I ♥ San Francisco

I mentioned in my last blog entry that I was going on a three-week trip to the United States. The three weeks have passed and I’m now back in the Philippines.

The last three weeks have been amazing. The last time I was in the U.S. was when I was 11. You don’t fully appreciate experiences when you’re that young. I remember I was just so homesick to really explore anything and you can’t really explore without an adult when you’re 11 so the experiences are limited.

This time, I went with my family and at 31, I can say I am able to appreciate new experiences more.

Our vacation started in San Francisco where we stayed for three days. It’s a pity we only were able to stay for such a short time because it was my favorite place. The weather was just so ideal, having come from a place with an average temperature 30 degrees celsius on hot summer days (which for the Philippines comes in March and ends in May). We stepped out of the San Francisco International Airport and a gust of cold wind (16 degrees celsius!) greeted us.

Gabbi and I enjoying the cold!

Outside SFO

We stayed at Residence Inn, a Marriott airport hotel, which is located by the bay, and is really beautiful especially during the daytime. Ours was a two-bedroom suite with a fully-equipped kitchen. The bed was too soft for me but the yummy sausage they served at breakfast made up for the discomfort. Here are some pictures at the hotel:

Mom, Gabbi, and Amico

Loving the weather

Crossing the bridge when we got there

The kiddos enjoying the view

We arrived around 10:00 P.M. so we went straight to the hotel that night. The next day, after the above photo opportunities at the hotel, we headed to downtown San Francisco to visit the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Outside SF MOMA

Cool device where you type in a numeric code of an artwork and
it plays an audio explanation about the artist or the work, sometimes
even showing a video (like how Andy Warhol did his huge works)

A Frank Stella

Gabbi at the top floor bridge

Lesende Reader by Gerhard Richter

Red Liz by Andy Warhol

Femme au chapeau (Woman with a Hat) by Henri Matisse

After the trip to the museum, we headed to the famous Fisherman’s Wharf.

Mom posing

Eating at the Franciscan (which we were told later at our SF tour
was not the best seafood resto at the wharf)

Mom’s seafood pasta

Some Fish and Chips

And a view of Alcatraz

The next day we went on a day tour of San Francisco that made me appreciate the beauty of San Francisco even more.

First stop: the Golden Gate Bridge

Another cold morning

Passing by the beach

A super cold beach! The tour guide said some people actually
try to surf and swim here!

Even after reading this warning

Also stopped at a high point to get a view of the city

Also got to see San Francisco’s Painted Ladies

Here’s another one

Our time in San Francisco was lovely indeed and I wish I can get the chance to visit again soon. Next blog will be about our week in LA!