Tuesday Travels - Christine's Epic San Francisco Adventure!

More items done from my Bay Area Bucket List (BABL)! On July 3rd, I went up to San Francisco, which is where quite a few of the items on my list are held. It was a long day, an exhausting day, but also a very fun one.

After leaving too-early for a day where I'm not working (9AMish), my friend Estelle and I went up to Millbrae and got onto the BART, which took us into San Francisco downtown. After exploring a few stores and getting some coffee, we walked up (there was a lot of walking "up" this trip) to Chinatown and found the fortune cookie factory.

5. Go to Fortune Cookie Factory

It smelled DELICIOUS--like warm vanilla. There was a line outside, so we waited in the alleyway where the factory was, and just got to smell.

The Factory

It smelled so tasty outside!

When we went inside, you were immediately assaulted by fortune cookies for sale--you had to go in further to seem them actually be made. The machine was like a big circle with lots of mini-waffle irons, except they were more like pancake-irons. When it came out of the fire, the iron opened, and the worker had to quickly put the fortune in the cookie and fold the cookie before the cookie hardened.

Notice the little pancake irons, and balls of dough for the next round

There were some chocolate, and some vanilla (or original, I suppose). I preferred the vanilla.


A giant vanilla fortune cookie

33. Eat Chinese Food in Chinatown

By this point in time in our journey, Estelle and I were feeling rather puckish, so we went in search of food in Chinatown. One place was handing out coupons that gave you free potstickers and ice cream, so that was the place we went to. I had chow fun, which came out unusually hot for a Chinese food place, and was quite tasty.  I didn't take any photos of the food, so have another photo of Chinatown instead.

Mmm, noodles.

Anyway, it might not have been the best Chinese food I've ever had, but it was definitely tasty and worth doing.

3. See the really crazy part of Lombard Street

After lunch, we walked through North Beach (that neighbourhood, more than any other, reminds me of New York), and then up-up-up a hill to Lombard street. I've been on Lombard plenty of times before--it is a long street, and goes through most of the city--but the crazy part is really only a block or two long.

It was a steep hill. It was a really steep hill. But once you get to the top (which is filled with tourists), you do have a nice view of the crazy part, which really is quite pretty--it's like a park you drive your car through. I would hate living up there, but there was something nice to it.

I made it! Now I'm going CRAZY.

2. Hang up a sign saying "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish" on Pier 39 where the sea lions used to be

After that, we headed down to the waterfront, and came out by Ghirardelli Square. 

Hello, Ghirardelli!

We wandered around Fisherman's Wharf, seeing the little trinket stalls and stopping to buy some spray paint pictures, which I've always wanted to do. But then we got to the wharf.

It was crowded with people, and empty of sea lions.

Operation sign began. I made the sign and stuck it to the wood, then sat back and watched people walk by and smile. I don't know how many people got the reference, but it was fun anyway.

The Sign

The sea lions! They are gone!!

By this time, Estelle and I were tired and sleepy, so we took a bus to BART and went home. A successful day, overall!