Tim, a friend from UPS, recently accepted a job offering from a financial firm in the Bay Area?so he?s been hanging around in limbo between his new job and looking for an apartment in the pricy Marin rental market. Anyway, I showed him around San Francisco a bit on Friday and Sunday. I don?t know what it is but San Francisco (at least from a native?s eye) doesn?t seem to be worth all the hype.
Went to the Union St. Fair on Sunday and that was okay. It was a sunny day and I think I even got a little sunburn on my forehead. There were arts and crafts, a children?s play area, rip off food concession stands ($5 for one of those lemonade slushies?of course I purchased one!), several beer gardens, and more non-San Franciscans than you can imagine.
On top of that, we continued to take what seemed to be a 12 mile walking tour of San Francisco?s tourist district. Through the Marina to Ghirardelli Square, onto Pier 39 to Coit Tower and the North Beach area, and back to Union Street. I haven?t been up to Coit Tower in a while, and apparently they don?t let you walk up the stairs anymore?instead you have to use the elevator. I of course didn?t go to the top because paying $3.50 for an elevator ride that my tax dollars probably paid for to begin with just didn?t seem right. Actually the view from the base of Coit Tower was gorgeous (doesn?t happen often with the S.F. Fog) with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Russian Hill District.
Looks like Nick?s sail boat is available on Saturday, so hopefully I?ll be able to go sailing over the weekend before I head back to Tacoma.
In other travel news, I think I?m ironing out travel plans for my 1+ years of slackerdom (the term I?m using to describe NOT getting a traditional job). My friend Rich, who also has a Ph.D in slackerdom says he?ll travel with me (Yes, a travel buddy!) although I was also trying to convince my sister (but that?s a tougher battle). Tim Laffel’s Cheapest Destinations Blog has helpful information about making the most of your traveling dollar (I subscribe to his RSS feed J). He has a good understanding of currency and cost of living as it relates to a traveling American. Based on Laffel?s recommendations and places I want to visit at my current stage of life, it looks like a multi-month long backpacking tour of Asia seems to be in place (anyone else wanna go?).