A stopover in San Francisco brought Chinatown dinners, a Segway tour of the city’s landmarks and an unexpected laugh with a low‑rider at the traffic lights.
I added a short stopover in San Francisco at the end of my 2011 Monuments and Parks tour, flying there straight after my stay in Las Vegas. What made this visit particularly unusual was that, just a day before leaving for the trip, I was contacted through the Ancestry website by a cousin I never knew existed. Until that moment, I had no idea I had any family in America. We quickly arranged to meet when I reached San Francisco, giving the end of my holiday an unexpected twist.
Evening in Chinatown.
After landing from Las Vegas, we were transferred to our hotel on the edge of Chinatown. Once checked in, I took a short walk around the surrounding streets before heading back for a shower. Two people from the tour invited me to join them for dinner in Chinatown that evening, and after a wander through the neighbourhood, we chose a Chinese restaurant.
The meal was excellent, and when I reached for the bill to work out my share, they insisted on paying. They told me they had enjoyed my company throughout the holiday and wanted to treat me. Only then did they mention it was also their wedding anniversary and they were celebrating. After dinner, we stopped at a small bar opposite the hotel for a nightcap before heading back to the hotel.
Segway Tour of San Francisco.
The next morning, I headed down to Fisherman’s Wharf near Pier 39. I’d always wanted to try riding a Segway, so I booked a guided tour of the city. After a short lesson, we were off, gliding through San Francisco and taking in many of the major sights, including:
- The Golden Gate Bridge.
- Golden Gate National Park.
- Pier 39.
- Fisherman’s Wharf.
- Lombard Street.
- Chinatown.
It was a fantastic way to see the city, fast enough to cover a lot of ground, but slow enough to enjoy the views.
A Moment at the Traffic Lights.
One of the funniest moments of the tour happened while we were waiting at traffic lights opposite the docks. A convertible with hydraulic suspension pulled up beside us, bouncing up and down to the beat of loud rap music. The driver looked straight at me, clearly trying to impress.
I turned to him and said it was impressive, but could he do this? I then spun my Segway on the spot and moved backwards and forwards without touching the handlebars. He burst out laughing. When the lights turned green, he was laughing so hard he stalled the car, and I managed to glide off ahead of him. He caught up later, still laughing, and gave me a wave as he passed.
It was one of those small, silly moments that stays with you.
Meeting My Cousin, Marla.
My "new" cousin, Marla, picked me up from my hotel and introduced me to her husband, Peter. We went to a bar at the top of a towerblock, of I believe at the time it was mainly offices, with a fantastic view out over San Francisco, I think it was called "The Mark". We stayed a short time and had a drink before leaving to go somewhere else for dinner.
Foreign Cinema.
The place we went, The Foreign Cinema, for dinner looked a bit run down when we arrived and I was a bit surprised because Marla and Pete had told me we were lucky to get a table. When we entered we were checked in by well dressed doorman and walked in on a red carpet.
The restaurant was an old cinema that had been converted into a plush restaurant. It was fantastic and the whole time we sat at our table eating, old black and white films were being played onto the old film screens. The atmosphere, staff and ambience as well as he company were incredible.
I also remember being a little worried aboutthe cost of the meal because i hadnt seen a price on anything and I had intended buying dinner. I neednt have worried as when we had finished our meal, and finsihed introducing ourselves, remember we had never met before and only even knew each other existed for around a month, Peter insisted on paying for the meal.
When we left I promised myself I would one day return to the restaurant to eat again. I hope I one day return and get to repay my cousins kindess.
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