“If you’re going to San Francisco be sure to wear some flowers in your hair” advised Scott McKenzie few decades ago. His famous 1967 hit single inspired many people to visit San Francisco. Well, I didn’t have any flowers in my hair but I expect that very little has changed since this song was popular. California in general and SF in particular is still a very liberal. This is a very particular mix of hippie style, mild climate and relatively long history (as for an American city). Here are three things that I really liked in San Francisco. Chinatown This is the oldest and biggest of all american Chinatowns. Not only occupies few blocks in the city center but, over the years, it became a tourist attraction. It is dated back in mid nineteenth century and started with arrival physical workers called coolies. Hundreds of young single man came to participate in railway construction and golden rush in California. Just like other Chinatowns it gradually absorbed more woman and eventually became a family migration.  Currently this is like city within city. Stores, restaurants, library, churches it is all provided in Chinese. This community is successful in terms of sustaining ties with mainland China and their culture. Chinese in the US are often called a perfect minority. Entering through a gate guarded by two dragons is like a travel in space and time. The noise and smell brings you to China and although this is an American version of it, it still marvels people from all over the world. Cable car museum This was the best museum I visited in San Francisco. It is located in old power station and barn used from the very beginning of trams in SF. And it is a working one so you actually enter a real place. As authentic as you get. There is a background noise all the time produced by huge wheels and lines which make this whole tram business going. There are still three lines working and for many this is a landmark just like the Golden Gate bridge. We can’t think about SF without imagining one old wooden cable car, can we? I like the way this museum is organised. Entrance is for donation, you watch people working and you can know the history of this company and San Francisco at the same time. 1906 earthquake and fire left this city almost destroyed. Pictures taken back then are touching. There was one particular that made an impression at me: a tram and a totally ruined city in the background. Trams are such important part of this city history that when there was an idea to get rid of them there were some people who stand out and defended the trams. They collected the money and saved the trams. And although now it is very limited comparing to what was before, tourists from all over the world may have their ride up and down famous hills. Hills I think that hills are the most picturesque element of San Francisco cityscape. Some of them are really steep and this make the city so beautiful. The views on the bay from every street and boulevard on the hills are just fantastic. In a sunny day you see bright stylish houses with a deep blue background and it really is wonderful.  Crossing the city north – south or east – west will make you sweaty in a warm day. Up and down the streets go but every crossroad is levelled which make driving San Francisco possible. Some of the streets and sidewalks are so steep it is hard to believe that people are able to park their cars this way. There are typically American organised blocks but this is one of few cities constructed on hills. And for me this is like the one that stands out and challenges the utilitarian America. These are the things I liked in SF. I’m not saying this city has no problems or dirty and dangerous neighbourhoods but I think it is worthy to come and visit it at least once in your lifetime.   

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This spring was filled with short trekking breaks in different parts of Europe and it somehow made me think about New Zealand. One of the most spectacular hikes I did on the South Island was the one called Alex Knob trail. I can tell you this: there is no better view on Franz Josef majestic glacier than from this peak! This was a fantastic day and I can recommend this trail to all hikers. What is was special about it? A variety of landscapes I know the magic word ‘variety’ is somehow overused in the case of New Zealand but it is SO true! And I can’t do anything about it. This one day hike brought as many views as these: turquoise sea (The Tasman Sea), rocky shore (West Coast), sandy beach (Okarito Beach), bush and finally glacier (Franz Josef). Now think about Europe and about how many days you should walk to see it all? Itinerary The itinerary was straightforward: from the place when the road ends go up. No mountain huts along the roads. Actually spectacular views and nothing else. A welcome sign informed me that the trail is 17 km long and a return walk takes about 8h. And normally I would consider it moderate at most BUT I didn’t have any experience in walking in a bush. And this is completely different! Bush in this case means a forest full of native trees. It is thick, dense, humid and makes an impression of being impenetrable. It looks like my blogger mate Laurence from Finding the Universe found his favorite trekking paths here in New Zealand! Check his post about it. Stunning photos are his specialty. The good news related to New Zealand was that there is no poisonous animals on this island (no harmful spiders, snakes or scorpions). It cut a huge stress off and made the whole trek enjoyable. But the most difficult part was related to the extreme humidity. Mountains in Europe – vaguely speaking – are high and rocky. If you think about far Lapland or high Dolomites you will get the picture. Even though there are some trees it is rarely humid. But New Zealand is so different! After 3h of very steep climb I was exhausted. The view from the top was rewarding but somehow it made me disappointed that such an effort brought me only at the 1303 masl! A return way took me less than 8h but it was much more demanding than I expected. This trail was very different also because it was almost completely wild. There are no facilities, no mountain huts. There was a parking space down the road and a welcome sign. And this also makes this trail so different. In New Zealand trekking paths are often like this so I think the tourists should be better prepared and brought all survival stuff with them. Every year there are many foreign tourists being lost in New Zealand because they were unprepared to rapidly changing weather conditions. Think about it before you walk it. I found Alex Knob trail physically demanding but also extremely rewarding. No other place like this!   

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One of the reasons why I travel is meeting people. The locals, preferably, but also other travelers. My recent trip to Ireland mixed both and I consider this experience a perfect one. I’m starting to tell you the story from a meeting in Zetland Country House Hotel with an Irish fiddler. No jokes here: I really met an Irish girl who played the violin. Wonderfully. Try to imagine a day full of activities, places visited, people you have been talked to, and your feeling of the total exhaustion at the end of the day. This is what we had been doing for the whole day with a bunch of bloggers met at the Tbex conference who got invited to one of post conference trip: Wild West Atlantic Coast. We crossed Ireland from the east to the west and went to one of the unspoiled areas at the Atlantic Coast: counties of Mayo and Connemara. After a very busy day we got amazingly warm welcome from the owners of the Zetland hotel: when we entered the hotel the fireplace was warm, the armchairs looked cosy and the traditional Irish music was a fabulous background so we all could feel well. The owner was waiting for us with the local whiskey (this is not a spelling error: Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey are distinguished in spelling; whisky is the usual spelling in Britain and whiskey in the U.S.) called the Irish Fiddler. I have never tasted whiskey before and I started well, I dare say. We tasted two varieties of whiskey and with the fresh oysters it tasted really special. I think the particularity of this experience laid in a very pleasant combination of warm, cordiality, music and taste. The more senses are engaged the better we remember. For me this was one of the long lasting experience because of that. Later that evening, when we got back from a dinner I met Bernadette- the fiddler- and Alan- the owner’s son. We were sitting in a bar until late, chatting about music, family traditions, the local customs and some of our travels. There was no rush, no running, no ‘being late’ feeling. Just sitting there, having our whiskey and cider, talking, laughing and thinking “Gosh, this is amazing, and will not happen again. Ever.” The next day rainy and foggy weather was waiting for us. Despite the poor weather the surrounding of the hotel is marvelous. And so it is the near bay. When I got down all fireplaces were already warm. I met Martina- the hotel manager- who told me the story of turf used as a heating fuel. The turf is collected all over Ireland and it comes in handy little pieces. Normally, after the turf is collected it dries for couple of weeks before it is used in a fireplace. This year, however, which was extremely warm and scanty rainfall the turf was dried in 2 weeks. It fires in a second- when properly dried- and gives nice warm. We had a lazy breakfast in a beautiful dining room with view over the garden and the bay. We had a short but very interesting conversation about the Irish funeral customs with our Irish guide. She said that in Connemara and Galway where she comes from people are still very attached to keeping the death person at home for a while to say a proper goodbye. Neighbors, friends and family members come to pay their respect. The funeral is just after that, at the local graveyard where the whole local history is immortalized. Because of warm, tasty food and cordiality of the owners nobody was interested in leaving, really. Cosiness of this place is outstanding. I really wish to get back to Zetland some day. I would love to see it in a beautiful weather, eating breakfast in the garden and watching the bay. Next episode of this story is here.  

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