It's my third day here in San Francisco, and everything's been new, varied and interesting. Plus I had great conversations with fantastic new friends and people.
My flight here was really memorable, and gave a great start to the trip. On my first connecting flight to Hongkong, I sat with a solemn, black-suited guy, more interested in his financial newspaper than me.. but on the longer flight to SF, i was with Danny, a bohemian guy - somehow his clothes, demeanor all seemed to scream "I'm an ARTIST!!" - and he was complete madness. I chatted with him, and he asked me what my job was. To my own surprise, i just said the first thing that came to my mind, "I'm an aspiring writer." I guess when people meet a writer, they feel a natural need to share their most exciting life story (and whose life story isn't exciting to themselves?). So he did.
And it was absolutely fun, crazy, and beautiful to listen to him. I jotted some notes down - hope to organize it later as a story! Didn't get his contacts, and Danny left off saying, "You'll find me in a corner of the world. Somewhere."
Well, I finally touched down in SF. It's cold, windy, and there just aren't people on the streets - everyone's galloping around in big cars and SUVs, and the BART, their equivalent of MRT, is literally desolate. GS and his friend and colleague Toby drove to fetch me to their place. And what a grand estate in the suburbs it was!
It's a beautiful place with scenic views, snuck between low, rolling hills that went on and on. I got to know and talk to the boss of the trading firm, Gary, who rented the house, and their other colleagues Elijah and Matt. They're all Americans, except for Matt, who's Korean.
GS' company is really special. It's a small team, they live and work in the same place, and their hours range from 6am to 1pm. Once the trading floor closes, they too stop their work and have the rest of the day to themselves! Plus the company culture is really amazing, it's a very cozy environment with no pressure at all (except on your part to earn on your trades). Gary brings the team out for lunch everyday and they're genuinely interested in talking and getting to know each other. It may be the people factor - i easily spent an hour (during their work hours, oops) chatting with Gary and Eli, about their travels, their missionary work, families. I really enjoy and appreciate staying here with them.
In the morning, i'd watch Warren Buffett on CNBC giving common sense comments, then look at the guys trading and see as their lots get gobbled up by other traders. Pretty interesting stuff. I'd then wait for the drizzle to stop, and wander off to the Sycamore Valley Nature Preserve, a vast expanse of grassy, green lowlands littered with great, withering oaks (it's the winter now). I lumbered up muddy paths ringing the rolling hills, and saw hares flit swiftly across the fields, and birds chirping among the oaks. I chased after grazing cows who stared curiously at me, till my wits gave way and i backed off. It feels as though Nature never gave up on America - humans may colonize the lands, but they will never tame the wilds. Looking to meet the roving deer, turkeys and the lone coyote on the other side of the hills tomorrow!
Descending from the hike, i'd pass by Tasajara Nursery, a largish farm for shrubs, trees and flowering varieties. It's a very pretty place with many interesting things to learn about, looking at the various species and types of plants. I talked to K, an old man who immigrated from Japan, studied business here and then pioneered the Nursery business now spanning the state. He lightly exhorted about the work ethics of the pioneers of his generation - working 15 hours a day, 365 days a year. It was insightful to hear his experience in the shrubbery business. Masako, his wife, was really friendly and endearing too. I somehow poured out my concerns to her about what i wanted to do in life, while she shared some valuable advice.
It feels refreshing to be out here, having great conversations with people who care, with bosses who are never too busy to talk. I guess that is one major appeal of the US and western cultures... the slower pace of life, the openness of the people.
Another day, we rode the BART downtown, then took a cable car ride through Chinatown to Fisherman's Wharf. Very lovely place, touristy and still beautiful, with all sorts of quirky shops and stalls amidst the docks loaded with ships and cruisers. Seagulls glide above your heads unabashedly, as you peek into the distance where the infamous Alcatraz Island - The Rock - loomed ominously in the gloomy horizons.
At the end of Pier 39, we browsed through shops selling breads, bath salts, candies, chocolates, Celtic stuff - all popping up randomly from nowhere! Turn the corner, and we find ourselves face to face with a throng of sea lions, basking lazily atop wooden platforms that floated inside the pier. They howled and yelped, posing for photos and begging for a fishy meal.
Further down the wharf, we entered the Musee Mecanique - an antique museum featuring some of the oldest arcade machines in the US. Fun, interesting, and somewhat hilarious... entertainment must be really scarce back then!
Dinner, atScoma's: a seafood restaurant mysteriously tucked behind dark alleys.
CIOPPINO ALLA PESCATOREA San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Original. Prawns, Shrimp, Clams, Sea Scallops,
Fresh Fish, and a 1/2 Dungeness Crab cracked in the Shell in a rich tomato broth.
Fantabulously fresh, absolutely flavorful, a bowl of seafood goodness all crunched up and served in a tender, juicy mix. Definitely a must-try!
Everyday serves up a new menu of fun, excitement and the unknown :)
