold Beach, Oregon, but we figured since it's on our way there, why not spend a couple days in the 'City by the Bay'! 

After about eight hours of driving, talking, taking pictures, and listening to music, we were finally in San Francisco! We stayed in the Royal Pacific Motor Inn in Chinatown. It isn't the grandest place but it provided us with everything we needed plus more (what beats free parking, free internet and wifi access, and in-room tea?). It's also located in the middle of Chinatown and the beds were so comfortable. And really, that's all that matters. I feel when you're planning a trip primarily on sightseeing, you really don't need a fancy hotel with all the happenings. You won't be spending your time there anyway. In our case, the hotel was just a place to sleep, keep all our things, and get ready in the mornings. It saves money this way also.

Once settled in our hotel, my grandparents and I walked around to see what Chinatown has to offer. Being surrounded by peaked roofs, red lanterns, and dragon statues definitely felt like we were in China. For dinner, we ate at a Chinese restaurant around the corner from our hotel called Chinatown Restaurant located on 744 Washington Street.